MTV Axes Gendered Categories At The VMAs! See All The Nominations
It’s about time! MTV has abolished gendered categories at the 2017 Video Music Awards, combining awards for best male and female video (for example) into the one category. That results in a more streamlined event that, as usual, delivers some baffling nominations. Kendrick Lamar leads the field with 8, which is completely appropriate given the massive success of “Humble.” The banger’s powerful visual is a frontrunner for Video of The Year and eyes will roll if K.Dot doesn’t take home Artist Of The Year as well.
The Weeknd and Katy Perry scored five nominations each and they also seem largely warranted. The Canadian crooner is another contender of Artist Of The Year, but strangely lands a Video Of The Year nomination for “Reminder.” (The one where he drives around LA and hangs out with famous friends). Katy, however, is mostly relegated to the technical categories. I’m not sure how stoked the pop star will be to collect nominations for Best Direction and Best Special Effects. “Chained To The Rhythm” and “Bon Appetit” were robbed.
Other curious nominations include Lorde and Ariana Grande for Artist Of The Year (the former’s new era has majorly underperformed, while the latter is off-cycle), DJ Khaled’s sloppy and uneventful “Wild Thoughts” visual getting a Video Of The Year nomination and actress Shailene Woodley nabbing a nomination for Best Fight Against The System for featuring on Taboo’s “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL.” I can’t be the only person that completely missed that one. See the full nominations below. The 2017 MTV VMAs take place on August 27 at the Forum in Inglewood, California.
Video Of The Year
Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE.”
Bruno Mars, “24K Magic”
Alessia Cara, “Scars To Your Beautiful”
DJ Khaled f. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, “Wild Thoughts”
The Weeknd, “Reminder”
Artist Of The Year
Bruno Mars
Kendrick Lamar
Ed Sheeran
Ariana Grande
The Weeknd
Lorde
Best New Artist
Khalid
Kodak Black
SZA
Young M.A
Julia Michaels
Noah Cyrus
Best Hip-Hop
Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE.”
Big Sean, “Bounce Back”
Chance the Rapper, “Same Drugs”
D.R.A.M. f. Lil Yachty, “Broccoli”
Migos f. Lil Uzi Vert, “Bad & Boujee”
DJ Khaled f. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne, “I’m The One”
Best Collaboration
Charlie Puth f. Selena Gomez, “We Don’t Talk Anymore”
DJ Khaled f. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, “Wild Thoughts”
D.R.A.M. f. Lil Yachty, “Broccoli”
The Chainsmokers f. Halsey, “Closer”
Calvin Harris f. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry, and Big Sean, “Feels”
Zayn and Taylor Swift, “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
Best Dance
Zedd and Alessia Cara, “Stay”
Kygo and Selena Gomez, “It Ain’t Me”
Calvin Harris, “My Way”
Major Lazer f. Justin Bieber and MØ, “Cold Water”
Afrojack f. Ty Dolla $ign, “Gone”
Best Rock
Coldplay, “A Head Full of Dreams”
Fall Out Boy, “Young And Menace”
Twenty One Pilots, “Heavydirtysoul”
Green Day, “Bang Bang”
Foo Fighters, “Run”
Best Pop
Shawn Mendes, “Treat You Better”
Ed Sheeran, “Shape of You”
Harry Styles, “Sign Of The Times”
Fifth Harmony f. Gucci Mane, “Down”
Katy Perry f. Skip Marley, “Chained To The Rhythm”
Miley Cyrus, “Malibu”
Best Fight Against The System
Logic f. Damian Lemar Hudson, “Black SpiderMan”
The Hamilton Mixtape, “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)”
Big Sean, “Light”
Alessia Cara, “Scars To Your Beautiful”
Taboo f. Shailene Woodley, “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL”
John Legend, “Surefire”
Best Cinematography
Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE.” (Scott Cunningham)
Imagine Dragons, “Thunder” (Matthew Wise)
Ed Sheeran, “Castle On The Hill” (Steve Annis)
DJ Shadow f. Run The Jewels, “Nobody Speak” (David Proctor)
Halsey, “Now or Never” (Kristof Brandl)
Best Direction
Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE.” (Spencer Graves)
Bruno Mars, “24K Magic” (Alex Delgado)
Katy Perry f. Migos, “Bon Appetit” (Natalie Groce)
DJ Khaled f. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, “Wild Thoughts” (Damian Fyffe)
The Weeknd, “Reminder” (Creative Director: Lamar C Taylor / Co-creative Director: Christo Anesti)
Best Visual Effects
Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE.” (Company: Timber/Lead: Jonah Hall)
A Tribe Called Quest, “Dis Generation” (Company: Bemo/Lead: Brandon Hirzel)
KYLE f. Lil Yachty, “iSpy” (Company: Gloria FX/Leads: Max Colt & Tomash Kuzmytskyi)
Katy Perry f. Skip Marley, “Chained To The Rhythm” (Company: MIRADA)
Harry Styles, “Sign Of The Times” (Company: ONE MORE/Lead: Cédric Nivoliez)
Best Choreography
Kanye West, “Fade” (Teyana Taylor, Guapo, Jae Blaze & Derek ‘Bentley’ Watkins)
Ariana Grande f. Nicki Minaj, “Side To Side” (Brian & Scott Nicholson)
Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE.” (Dave Meyers)
Sia, “The Greatest” (Ryan Heffington)
Fifth Harmony f. Gucci Mane, “Down” (Sean Bankhead)
Best Editing
Future, “Mask Off” (Vinnie Hobbs of VHPost)
Young Thug, “Wyclef Jean” (Ryan Staake & Eric Degliomini)
Lorde, “Green Light” (Nate Gross of Exile Edit)
The Chainsmokers f. Halsey, “Closer” (Jennifer Kennedy)
The Weeknd, “Reminder” (Red Barbaza)
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