Hip-hop newcomer Iggy Azalea dominated the shortlist for the American Music Awards with nods in 6 categories just months after her debut album.
The Australian-born singer was nominated for artiste of the year as well as song of the year with “Fancy,” which has become a radio favourite through its simple bass line and anthem-like chorus about indulgence sung by Charli XCX. Iggy Azalea, whose first studio album “The New Classic” was released in April, received more nominations than any other artiste, even though it was the first year she made the list.
Of course, we love her for many reasons too, especially for her collab with Ariana Grande:
Pharrell Williams also was in contention for both artiste of the year and top single with his global blockbuster song “Happy”. Other artistes named for artiste of the year were Beyonce, Luke Bryan, Eminem, Imagine Dragons, John Legend, Lorde, One Direction and Katy Perry.
Other nominees include:
New artiste of the year
5 Seconds of Summer
Iggy Azalea
Bastille
Sam Smith
Meghan Trainor
Single of the year
“Fancy,” Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX
“All of Me,” John Legend
“Rude,” MAGIC!
“Dark Horse,” Katy Perry feat. Juicy J
“Happy,” Pharrell Williams
Favorite male artiste – pop/rock
John Legend
Sam Smith
Pharrell Williams
Favorite female artiste – pop/rock
Iggy Azalea
Lorde
Katy Perry
Favorite band, duo or group – pop/rock
Imagine Dragons
One Direction
OneRepublic
Favorite album – pop/rock
“Pure Heroine,” Lorde
“Midnight Memories,” One Direction
“Prism,” Katy Perry
Trailing Iggy Azalea with 5 nominations each are John Legend, Katy Perry, and Pharrell Williams. Lorde has a total of 4 nods, and Beyonce; Eminem; One Direction; Imagine Dragons; and One Republic are each nominated for 3 American Music Awards.
The American Music Awards, set up in 1973 by late radio and television personality Dick Clark, recognise commercial success and public appeal with fans voting for their choices. The set-up contrasts with the older Grammy Awards, in which recording industry professionals select what they view as the top artistes and works. Nominees are chosen based on factors including radio airplay, number of albums and digital singles sold, and social media activity as tracked by Billboard magazine.
The number of contestants in the category has been raised from 5 to 10 this year, and fans will have the opportunity to tighten the playing field. They can place their votes through November 13 to narrow the category down to a top 5 list of contenders. The winner of artiste of the year will be the performer with the largest number of votes through the entire voting period. The fans’ votes can now be placed online and on Twitter.
The American Music Awards winners will be announced at a ceremony on 23rd November in Los Angeles. To view the full list of nominees, click!
