Now that the dog days of summer are starting to die down, MTV is getting ready for one of their major end of summer award shows. On Tuesday (July 25), the once music-centric channel announced the nominees for the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards. Leading the pack with a total of eight nominations this year is Kendrick Lamar. “Video of the Year,” “Best Hip-Hop,” and “Best Cinematography” are just some of the categories his single, “HUMBLE.” is nominated for.
Falling behind Lamar with a total of five nominations each are Katy Perry and The Weeknd. Perry is nominated for categories such as “Best Pop,” “Best Direction,” and “Best Visual Effects” for her Skip Marley-assisted, “Chained to the Rhythm.” The Weekend is nominated for categories such as “Video of the Year,” “Best Editing,” and “Best Art Direction” for his single, “Reminder.”
Following their decision to feature non-gendered categories at the 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards, the network announced that the “Best Female Video” and “Best Male Video” categories have been combined into “Artist of the Year.” Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar, the Weekend, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande, and Lorde are nominated for that honor this year.
In addition to the combined “Artist of the Year” category, MTV has also revealed the addition of a new category: “Best Fight Against the System.” The “Best Fight Against the System” category was added to celebrate music videos that inspire viewers to stand up for injustices.
Fans can begin to vote for their favorite music videos by heading over to the VMA’s website here. While all the major categories will close before the awards show in late August, the “Best New Artist” category will remain open until the night of the live broadcast. Another category, “Best Song of Summer,” will be announced at a later date.
The 2017 MTV Video Music Awards will air live from the Forum in Inglewood, California on Sunday, Aug. 27, at 8 p.m. ET. The complete list of nominees, with the exclusion on “Best Song of Summer,” can be seen below.
Video of the Year
Kendrick Lamar — “HUMBLE.”
Bruno Mars — “24K Magic”
Alessia Cara — “Scars To Your Beautiful”
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & 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 Collaboration
Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez — “We Don’t Talk Anymore”
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller — “Wild Thoughts”
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty — “Broccoli”
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey — “Closer”
Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean — “Feels”
Zayn & Taylor Swift — “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
Best Pop
Shawn Mendes — “Treat You Better”
Ed Sheeran — “Shape of You”
Harry Styles — “Sign of the Times”
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane — “Down”
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained to the Rhythm”
Miley Cyrus — “Malibu”
Best Hip Hop
Kendrick Lamar — “HUMBLE.”
Big Sean — “Bounce Back”
Chance the Rapper — “Same Drugs”
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty — “Broccoli”
Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert — “Bad & Boujee”
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne — “I’m The One”
Best Dance
Zedd and Alessia Cara — “Stay”
Kygo x Selena Gomez — “It Ain’t Me”
Calvin Harris — “My Way”
Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ — “Cold Water”
Afrojack ft. 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 Fight Against the System
Logic ft. Damian Lemar Hudson — “Black SpiderMan”
The Hamilton Mixtape — “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” (Immigration)
Big Sean — “Light” (Race)
Alessia Cara — “Scars to Your Beautiful” (Body image)
Taboo ft. Shailene Woodley — “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL” (Environment)
John Legend — “Surefire” (Immigration & Anti-Muslim hate)
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