As is usual with the release of MTV's VMA nominations, controvery and consternation has arisen over the last few hours. With the news that current it girl Katy Perry has scored nine nods, record-breaker Adele a surprisingly high seven and Billboard Hot 100 queen Rihanna a shocking zero, came the expected complaints from the fans. We intend to discuss our thoughts; our findings, if you will, on just why the VMA nominations are what they are.
First, it is completely understandable why Katy Perry has managed to score herself nine nominations. With the great videos she's given us this year (from the brilliant Teenage Dream to the beautifully strange E.T. visual), as well as the four #1s (matching legend Mariah Carey's long-standing record), she deserves every nod she has received.
However, for the first time, we found ourselves agreeing with much of what is being said by understandably angered fans. It is beyond us how Princess Brit only garnered two nods (and both of those for Till The World Ends rather than the superior Hold It Against Me video), and Lady Gaga and the Queen B (with one of the best videos of the year - and her esteemed career - Run The World, being ignored for the biggest award of the night; Video Of The Year)only scored three noms respectively, while Adele got seven for a video in which she does little more than perch on a chair.
What we also can't understand is how Bruno Mars's #1 smash The Lazy Song and LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem could be up for Best Choreography, while Chris Brown's Yeah 3x - one of the best dance videos of the last few years - has been ignored completely ignored.
And this is all before we even discuss how Rihanna - whose S&M video alone deserved at least three nods - has been snubbed for the second year running. We were surprised last year when MTV completely ignored the visually interesting Rudeboy and emotive Russian Roulette, but we are even more so this year. If the VMAs are indeed based on popularity (as it has become increasingly obvious over the last few years), then shouldn't Rihanna with her three #1s and platinum-selling LOUD have been considered for at least one category?
We also can't get past the seven nominations that were given to Adele. While we love and respect Ms Atkins as an artist (being one of the best vocalists and songwriters of this generation and her record-shattering 21 standing as one of the best albums of the last few years), we can't pretend that we expected her to be nominated at all. Indeed, with Rolling In The Deep featuring Adele doing little more than sitting on a chair in a black dress, it is difficult to see exactly what aspect of the video MTV views as award-worthy. And 'Video Of The Year'? Really?
It is Windex-sprayed-glass clear to us that the only reason Adele and Bruno Mars received nominations for the biggest awards of the night, is because MTV is desperate for them to perform on the night. With MTV's desire to make a comeback from last year's poor showing, nominating the year's biggest female act for awards she arguably doesn't deserve, is a political choice rather than an artistic one. Indeed, the likelihood of getting Adele in particular to perform at the ceremony without giving her a good enough reason to, is infinitesimally small.
On the other hand, while we may be puzzled as to why the Queen B's Run The World only scored three nods, Lady Gaga's Judas only sees two, and Chris Brown's Yeah 3x and Princess Brit's Hold It Against Me were ignored completely, we are comforted by the fact that their new eras have only just begun and that 2012's VMAs will most likely see them receive considerably more nominations.
Alternatively, Rihanna is seeing the LOUD era draw to a close with nary a nomination for some admittedly great videos, and, as with the snubbing of Rude Boy, we can't help but feel disgruntled. As the VMAs are now plainly down to popularity, it is arguable that, as Rihanna has seen just as much as her bff, Katy, should she too not be entitled to at least five or six nominations? Subsequently, one would be justified in asking just why RiRi hasn't seen a solo VMA nomination in over three years. Artistic integrity is one possible answer, but we have a slightly more controversial one in mind.
Ultimately, we have drawn several, painful conclusions:
1) VMA nominations are no longer based on the quality of videos. They are given out on the song's respective chart success.
2) In order to ensure certain artists shows up and/or perform at the ceremony, MTV will nominate the aforementioned for any and every award going.
3) Whether an artist's video is worth a damn is now irrelevant. It's all about politics and popularity.
4) Certain artists will always go ignored, regardless of chart success, the quality of their videos and their respective position in the pop world.
5) By nominating new, relatively unknown acts (such as Tyler The Devil's Spawn Creator) now, MTV ensures that their network is 'owed one' should the act hit it big in the future.
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Watch the interview in its entirety after the jump.
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Peep the remainder of the outtakes after the jump.
SHOUTOUT to the incredible Beyoncelite, from whom we got the pictures.
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