Nominees for the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards have been revealed. Among R&B artists, SZA has six nods, putting her in the lead.
The Grammy winner receives nominations for Video of the Year and Song of the Year for “Kill Bill.” This marks SZA’s second nomination for Video of the Year, having been nominated in 2021 for “Kiss Me More,” featuring Doja Cat.
“Kill Bill” is lifted from SZA’s latest album, SOS, released in December 2022. The track reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking her first chart-topper on the popular singles chart. It also claimed the top position on urban radio.
Sean “Diddy” Combs comes in with four nods for “Gotta Move On (Queens Remix)” featuring Ashanti, Yung Miami and Bryson Tiller. It snags Best Collaboration and Best R&B. The track’s original version, which features only Tiller, topped R&B radio and Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart in late 2022.
Speaking of Ashanti, these pair of nominations mark her first in 20 years. She was last on the ballot in 2003 when “Rock wit U (Awww Baby)” was up for Best R&B Video.
The Weeknd and Alicia Keys secure two nominations each, including Best R&B. Chlöe, Chris Brown, Steve Lacy, and Janelle Monáe, among others, each a nomination.
Beyoncé surprises with Artist of the Year nom despite no videos from her latest album, Renaissance. She’s currently touring to promote the album. Rated R&B covered the show in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Polls are now open for fan-voted categories except for Group Of The Year and Song Of The Summer, which have yet to be announced. Fans are not permitted to cast their votes for professional categories, such as Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction. Get more voting information at mtv.com.
The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards will air live from the Prudential Center in New Jersey on Sept. 12 at 8 PM ET.
See the partial list of nominations below.
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 Collaboration
- David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)” – Warner Records
- Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (aHappier Song)” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
- Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On (Queens Remix)” – 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 Hip-Hop
- Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On (Queens Remix)” – 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
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
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 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 Monáe – “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 Ya
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
Best Editing
- SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Art Direction by Kate Bunch
- 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