MTV UNVEILS NEW EMAS CATEGORY: THE VIDEO VISIONARY AWARD

ROCK HEROES DURAN DURAN TO BE THE FIRST HONOREES

VOTING IS NOW OPEN AT MTVEMA.COM

MTV today announced a new award category to be unveiled during the 2015 MTV EMAs: the MTV Video Visionary Award. The category will honor the greatest pioneers in the history of the music video art form, the inaugural recipients of which will be international rock heroes Duran Duran.

Duran Duran's unique sound and strong visual sense have not only influenced a generation of musicians and creatives, but continue to resonate the world over. One of the greatest pioneers of the music video, their distinctive style has had an undeniable impact on music history, with hits stemming from the very beginnings of MTV to the present day.

"It is no coincidence that our rise was paralleled by the growth and ultimate world domination of MTV. The birth of music videos as a way to simultaneously bring our music to a global audience revolutionized the business. We took this new short form of film making and tried to make it our own. We have had some incredible experiences over the years making our videos. We have worked with some of the most talented directors in the world - without whom we would not be honored here today. We are really proud to be the recipients of this new award. Thank you MTV." - Duran Duran

Host Ed Sheeran and co-host Ruby Rose will be taking charge of this year's MTV EMAs which will air on Sunday, October 25 in the U.S. from the Mediolanum Forum in Milan at 8:00PM ET/PT. Voting for all award categories is open on mtvema.com through October 24 at 11:59pm CET.

The talent list is heating up for what is set to be an explosive edition of the MTV EMAs, with Pharrell Williams, Ed Sheeran & Rudimental, Ellie Goulding, Jason Derulo, twenty one pilots, Tori Kelly, James Bay, Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Andrea Bocelli previously announced as performers.

About the 2015 MTV EMAs

The 2015 MTV EMAs sponsors include 5(R) Gum and Burger King(R) and will broadcast LIVE across the globe on Sunday, 25 October at 9:00PM CET* from the Mediolanum Forum in Milan, in partnership with Expo 2015. One of the biggest global music events of the year that celebrates the hottest artists from around the world, the MTV EMAs bring music fans a unique, multi-platform experience across MTV's global network of more than 60 channels and over 300 digital media properties and platforms. Follow @MTVEMA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine, and join the conversation with #MTVEMA. Fans are invited to participate in the 2015 MTV EMAs campaign using MTV Bump. Bruce Gillmer and Richard Godfrey are Executive Producers for the 2015 MTV EMAs.

*Check local listings.

About MTV

MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of nearly 785 million households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. Outside of the United States, MTV is part of Viacom International Media Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all platforms.