Good news! The channel that may as well be called “the network formerly known as Music Television” has announced its annual nominations for awards celebrating … music! Yes, once a year, MTV returns to their humble, “Video Killed the Radio Star” roots and honors the artists who made their mark on pop culture that past year through the form of music videos. You’ve gotta admire the network for staying true to itself at least once a year.
So who made the list of pop culture arbiters at the channel now possibly known better for minting reality stars and catchphrases like “grenades” and “creeping” than debuting hot new videos?
Well, of course there’s Lady Gaga. A lot of Lady Gaga. The performance artist and singer/songwriter who may very well have changed the face of female pop artists as we know them racked up 13 nominations — the most nominations one artist has ever received in a year. Some of her nominations include “Best Pop Video” (for “Bad Romance”), “Best Female Video” and “Video of the Year,” in which she’ll compete against herself for “Telephone” and “Bad Romance.” She’s nominated with Beyoncé for their epic Kill Bill-esque video for “Telephone” in three categories.
Lady Gaga reacted her nominations with her usual humility, acknowledging her fans — whom she refers to as her “little monsters” — first and foremost. “A long time ago the world told me and my little monsters we would never be heard, together we changed the rules. God put me on Earth for three reasons: To make loud music, gay videos and cause a damn raucous. Thank you, MTV!” The rule-breaking singer has definitely encouraged fans to celebrate their differences and embrace uniqueness in a way that no artist ever has before.
Other top nominees include Eminem, who received eight nominations, including “Video of the Year,” “Best Male Video” and his collaboration with break-out new rapper Drake, Lil Wayne and Kayne West. The songs of summer you can’t get out of your head no matter how hard you try (that would be Katy Perry’s “California Girls” and Ke$ha’s “TiK ToK”) are both up for Best Female Video, but Gaga will most likely be the one to beat.
And, of course, lest we forget him, Justin Bieber is nominated for “Best New Artist” for that other song you can’t get out of your head, “Baby,” featuring Ludacris. His competition in the category includes Ke$ha, Nicki Minaj, Jason Derulo and Broken Bells. Our money’s on Bieber.
Photo by PR Photos.