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The 2023 MTV VMA nominations are out—and Taylor Swift is in the lead

The 2023 MTV VMA nominations are out—and Taylor Swift is in the lead
Taylor Swift / © Cover Media

Taylor Swift leads the nominations for the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) with eight nods.

Nominations were announced on Tuesday and female artists dominated, with SZA in the running for six awards, and Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Kim Petras and Nicki Minaj close behind with five each.

Sam Smith also landed five nominations, while Shakira, BLACKPINK and Diddy were recognised in four categories.

For the first time since the Artist of the Year category was introduced in 2017, all the nominees are women – with Swift, Doja, Minaj, Shakira, Beyoncé and Karol G in the running.

Swift’s smash hit Anti-Hero scored seven nominations, Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects and Best Direction.

Swift stands a chance to become the most-awarded artist in VMA history but will need to take home at least six prizes. The singer currently has 14 VMAs, while Madonna has 20 awards.

Although SZA garnered six nominations at this year’s awards, she failed to be recognised in the Artist of the Year category. Her hit song Kill Bill attracted five nominations – Song of the Year, Video of the Year, Best Direction, Best Editing and Best Art Direction. The singer’s track Shirt was recognised in the Best R&B category.

Anti-Hero and Kill Bill are joined in the Song of the Year category bv Miley Cyrus' Flowers, Olivia Rodrigo's Vampire, Rema and Selena Gomez’s Calm Down, Sam Smith and Kim Petras' Unholy and Steve Lacy’s Bad Habit.

First time VMA nominees included Petras, Ice Spice, Metro Boomin, GloRilla, Ayra Starr and Peso Pluma.

A new category has been added for this year’s ceremony, Best Afrobeats.

The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards will be held on 12 September at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

It is not yet known who will host the ceremony.

Fans can visit vote.mtv.com now to choose their favourite artist in 15 of the gender-neutral categories.

Other nominations, including Group of the Year and Song of the Summer, will be announced at a later date.

Here is the main list of nominees:

 

Song of the Year

Miley Cyrus - Flowers

Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire

Rema & Selena Gomez - Calm Down

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - Unholy

Steve Lacy - Bad Habit

SZA - Kill Bill

Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero

 

 

Video of the Year

Doja Cat - Attention

Miley Cyrus - Flowers

Nicki Minaj - Super Freaky Girl

Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - Unholy

SZA - Kill Bill

Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero

 

Artist of the Year

Beyoncé

Doja Cat

Karol G

Nicki Minaj

Shakira

Taylor Swift

 

Song of the Year

Miley Cyrus - Flowers

Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire

Rema & Selena Gomez - Calm Down

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - Unholy

Steve Lacy - Bad Habit

SZA - Kill Bill

Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero

 

Best New Artist

GloRilla

Ice Spice

Kaliii

Peso Pluma

PinkPantheress

Reneé Rapp

 

Best Collaboration

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha - I'm Good (Blue)

Post Malone & Doja Cat - I Like You (A Happier Song)

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami - Gotta Move On

KAROL G & Shakira - TQG

Metro Boomin ft. The Weeknd, 21 Savage, Diddy - Creepin’ (Remix)

Rema & Selena Gomez - Calm Down

 

Best Pop

Demi Lovato - Swine

Dua Lipa - Dance the Night

Ed Sheeran - Eyes Closed

Miley Cyrus - Flowers

Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire

P!NK - Trustfall

Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero

 

Best Hip-Hop

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami - Gotta Move On

DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby - STAYING ALIVE

GloRilla & Cardi B - Tomorrow 2

Lil Uzi Vert - Just Wanna Rock

Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX - Kant Nobody

Metro Boomin ft. Future - Superhero (Heroes and Villains)

Nicki Minaj - Super Freaky Girl

 

Best Rock

Foo Fighters - The Teacher

Linkin Park - Lost (Original Version)

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Tippa My Tongue

Måneskin - The Loneliest

Metallica - Lux Æterna

Muse - You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween

 

Best Alternative

Blink-182 - Edging

Boygenius - The Film

Fall Out Boy - Hold Me Like a Grudge

Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste - Candy Necklace

Paramore - This Is Why

Thirty Seconds To Mars - Stuck

 

Best R&B

Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye - Stay

Chlöe ft. Chris Brown - How Does It Feel

Metro Boomin ft. The Weeknd, 21 Savage, Diddy - Creepin’ (Remix)

SZA - Shirt

Toosii - Favorite Song

Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj - Love In The Way

 

Video for Good

Alicia Keys - If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral)

Bad Bunny - El Apagón Aquí Vive Gente

Demi Lovato - Swine

Dove Cameron - Breakfast

Imagine Dragons - Crushed

Maluma - La Reina

 

Best Cinematography

Adele - I Drink Wine

Ed Sheeran - Eyes Closed

Janelle Monae - Lipstick Lover

Kendrick Lamar - Count Me Out

Miley Cyrus - Flowers

Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire

Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero

 

Best Direction

Doja Cat - Attention

Drake - Falling Back

Kendrick Lamar - Count Me Out

Megan Thee Stallion - Her

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - Unholy

SZA - Kill Bill

Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero

 

Best Art Direction

Boygenius - The Film

Blackpink - Pink Venom

Doja Cat - Attention

Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste - Candy Necklace

Megan Thee Stallion - Her

SZA - Shirt

 

Best Visual Effects

Fall Out Boy - Love From the Other Side

Harry Styles - Music for a Sushi Restaurant

Melanie Martinez - Void

Nicki Minaj - Super Freaky Girl

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - Unholy

Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero

 

Best Choreography

Blackpink - Pink Venom

Dua Lipa - Dance the Night

Jonas Brothers - Waffle House

Megan Thee Stallion - Her

Panic! at the Disco - Middle of a Breakup

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - Unholy

 

Best Editing

Blackpink - Pink Venom

Kendrick Lamar - Rich Spirit

Miley Cyrus - River

Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire

SZA - Kill Bill

Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero

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