The MTV Video Music Awards are airing Sept. 13 and there is a strong crop of nominees.
Beyonce and Lady Gaga lead with nine nominations apiece and Britney Spears has the third-highest number of nominations with seven.
Lady Gaga Faces Competition From Veteran Artists
The Best Female Video category includes Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it),” Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face,” Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You,” P!nk’s “So What,” and Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me.”
Lady Gaga also may get the distinction of being named Best New Artist, a title which may lead to obscurity (Jamiraqui) or continued success (Avril Lavigne, who won the award in 2002).
In the Best Art Direction category, it’s Beyonce vs. Gaga vs. Britney Spears (“Circus”) vs. Coldplay (“Viva La Vida”) and Gnarls Barkley (“Who’s Gonna Save My Soul”).
For Best Choreography Beyonce and Britney face off against Ciara featuring Justin Timberlake (“Love Sex Magic”), and Kristina DeBarge (“Goodbye”). A.R. Rahman and Pussycat Dolls f/Nicole Sherzinger for “Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)”.
A new category this year called Best Video (that should have won a Moonman) will result in an award given to a video which deserved it the first time around bet went unrecognized.
Best Direction Category Includes Previous Winner Jonas Akerlund
The Best Direction contenders are Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” directed by Jake Nava, Britney Spears’ “Circus” directed by Francis Lawrence, Cobra Starship’s “Good Girls Go Bad” directed by Kai Regan, Green Day’s “21 Guns” directed by Marc Webb and Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” directed by Jonas Akerlund.
Akerlund’s video for Madonna’s “Ray of Light” won six VMAs in 1998, including video of the year.
Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” is competing in the Video of the Year category against “Single Ladies,” Simon Henwood’s Kanye West video “Love Lockdown,” and two videos by Joseph Kahn, “We Made You” and “Womanizer.” The star of “Womanizer,” Britney Spears, won the award for Video of the Year with “Piece of Me” last year and might make it two in a row. She’s collaborated with Joseph Kahn on such videos as “Stronger” and “Toxic,” the latter being one of her biggest hits.
Russell Brand returns as host this year and the show will be held at Radio City Music Hall. Last year he upset Jordin Sparks by teasing the Jonas brothers for wearing purity rings, so he may be offending someone else this year. Confirmed performers so far are Lady Gaga, P!nk, Green Day, Muse, Jay-Z and Taylor Swift.
 |
