YouTube predicts MTV VMAs winners, Drake to get top gong?
The broadcast of the MTV Video Music Awards, held in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall is set to begin shortly in Australia.
Cardi B opens the show, making her first public appearance since becoming a mum. She leads the nominations with ten mentions.
Other top nominees are Drake, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Bruno Mars and Childish Gambino.
Performers include Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, Shawn Mendes and Ariana Grande.
Jennifer Lopez will receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, and Aretha Franklin will also be honoured.
YouTube has already made its predictions as to whom the winners will be, based on global YouTube views on official videos from July 1, 2017 to July 1, 2018.
Best new artist and artist of the year calculations are based on total artist views during the eligibility period.
YouTube reckons that Drake’s God’s Plan will take video of the year.
YouTube’s head of music content partnerships (South East Asia, AU/NZ) Ruuben van den Heuvel says that YouTube is in a “privileged and unique position to be able to see the trends as they happen – to take record of the music and videos that dominated playlists and served as the soundtrack to the last year, in Australia and across the globe.
“And now it’s time to see if our predictions are right!”
Other predicted winners:
Artist of the year: Camila Cabello
Song of the year: Dua Lipa – New Rules
Best new artist: Cardi B
Best collaboration: Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line – Meant to Be
Best pop video: Ed Sheeran – Perfect
Best hip hop video: Drake – God’s Plan
Best dance video: Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – One Kiss
Best Latin video: J Balvin – Mi Gente [ft. Willy William]
Best rock video: Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes
YouTube also notes that Jennifer Lopez’s award comes after her music videos received 980 million views this year.
These include in the United States (137m), Spain (92m), Mexico (73m), Argentina (37m) and Brazil (34m)
She is among the top 100 most played artists on YouTube in 2018.
Her music video for On The Floor ft. Pitbull is a member of the coveted billion views club.
Her latest single Dinero ft. DJ Khaled and Cardi B — which is nominated for both best collaboration and best Latin video – reached the YouTube Top Songs charts in 20 countries and territories.
These included the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, Nigeria and the United Kingdom
Lopez’s official artist channel has netted over 8.9 million subscribers since launching in 2005.