While you were sleeping, the 2014 MTV Video Music Award nominations were announced with much pomp and ceremony [via Snapchat] just over a month out from the August 24th ceremony, which this year takes as its theme Beyoncé: The Visual Album.
With a not altogether unsurprising eight nominations, B. Giselle Knowles Carter leads the prospective Moon Man tally for her important work in the arena of ‘slaying yasss kween yasss get it’, followed soon after by Iggy Azalea with seven nods for both “Fancy” and “Problem”, a collaborative venture with shetland weave stand Ariana Grande.
Sia, who yesterday celebrated concurrent number one albums in both Australia and the States, scored two nominations for the brilliant “Chandelier”, including Video of the Year and Best Choreography. “Pretty Hurts”, the Sia-penned album opener on Beyoncé’s music video magnum opus, is also nominated for Best Video With a Social Message for its eponymous critique of the impossible standards of beauty perpetuated by music videos.
“Turn Down For What”, meanwhile, is a shoe-in for the MTV Clubland Award, whatever the fuck that is. And the rest of the nominees are…
Video of the Year
Beyoncé ft. Jay Z, “Drunk in Love”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
Sia, “Chandelier”
Miley Cyrus, “Wrecking Ball”
Best Male
Ed Sheeran ft. Pharrell, “Sing”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
John Legend, “All of Me”
Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”
Eminem ft. Rihanna, “Monster”
Best Female
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J,”Dark Horse”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Beyoncé, “Partition”
Lorde, “Royals”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J,”Dark Horse”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Beyoncé, “Partition”
Lorde, “Royals”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Best Hip Hop
Eminem, “Bezerk”
Drake ft. Majid Jordan, “Hold On (We’re Going Home)”
Childish Gambino, “3005”
Kanye West, “Black Skinhead”
Wiz Khalifa, “We Dem Boyz”
Eminem, “Bezerk”
Drake ft. Majid Jordan, “Hold On (We’re Going Home)”
Childish Gambino, “3005”
Kanye West, “Black Skinhead”
Wiz Khalifa, “We Dem Boyz”
Best Pop
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz, “Talk Dirty”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Avicii ft. Aloe Blacc, “Wake Me Up”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz, “Talk Dirty”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Avicii ft. Aloe Blacc, “Wake Me Up”
Best Rock
Linkin Park, “Until It’s Gone”
Imagine Dragons, “Demons”
Arctic Monkeys, “Do I Wanna Know”
The Black Keys, “Fever”
Lorde, “Royals”
Imagine Dragons, “Demons”
Arctic Monkeys, “Do I Wanna Know”
The Black Keys, “Fever”
Lorde, “Royals”
Best New Artist
Charli XCX, “Boom Clap”
Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”
5 Seconds of Summer,”She Looks So Perfect”
Schoolboy Q, “Man of the Year”
Fifth Harmony, “Miss Movin On”
Charli XCX, “Boom Clap”
Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”
5 Seconds of Summer,”She Looks So Perfect”
Schoolboy Q, “Man of the Year”
Fifth Harmony, “Miss Movin On”
Best Collaboration
Eminem ft. Rihanna, “Monster”
Beyoncé ft. Jay Z, “Drunk in Love”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Pitbull ft. Ke$ha, “Timber”
Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Tyga, “Loyal”
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J, “Dark Horse”
Eminem ft. Rihanna, “Monster”
Beyoncé ft. Jay Z, “Drunk in Love”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Pitbull ft. Ke$ha, “Timber”
Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Tyga, “Loyal”
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J, “Dark Horse”
Best Choreography
Sia, “Chandelier”
Beyoncé, “Partition”
Usher, “Good Kisser”
Michael Jackson ft. Justin Timberlake, “Love Never Felt So Good”
Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz, “Talk Dirty”
Kiesza, “Hideaway”
Sia, “Chandelier”
Beyoncé, “Partition”
Usher, “Good Kisser”
Michael Jackson ft. Justin Timberlake, “Love Never Felt So Good”
Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz, “Talk Dirty”
Kiesza, “Hideaway”
Best Editing
Eminem, “Rap God”
MGMT, “Your Life Is a Lie”
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams, “Stay the Night”
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
Fitz and the Tantrums, “The Walker”
Eminem, “Rap God”
MGMT, “Your Life Is a Lie”
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams, “Stay the Night”
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
Fitz and the Tantrums, “The Walker”
Best Cinematography
30 Seconds to Mars, “City of Angels”
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
Arcade Fire, “Afterlife”
Gesaffelstein, “Hate or Glory”
Lana Del Rey, “West Coast”
30 Seconds to Mars, “City of Angels”
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
Arcade Fire, “Afterlife”
Gesaffelstein, “Hate or Glory”
Lana Del Rey, “West Coast”
Best Direction
OK Go, “The Writing’s on the Wall”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What”
Miley Cyrus, “Wrecking Ball”
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
Eminem ft. Rihanna, “The Monster”
OK Go, “The Writing’s on the Wall”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What”
Miley Cyrus, “Wrecking Ball”
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
Eminem ft. Rihanna, “The Monster”
Best Art Direction
Arcade Fire, “Reflektor”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Tyler, The Creator, “Tamale”
Arcade Fire, “Reflektor”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Tyler, The Creator, “Tamale”
Best Visual Effects
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What”
OK Go, “The Writing’s on the Wall”
Disclosure, “Grab Her!”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Jack White, “Lazaretto”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What”
OK Go, “The Writing’s on the Wall”
Disclosure, “Grab Her!”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Jack White, “Lazaretto”
MTV Clubland Award
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams, “Stay the Night”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What”
Calvin Harris, “Summer”
Martin Garrix, “Animal”
Disclosure, “Grab Her!”
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams, “Stay the Night”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What”
Calvin Harris, “Summer”
Martin Garrix, “Animal”
Disclosure, “Grab Her!”
Best Video With a Social Message
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
Angel Haze ft. Sia, “Battle Cry“
Avicii, “Hey Brother”
J. Cole ft. TLC, “Crooked Smile”
Kelly Rowland, “Dirty Laundry”
David Guetta ft. Mikky Ekko, “One Voice”
Photo: Mandel Ngan via AFP/Getty Images
