2014 MTV Video Music Award Nominations: Surprises, Snubs And, Um, Terry Richardson
Mark your calendars: The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards will air on August 24, live from The Forum in Los Angeles. And following the recent announcement of a few performers like Ariana Grande, 5 Seconds Of Summer and Usher, MTV’s annual throwdown is now fully underway with the nominations.
Revealed today were all of those up for Moonmen, and (no surprise here) Beyonce leads the pack with eight nominations (including Video Of The Year for “Drunk In Love,” Best Female Video for “Partition” and Best Video With A Message for “Pretty Hurts”).
Other ladies up for a prize include Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea (nominated multiple times for both “Fancy” and Grande’s “Problem”), Miley Cyrus (Video Of The Year for “Wrecking Ball”) and Katy Perry (Best Female Video and Collaboration Of The Year for “Dark Horse”). Pharrell Williams is the lone dude up for Video Of The Year (“Happy”), unless we’re to count Jay Z‘s feature on “Drunk In Love.”
Surprises this year come in the forms of British newcomer Sam Smith, who’s up for both Best Male Video and Artist To Watch, and Sia. The latter’s 1000 Forms Of Fear hit “Chandelier” snagged nominations for Video Of The Year and Best Choreography. Kiesza, another new face on the pop scene, also sees her must-see “Hideaway” video receive a nomination for Best Choreography.
As for this year’s snubs, there was no MTV love for past VMAs favorites like Britney Spears (whose Britney Jean was released last December) or Lady Gaga (her ARTPOP spawned videos for “Applause” and “G.U.Y.”).
Gaga’s uber-controversial photographer pal Terry Richardson, however, did snag a nomination for Best Direction, for Miley’s “Wrecking Ball.” So there’s that.
One last note: Lorde‘s “Royals” is up for Best Rock (!) Video? Have we somehow been missing that mind-blowing, face-melting guitar solo somewhere in that song all this time?
Below is the full list of who is up for what at the 2014 MTV VMAs:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
Beyonce feat. Jay Z, “Drunk In Love”
Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Miley Cyrus, “Wrecking Ball”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
Sia, “Chandelier”
BEST HIP HOP VIDEO:
Childish Gambino, “3005”
Drake feat. Majid Jordan, “Hold On (We’re Going Home)”
Eminem, “Berzerk”
Kanye West, “Black Skinhead”
Wiz Khalifa, “We Dem Boyz”
BEST MALE VIDEO:
Ed Sheeran feat. Pharrell Williams, “Sing”
Eminem feat. Rihanna, “Monster”
John Legend, “All Of Me”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”
BEST FEMALE VIDEO:
Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Beyonce, “Partition”
Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Katy Perry feat. Juicy J, “Dark Horse”
Lorde, “Royals”
BEST POP VIDEO:
Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Avicii feat. Aloe Blacc, “Wake Me Up”
Jason Derulo feat. 2 Chainz, “Talk Dirty”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
BEST ROCK VIDEO:
Arctic Monkeys, “Do I Wanna Know?”
Black Keys, “Fever”
Imagine Dragons, “Demons”
Linkin Park, “Until It’s Gone”
Lorde, “Royals”
ARTIST TO WATCH:
5 Seconds Of Summer, “She Looks So Perfect”
Charli XCX, “Boom Clap”
Fifth Harmony, “Miss Movin’ On”
Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”
Schoolboy Q, “Man Of The Year”
COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR:
Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and Tyga, “Loyal”
Beyonce feat. Jay Z, “Drunk In Love”
Katy Perry feat. Juicy J, “Dark Horse”
Eminem feat. Rihanna, “Monster”
Pitbull feat. Kesha, “Timber”
MTV CLUBLAND AWARD:
Calvin Harris, “Summer”
Disclosure, “Grab Her”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down For What”
Martin Garrix, “Animals”
Zedd feat. Hayley Williams, “Stay The Night”
BEST VIDEO WITH A SOCIAL MESSAGE:
Angel Haze feat. Sia, “Battle Cry”
Avicii, “Hey Brother”
Beyonce, “Pretty Hurts”
David Guetta feat. Mikky Ekko, “One Voice”
J. Cole feat. Tic, “Crooked Smile”
Kelly Rowland, “Dirty Laundry”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Thirty Seconds To Mars, “City Of Angels”
Beyonce, “Pretty Hurts”
Arcade Fire, “Afterlife”
Gesaffelstein, “Hate Or Glory”
Lana Del Rey, “West Coast”
BEST EDITING:
Beyonce, “Pretty Hurts”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Fitz And The Tantrums, “The Walker”
MGMT, “Your Life Is A Lie”
Zedd feat. Hayley Williams, “Stay The Night”
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
Beyonce, “Partition”
Kiesza, “Hideaway”
Jason Derulo feat. 2 Chainz, “Talk Dirty”
Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake, “Love Never Felt So Good”
Sia, “Chandelier”
Usher, “Good Kisser”
BEST DIRECTION:
Beyonce, “Pretty Hurts”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down For What”
Eminem feat. Rihanna, “Monster”
Miley Cyrus, “Wrecking Ball”
OK Go, “The Writing’s On The Wall”
BEST ART DIRECTION:
Arcade Fire, “Reflektor”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down For What”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Tyler, The Creator, “Tamale”
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:
Disclosure, “Grab Her”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down For What”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Jack White, “Lazaretto”
OK Go, “The Writing’s On The Wall”
[Via MTV]
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