August 08, 2023
Nominees for the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards have been announced, and everyone's favorite "anti-hero," Taylor Swift, leads the nominations.
Swift earned eight in total, including one for Artist of the Year and seven for her self-directed "Anti-Hero" music video — Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Music Video, Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects and Best Editing.
SZA — who was set to co-headline the 2023 Made in America festival before it was canceled on Tuesday — received he second most VMA nominations in 2023 with six. Lil Uzi Vert, P!nk and the Jonas Brothers each received one nomination.
This year's VMA nominations are history-making. For the first time since the VMAs introduced the Artist of the Year Category in 2017, all of its nominees are women.
Voting is open to the public online now through Friday, Sept. 1. Voting in the Best New Artist category will stay open into the live show. Fans can vote up to 20 times each day per category. Today, all votes are being counted twice.
The 2023 VMAs take place Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. in Newark's Prudential Center. The ceremony will air live on MTV.
At last year's ceremony, Swift was the winningest musician of the night with three awards. During her acceptance speech for video of the year — which she earned for her "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version)" short film — she shocked Swifties with the announcement of a new album, "Midnights."
"Anti-Hero," which earned seven of Swift's eight VMA nominations, is the lead single from "Midnights," which was released in October. "Anti-Hero" and its accompanying music video take a self-deprecating look at how the public views Swift — and how she views herself.
"It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero," Swift sighs in the song's chorus.
Since the release of "Midnights," Swift released another album, "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)," and embarked on the explosive Eras Tour. The tour, which has been traversing the U.S. this summer, made a star-studded "hometown" stop in Philly in May, during which the Berks County native affirmed her status as an Eagles fan.
Below are the categories in which Swift was nominated at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. A full list of nominations can be viewed online.
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
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