2011 MTV Video Music Award Nominations Are All About Adele, Not Surprisingly

 

The 2011 MTV Video Music Award nominations were announced last night, and it’s going to be a fight to the bitter end. Actually, not really, considering the process by which the awards are handed out seems predictably random and moderately baseless. Watching the Grammys is a different game altogether, because the viewer at least hopes that the award is handed out based on artistic merit, whereas the VMA’s are more about cultural appeal. We think? Probably. Sure.

Anyway, some might be surprised to see Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way” and “Judas” — both craft, bombastic, high-profile pursuits — left out of the pool for Video Of The Year, whereas Adele snagged three nods for “Rolling In The Deep.” Granted, this is the year that Adele basically overtook the music industry, but she literally doesn’t get up from her chair in the video, so that’s new. Beyonce‘s “Run The World (Girls)” scored a nod for Best Female Video despite the song’s surprisingly underwhelming performance. Nevertheless, good for her and also Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, and even the Beastie Boys, whose “Make Some Noise” scored a nomination for Video Of The Year (as did Tyler, The Creator, whose internet-heavy presence is now prepped for the mainstream, as is his “Best New Artist” online-phenom-counterpart, Kreayshawn).

Bruno Mars did well with “Grenade,” as did Katy Perry for both “Firework” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” so expect those two kids to do well. No mention of Taylor Swift, either, but if anyone beats Beyonce in any category, there’s still a chance that Kanye will fly in to set the record straight. Cuz, baby, he was born that way.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Adele, “Rolling In The Deep”
Tyler, The Creator, “Yonkers”
Katy Perry, “Firework”
Bruno Mars, “Grenade”
Beastie Boys, “Make Some Noise”

BEST FEMALE VIDEO
Adele, “Rolling In The Deep”
Katy Perry, “Firework”
Beyonce, “Run The World (Girls)”
Nicki Minaj, “Super Bass”
Lady Gaga, “Born This Way”

BEST MALE VIDEO
Cee Lo Green, “F*** You”
Eminem feat. Rihanna, “Love The Way You Lie”
Bruno Mars, “Grenade”
Kanye West feat. Rihanna & Kid Cudi, “All Of The Lights”
Justin Bieber, “U Smile”

BEST HIP HOP VIDEO
Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz, “6’7’”
Kanye West feat. Rihanna & Kid Cudi, “All Of The Lights”
Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes, “Look At Me Now”
Nicki Minaj, “Super Bass”
Lupe Fiasco, “The Show Goes On”

BEST NEW ARTIST
Foster The People, “Pumped Up Kicks”
Wiz Khalifa, “Black and Yellow”
Tyler, The Creator, “Yonkers”
Big Sean feat. Chris Brown, “My Last”
Kreayshawn, “Gucci Gucci”

BEST POP VIDEO
Adele, “Rolling In The Deep”
Bruno Mars, “Grenade”
NE-YO, Nayer & Afrojack, “Give Me Everything”
Katy Perry, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”
Britney Spears, “Till The World Ends”

BEST ROCK VIDEO
The Black Keys, “Howlin For You”
Foo Fighters, “Walk”
Foster The People, “Pumped Up Kicks”
Mumford & Sons, “The Cave”
Cage The Elephant, “Shake Me Down”

BEST COLLABORATION
Pitbull feat. NE-YO, Nayer & Afrojack, Give Me Everything
Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes, “Look At Me Now”
Rihanna & Kid Cudi, “All Of The Lights”
Katy Perry feat. Kanye West, “E.T.”
Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, “Moment 4 Life”