After axing a number of tour dates amidst rumours of poor ticket sales, things haven’t been looking so swell for Rihanna recently. Until now.
Moments ago, the nominations for the Billboard Music Awards 2013 were unwrapped and the model has multiple reasons to smile. More specifically, ten.
Full story…
The 25-year-old chart-topper is no stranger to such omnipresence on the nominee’s list at one of Pop’s biggest calendar nights. Indeed, she made 18 category appearances in 2011, and 13 more in 2012. This year’s army of nominations includes Top Artist and Top Hot 100 Artist.
Interestingly (and perhaps the imperative explanation needed here), the nominees in each category were determined using debatable metrics based on album and digital singles sales, radio airplay, touring, streaming and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, VEVO, and Spotify. These measurements were tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Entertainment and Next Big Sound.
With the industry changing and Billboard specifically embracing free streaming as a means of determining popularity, it somewhat figures why social media is being weighed in so heavily into such nominee lists. Still, one has to wonder how accurate they are in relaying true popularity when just recently there was a mass cull Youtube views after many were revealed to have been inflated artificially – including Rihanna’s. That said, each award show to its own, ay?
Elsewhere on the list, other notable nominees include Maroon 5, Taylor Swift, and fun, who each appear in eleven categories.
Justin Bieber, Miguel, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars are, as at writing, the confirmed performers at the extravaganza which airs live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 19th at 8/7c on ABC.
Peep the full list below and be sure to tune in to the Billboard Music Awards 2013.
Top Artist
Justin Bieber
Maroon 5
One Direction
Rihanna
Taylor Swift
Top Hot100 Song
Some Nights
Somebody That I Used To Know
Call Me Maybe
One More Night
Payphone
Top Billboard 200 Albums
21
Babel
Red
Up All Night
Take Me Home
Top Duo/Group
Coldplay
One Direction
Fun.
Maroon 5
Mumford & Sons
Top New Artist
Carly Rae Jepsen
Gotye
PSY
One Direction
The Lumineers
Top Touring Artist
Lady GaGa
Coldplay
Madonna
Roger Waters
Bruce Springsteen
Top Male Artist
Justin Bieber
Bruno Mars
Drake
Flo Rida
Jason Aldean
Top Female Artist
Nicki Minaj
Rihanna
ADELE
Taylor Swift
Carly Rae Jepsen
Top Hot100 Artist
Maroon 5
Taylor Swift
Rihanna
Fun.
Flo Rida
Top Billboard200 Albums
Justin Bieber
One Direction
Taylor Swift
ADELE
Mumford & Sons
Top Digital Songs Artist
Carly Rae Jepsen
Taylor Swift
Flo Rida
Fun.
Maroon 5
Top Radio Songs Artist
Nicki Minaj
Rihanna
Maroon 5
Fun.
Flo Rida
Top Social Artist
One Direction
Rihanna
Katy Perry
Taylor Swift
Justin Bieber
Top Streaming Artist
PSY
Rihanna
Nicki Minaj
Baauer
Drake
Top Pop Artist
One Direction
Bruno Mars
Maroon 5
ADELE
Justin Bieber
Top R&B Artist
Ne-Yo
Rihanna
Chris Brown
Alicia Keys
Usher
Top Rap Artist
Drake
Nicki Minaj
Pitbull
Flo Rida
PSY
Top Country Artist
Carrie Underwood
Taylor Swift
Hunter Hayes
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Shakira
Jenni Rivera
Romeo Santos
Prince Royce
Don OmarTop Rock Artist
Fun.
Coldplay
Gotye
Bruce Springsteen
Mumford & Sons
Top Dance Artist
David Guetta
Calvin Harris
Skrillex
Madonna
Swedish House Mafia
Top EDM Artist
Calvin Harris
Skrillex
Deadmau5
Swedish House Mafia
David Guetta
Top Christian Artist
Casting Crowns
MercyMe
Matt Redman
tobyMac
Chris Tomlin
Top Pop Album
ADELE – 21
Maroon 5 – Overexposed
One Direction – Take Me Home
One Direction – Up All Night
Justin Bieber – Believe
Top R&B Album
Rihanna – Unapologetic
Usher – Looking 4 Myself
Chris Brown – Fortune
Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire
Frank Ocean – Challell Orange
Top Rap Album
Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday:Roman Reloaded
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The Heist
Rick Ross – God Forgives, I Don’t
2 Chainz – Based On A T.R.U. Story
Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
Top Country Album
Jason Aldean – Nigh Train
Taylor Swift – Red
Carrie Underwood – Blown Away
Luke Bryan – Tailgates & Tanlines
Lionel Richie – Tuskegee
Top Rock Album
Fun. – Some Nights
The Lumineers – The Lumineers
Mumford & Sons – Babel
Of Monsters and Men – My Head is an Animal
Phillip Phillips – The World From The Side Of The Moon
Top Latin Album
Prince Royce – Phase II
Jenni Rivera – Joyas Prestadas: Banda
Jenni Rivera – Joyas Prestadas: Pop
Jenni Rivera – La Misma Gran Señora
Romeo Santos – Formula, Vol. 1
Top Dance Album
David Guetta – Nothing But the Beat
Deadmau5 – >Album Title Goes Here<
LMFAO – Sorry for Party Rocking
Madonna – MDNA
Skrillex – Bangarang
Top EDM Album
David Guetta – Nothing But the Beat
Deadmau5 – >Album Title Goes Here<
Skrillex – Bangarang
Skrillex – Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites
Swedish House Mafia – Until Now
Top Christian Album
Casting Crowns – Come to the Well
Lecrae – Gravity
MercyMe – The Hurt & the Healer
tobyMac – Eye on It
Various Artists – Wow Hits 2013: 30 of Today’s Top Christian Artists & Hits
Top Digital Song
Fun. feat. Janelle Monae – We Are Young
Gotye feat. Kimbra – Somebody That I Used to Know
Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz – Thrift Shop
Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa – Payphone
Top Radio Song
Gotye feat. Kimbra – Somebody That I Used to Know
Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
Maroon 5 – One More Night
Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa – Payphone
Bruno Mars – Locked Out of Heaven
Top Streaming Song (Audio)
Fun. – Some Nights
Fun. feat. Janelle Monae – We Are Young
Gotye feat. Kimbra – Somebody That I Used to Know
Ellie Goulding – Lights
Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
Top Streaming Song (Video)
Fun. feat. Janelle Monae – We Are Young
Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz – Thrift Shop
PSY – Gangnam Style
Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
Top Pop Song
Ellie Goulding – Lights
Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
Maroon 5 – One More Night
Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa – Payphone
Bruno Mars – Locked Out of Heaven
Top R&B Song
Alicia Keys feat. Nicki Minaj – Girl On Fire
Miguel – Adorn
Frank Ocean – Thinkin Bout You
Rihanna – Diamonds
Trey Songz – Heart Attack
Top Rap Song
Flo Rida feat. Sia – Wild Ones
Flo Rida – Whistle
Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz – Mercy
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz – Thrift Shop
PSY – Gangnam Style
Top Country Song
Luke Bryan – Drunk on You
Eric Church – Springsteen
Florida Georgia Line – Cruise
Hunter Hayes – Wanted
Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
Top Rock Song
Fun. – Some Nights
Fun. feat. Janelle Monae – We Are Young
Gotye feat. Kimbra – Somebody That I Used to Know
The Lumineers – Ho Hey
Phillip Phillips – Home
Top Latin Song
Juan Magan feat. Pitbull & El Cata – Bailando por el Mundo
Don Omar feat. Natty Natasha – Dutty Love
Don Omar – Hasta Que Salga El Sol
Michel Teló – Ai Se Eu Te Pego
Wisin & Yandel feat. Chris Brown & T-Pain – Algo Me Gusta De Ti
Top Dance Song
Baauer – Harlem Shake
David Guetta feat. Sia – Titanium
Nicki Minaj – Starships
PSY – Gangnam Style
Rihanna – Where Have You Been
Top EDM Song
Baauer – Harlem Shake
David Guetta feat. Sia – Titanium
Calvin Harris – Feel So Close
Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch – Sweet Nothing
Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin – Don’t You Worry Child
Top Christian Song
Big Daddy Weave – Redeemed
Building 429 – Where I Belong
Newsboys – God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion)
Matt Redman – 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
tobyMac – Me Without You