HOLLYWOOD—Well the ceremony that used to produce shocking moments (not so much in recent years) unveiled its nominations on Tuesday, July 26. I’m referring to the contenders for the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. Leading the pack were Kendrick Lamar, Jack Harlow and Lil Nas X who each picked up seven nominations apiece. Harlow and Lil Nas X earned nominations for Video of the Year. Followed close behind were Doja Cat and Harry Styles who picked up six nominations each.
Other nominees with multiple nominations included Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Drake and Dua Lipa. Was I surprised by any of the nominees? Nope. Do I actually care? Nope. Why? It’s a fan voted award now people, this wasn’t the case in the past, so it changes who receives accolades and who doesn’t based on a popularity vote people. A partial list of this year’s nominees can be viewed below:
Video Of The Year
-Doja Cat “Woman”
-Drake feat. Future & Young Thug “Way 2 Sexy”
-Ed Sheeran “Shivers”
-Harry Styles “As It Was”
-Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow “INDUSTRY BABY”
-Olivia Rodrigo “brutal”
-Taylor Swift “All Too Well”
Artist Of The Year
-Bad Bunny
-Drake
-Ed Sheeran
-Harry Styles
-Jack Harlow
-Lil Nas X
-Lizzo
Song of the Year
-Adele “Easy on Me”
-Billie Eilish “Happier Than Ever”
-Doja Cat “Woman”
-Elton John and Dua Lipa “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)”
-Lizzo “About Damn Time”
-The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber “STAY”
Best New Artist
-Baby Keem
-Dove Cameron
-GAYLE
-Latto
-Maneskin
-SEVENTEEN
Best Collaboration
-Drake feat. Future and Young Thug “Way 2 Sexy”
-Elton John and Dua Lipa “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)”
-Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow “INDUSTRY BABY”
-Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa “Sweetest Pie”
-Post Malone and The Weeknd “One Right Now”
-Rosalia feat. The Weeknd “LA FAMA”
-The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber “STAY”
Best Hip-Hop
-Eminem and Snoop Dogg “From the D 2 The LBC”
-Future feat. Drake, Tems “WAIT FOR U”
-Kendrick Lamar “N95”
-Latto “Big Energy”
-Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Baby “Do We Have A Problem?
-Pusha T “Diet Coke”
Best Rock
-Foo Fighters “Love Dies Young”
-Jack White “Taking Me Back”
-Muse “Won’t Stand Down”
-Red Hot Chili Peppers “Black Summer”
-Shinedown “Planet Zero”
-Three Days Grace “So Called Life”
Best Pop
-Billie Eilish “Happier Than Ever”
-Doja Cat “Woman”
-Ed Sheeran “Shivers”
-Harry Styles “As It Was”
-Lizzo “About Damn Time”
-Olivia Rodrigo “traitor”
Best Alternative
-Avril Lavigne feat. Blackbear “Love It When You Hate Me”
-Imagine Dragons and JID “Enemy”
-Machine Gun Kelly feat. WILLOW “emo girl”
-Maneskin “I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE”
-Panic! At The Disco “Viva Las Vengeance”
-Twenty One Pilots “Saturday”
-WILLOW, Avril Lavigne feat. Travis Barker “G R O W”
Best R&B
-Alicia Keys “City of Gods (Part II)
-Chloe “Have Mercy”
-H.E.R. “For Anyone”
-Normani feat. Cardi B “Wild Side”
-Summer Walker, SZA and Cardi B “No Love (Extended Version)”
-The Weeknd “Out of Time”
Best Latin
-Anitta “Envolver”
-Bad Bunny “Titi Me Pregunto”
-Becky G X KAROL G “MAMIII”
-Daddy Yankee “REMIX”
-Farruko “Pepas”
-J Balvin and Skrillex “In Da Getto”
Video For Good
-Kendrick Lamar “The Heart Part 5”
-Latto “P**sy”
-Lizzo “About Damn Time”
-Rina Sawayama “This Hell”
-Stromae “Fils de joie”
The 2022 MTV VMAs will be held on Sunday, August 28 from the Prudential Center in New Jersey. The ceremony will air live at 8 p.m. on MTV and will also air on a host of other networks including BET, Comedy Central, CMT, Nickelodeon and VH1 to name a few.
