Taylor Swift Leads 2023 VMA Nominations, Aims for Record-breaking Win

Taylor Swift is on the verge of making history at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. With an impressive eight nominations, seven for her “Anti-Hero” music video and one for Artist of the Year, she could become the most awarded artist in VMA history. This achievement comes as no surprise, given her creative prowess and impact on the music industry.

The nominations announcement, made by MTV on Tuesday, positions Swift ahead of her competition. SZA closely follows with six nominations, showcasing her own remarkable talent. The anticipation for the awards ceremony, set for September 12th, is palpable.

Swift’s current VMA count stands at 14, placing her just behind legends like Madonna with 20 awards and Beyoncé with 16. Both Madonna and Beyoncé are also in the running for Artist of the Year, adding to the excitement of the event.

Other notable nominees include Doja Cat, Kim Petras, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo, and Sam Smith, each securing five nominations. BLACKPINK, Diddy, and Shakira received four nominations each, showcasing the diverse talent present in this year’s VMA lineup.

Notably, the 2023 VMAs boast an impressive 35 first-time nominees, including rising stars like Petras, Metro Boomin’, and Rema, each with three nominations. The addition of fresh faces brings an element of unpredictability and energy to the awards.

Fans hold the power to shape the outcome through voting, which starts today and concludes on September 1st. The newly introduced “Best Afrobeats” category invites engagement from global audiences, highlighting the music industry’s dynamic evolution.

As the countdown to the 2023 VMAs continues, all eyes are on Taylor Swift and her potential history-making moment. The event promises a night of celebration, recognition, and undoubtedly unforgettable performances.

Voting in the best new artist category will remain active throughout the show.

Complete List of 2023 MTV VMA 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 0 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