MTV Video Music Awards: Taylor Swift, SZA Top Nominations

Taylor Swift and SZA are the leading contenders at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, where female nominees dominate the top category for the first time in the show’s history.

Swift’s “Anti-Hero” and SZA’s “Kill Bill” will compete for video of the year alongside Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl,” Olivia Rodrigo’s “vampire,” Doja Cat’s “Attention” and “Unholy” by Kim Petras and Sam Smith (who identifies as nonbinary). All of the songs have hit the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with the exception of Doja Cat’s “Attention,” which was released two months ago.

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Women also own another big category — artist of the year — where nominees are Swift, Beyoncé, Minaj, Shakira, Karol G and Doja Cat. The VMAs will air live on Sept. 12 from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Swift, who is currently on her best-selling Eras Tour, is nominated for eight awards. She’s the only artist to win video of the year three times — for “Bad Blood,” “You Need to Calm Down” and All Too Well: The Short Film — and she could continue to make history with a fourth win at the show. Her other nominations for “Anti-Hero,” from her tenth album Midnights, include song of the year, best pop, best direction, best cinematography, best visual effects and best editing.

SZA and her full-length sophomore release, SOS, has also been a streaming juggernaut and chart-topping success, helping her earn six VMA nominations. “Kill Bill” is also nominated for song of the year, best direction, best art direction and best editing, while another SZA hit, “Shirt,” is up for best R&B.

Multiple acts scored five nominations, including Minaj, Cyrus, Rodrigo, Smith, Petras, Doja Cat. Shakira, Diddy and Blackpink are nominated for four awards each, while Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Selena Gomez, Rema, Karol G and Metro Boomin earned three nominations. A record-setting 35 artists are first-time nominees, including Ice Spice, Peso Pluma, Burna Boy, GloRilla, boygenius, Eslabon Armado, Reneé Rapp, PinkPantheress, FIFTY FIFTY and Saucy Santana.

Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” — from the billion dollar-grossing Barbie — cracked the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 this week and is up for two VMAs: best pop and best choreography.

Fifteen categories, including video of the year, artist of the year and the newly-created best Afrobeats, will be decided by fan-voting, which begins Tuesday. Nominees for song of summer and group of the year will be announced at a later date.

The 2023 VMA nominations are being announced during the ongoing writers and actors strike, which has prompted delays of awards shows, including the Emmy Awards, and other events, particularly as actors are unable to promote their projects due to SAG-AFTRA strike rules. But if the strikes are still going on in September, the VMAs could emulate the recent BET Awards, which aired live in June without a host and was jam-packed with multiple performances.

Complete list of nominees: 

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records 
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records 
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records 
Doja Cat – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
KAROL G – Interscope Records
Nicki Minaj – Republic Records
Shakira – Sony Music US Latin
Taylor Swift – Republic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR

Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit” – L-M Records / RCA Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Records
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records

BEST NEW ARTIST

GloRilla – CMG / Interscope Records
Ice Spice – 10K Projects / Capitol Records 
Kaliii – Atlantic Records
Peso Pluma – Double P Records
PinkPantheress – 300 Entertainment
Reneé Rapp – Interscope Records

PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

August 2022: Saucy Santana – “Booty” – Arena Records / RCA Records
September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – “Until I Found You” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
October 2022: JVKE – “golden hour” – AWAL
November 2022: Flo Milli – “Conceited” – ’94 Sounds / RCA Records
December 2022: Reneé Rapp – “Colorado” – Interscope Records
January 2023: Sam Ryder – “All The Way Over” – Elektra Entertainment
February 2023: Armani White – “GOATED” – Def Jam
March 2023: FLETCHER – “Becky’s So Hot” – Capitol Records
April 2023: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records 
May 2023: Ice Spice – “Princess Diana” – Heavy On It / 10K Projects / Capitol Records
June 2023: FLO – “Losing You” – Uptown/Republic Records
July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – “That Part” – Island Records

BEST COLLABORATION

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)” – Warner Records
Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)” – Mercury Records / Republic Records 
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records

BEST POP

Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records 
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
P!NK – “TRUSTFALL” – RCA Records
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records

BEST HIP-HOP

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – “STAYING ALIVE” – We The Best / Epic Records
GloRilla & Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2” – CMG / Interscope Records
Lil Uzi Vert – “Just Wanna Rock” – Atlantic Records / Generation Now
Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – “Kant Nobody” – Young Money Records
Metro Boomin ft Future – “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” – Boominati / Republic Records 
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records

BEST R&B

Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – “Stay” – RCA Records
Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – “How Does It Feel” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Toosii – “Favorite Song” – South Coast Music Group / Capitol Records
Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj – “Love In The Way” – Empire Distribution

BEST ALTERNATIVE

blink-182 – “EDGING” – Columbia Records
boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records
Fall Out Boy – “Hold Me Like A Grudge” – Fueled By Ramen                                                          
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records
Paramore – “This Is Why” – Atlantic Records
Thirty Seconds To Mars – “Stuck” – Concord Records / Concord

BEST ROCK

Foo Fighters – “The Teacher” – RCA Records
Linkin Park – “Lost (Original Version)” – Warner Records
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Tippa My Tongue” – Warner Records 
Måneskin – “THE LONELIEST” – Arista Records
Metallica – “Lux Æterna” – Blackened Recordings
Muse – “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” – Warner Records

BEST LATIN

Anitta – “Funk Rave” – Republic Records
Bad Bunny – “WHERE SHE GOES” – Rimas Entertainment
Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – “Ella Baila Sola” – DEL Records, Inc. / Prajin Parlay, Inc. Grupo Frontera Bad Bunny – “un x100to” – Rimas Entertainment
KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino
ROSALÍA – “DESPECHÁ” – Columbia Records
Shakira – “Acróstico” – Sony Music US Latin

BEST K-POP

aespa – “Girls” – SM ENTERTAINMENT Co., Ltd.
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
FIFTY FIFTY – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
SEVENTEEN – “Super” – HYBE / Geffen Records
Stray Kids – “S-Class” – JYP / Republic
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records

BEST AFROBEATS

Ayra Starr – “Rush” – Mavin Global Holdings
Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty” – Atlantic Records / Spaceship Entertainment Ltd
Davido ft. Musa Keys – “UNAVAILABLE” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
Fireboy DML & Asake – ”Bandana” – Empire Distribution
Libianca – “People” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar” – Starboy / RCA Records

VIDEO FOR GOOD

Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral) – NETFLIX
Bad Bunny – “El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente” – Rimas Entertainment 
Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
Dove Cameron – “Breakfast” – Columbia Records
Imagine Dragons – “Crushed” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records 
Maluma – “La Reina” – Sony Music US Latin

BEST DIRECTION

Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Directed by Tanu Muiño
Drake – “Falling Back” – OVO/Republic Records – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz)
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Directed by Colin Tilley
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Directed by Floria Sigismondi
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Directed by Christian Breslauer
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Adele – “I Drink Wine” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Natasha Baier
Janelle Monae – “Lipstick Lover” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Allison Anderson
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Marcell Rev
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Russ Fraser
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rina Yang

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Fall Out Boy – “Love From The Other Side” – Fueled By Ramen – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner
Harry Styles – “Music For A Sushi Restaurant” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios
Melanie Martinez – “VOID” – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by Carbon
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX)
Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by Charm LaDonna 
Jonas Brothers – “Waffle House” – Republic Records – Choreography by Jerry Reece
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Panic! At The Disco – “Middle Of A Breakup” – Fueled By Ramen – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel

BEST ART DIRECTION

boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Jen Dunlap
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Art Direction by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Art Direction by Spencer Graves
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Brandon Mendez
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Art Direction by Niko Philipides
SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Art Direction by Kate Bunch

BEST EDITING 

BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
Kendrick Lamar – “Rich Spirit” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Edited by Grason Caldwell
Miley Cyrus – “River” – Columbia Records – Edited by Brandan Walter
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Edited by Chancler Haynes

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