When the nominations for the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards were announced on Aug. 8, Beyoncé had just a single nomination (albeit a big one) – artist of the year. Queen Bey did better in the nominations in four socially voted categories, which were announced on Friday (Sept. 1). She received three nods in the social categories, which put her in a tie with Taylor Swift for the most in these four categories.
The two megastars are going head-to-head for show of the summer, song of summer and album of the year (in addition to the previously announced artist of the year).
SZA, BLACKPINK, Drake, Ice Spice and TOMORROW X TOGETHER each received two nods in the social categories.
The album of the year contest could give us a preview of the upcoming Grammy race in that category. Swift’s Midnights and SZA’s SOS, both nominated here, are thought to be Grammy front-runners. Also nominated in the category are Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss, Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains and Miley Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation, which are considered strong Grammy possibilities (though not sure things), and Beyoncé’s Renaissance, which received a Grammy nod for album of the year last year.
With the addition of these social categories, Swift still leads in total nominations (11), followed by SZA (eight); BLACKPINK, Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj and Olivia Rodrigo (six); Kim Petras and Sam Smith (five each); and Beyoncé, Diddy, Drake, Ice Spice, Karol G, Metro Boomin, Shakira and TOMORROW X TOGETHER (four each).
Here’s a complete list of nominations in the four new social categories.
Show of the summer
(Launching Sept. 3 at 11 a.m. ET on @MTV Instagram Story – one round, tap to vote; closes Sept. 4 @ 11 a.m. ET.)
- Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
- BLACKPINK – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
- Drake – OVO / Republic Records
- Ed Sheeran – Atlantic Records
- Karol G – Interscope Records
- Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Group of the year
(Launching Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. ET on @MTV Instagram Story – two rounds, bracket-style face-off, final round tap to vote; closes Sept. 7 at 11 a.m. ET)
- BLACKPINK – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
- FIFTY FIFTY – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
- FLO – Uptown Records/Republic Records
- Jonas Brothers – Republic Records
- Måneskin – Arista Records
- NewJeans – ADOR/Geffen Records
- SEVENTEEN – HYBE / Geffen Records
- TOMORROW x TOGETHER – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records
Song of summer
(Launching Sept. 7 at 11 a.m. ET on @MTV Instagram Story, three rounds bracket-style face-off, final round tap to vote; closes Sept. 11 at 11 a.m. ET)
- Beyoncé – “Cuff It” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
- Billie Eilish – “What Was I Made For? (From The Motion Picture ‘Barbie’)” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
- Doja Cat – “Paint the Town Red” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
- Doechii ft. Kodak Black – “What It Is (Block Boy)” – Top Dawg Entertainment / Capitol Records
- Dua Lipa – “Dance the Night (From the Barbie Album)” – Atlantic Records / Warner Records
- FIFTY FIFTY – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
- Gunna – “fukumean” – Young Stoner Life Records / 300 Entertainment
- Jung Kook ft. Latto – “Seven” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Geffen Records
- Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice– “Barbie World (with Aqua) [From Barbie The Album]” – 10k Projects / Capitol Records / Dolo Entertainment / Atlantic Records
- Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
- SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
- Taylor Swift ft. Ice Spice – “Karma” – Republic Records
- TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers – “Do It Like That” – BIGHIT MUSIC / IMPERIAL / Republic Records
- Luke Combs – “Fast Car” – Columbia Nashville
- Troye Sivan – “Rush” – Capitol Records
- Yng Lvcas & Peso Pluma – “La Bebe (Remix)” – Warner Music Latina
Album of the year
(Launching Sept. 11 at 11 a.m. ET on @MTV Instagram Story – one round, tap to vote; closes Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. ET)
- Beyoncé – Renaissance – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
- Drake & 21 Savage – Her Loss – OVO / Republic Records
- Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains – Boominati / Republic Records
- Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation – Columbia Records
- SZA – SOS – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
- Taylor Swift – Midnights – Republic Records
