VMA Predictions

I look forward to the VMAs every year. Everything is voted on by the fans, literally anything can happen (feel free to Google Miley Cyrus's performance from last year), and you can tell that the artists are having just as much fun as the fans. Here are my predictions for this years' awards:

Artist to Watch
- Five Seconds of Summer
- Charli XCX
- Fifth Harmony
- Sam Smith
- Schoolboy Q


My Pick: Five Seconds of Summer
The band has had a really good year in the US, which tends to happen when you tour with One Direction as their opening act (twice!). And let's face it, you couldn't go anywhere this summer without hearing "She Looks So Perfect".

Best Collaboration
- Problem ft Iggy Azelea - Ariana Grande
- Drunk in Love ft Jay Z - Beyonce
- Loyal ft Lil Wayne & Tyga - Chris Brown
- The Monster ft Rihanna - Eminem
- Dark Horse ft Juicy J - Katy Perry
- Timber ft. Kesha - Pitbull


My Pick: Drunk in Love
If you're going to work on a secret album and then release it without any promo, you might as well feature your superstar husband on the first single with you. I've lost count of how many times I've attempted to do the little hip swivel move from the video (emphasis on attempt). #surfboardt

Best Pop Video
- Problem ft Iggy Azelea - Ariana Grande
- Wake Me Up - Avicii
- Fancy ft Charli XCX - Iggy Azelea
- Talk Dirty ft. 2 Chainz - Jason Derulo
- Happy - Pharrell


My Pick: Problem or Fancy
I can't decide if I love the mod vibe of "Problem" or the Clueless theme of "Fancy". Either way Iggy Azelea wins and Ariana Grande will still be a flawless siren.

Best Hip Hop Video
- 3005 - Childish Gambino
- Hold On, We're Going Home ft. Majid Jordan - Drake
- Berzerk - Eminem
- Black Skinhead - Kanye West
- We Dem Boys - Wiz Khalifa


My Pick: 3005
I've been raving about Childish Gambino and Because the Internet lately and when I saw that "3005" was nominated, I was pleasantly surprised. His music has just now started to get regular radio play, so he's breaking into the mainstream. As much as I really want him to win, I feel like "Hold On, We're Going Home" could take it as well.

Best Rock Video
- Do I Wanna Know - Arctic Monkeys
- Fever - The Black Keys
- Demons - Imagine Dragons
- Until It's Gone - Linkin Park
- Royals - Lorde


My Pick: Do I Wanna Know
The Arctic Monkeys are one of my favorite bands and it was a bit of a surprise to see that they were nominated this year. As amazing as AM was, I didn't think that they were as famous over here as they are in the UK.  I think that "Do I Wanna Know" is easily the best song and video in this category, but there's also a chance that "Demons" by Imagine Dragons and "Royals" by Lorde could win.

Best Male Video
- Sing ft. Pharrell - Ed Sheeran
- The Monster ft Rihanna - Eminem
- All of Me - John Legend
- Happy - Pharrell
- Stay With Me - Sam Smith


My Pick: Sing
I love Ed Sheeran and for anyone who has yet to jump on the band wagon, I play this for them. It's hip hop-esqe, but it's still completely Ed. Plus, it was produced by Pharrell so it has to be a winner, right?

Best Female Video
- Problem ft Iggy Azelea - Ariana Grande
- Partition - Beyonce
- Fancy ft Charli XCX - Iggy Azelea
- Dark Horse ft Juicy J - Katy Perry
- Royals - Lorde


My Pick: Partition
Where do I begin to describe the perfection? Beyonce playing the role of the seductress? Jay Z's cameo? Or maybe the hella sexy chair dance at the end? I think this one is just a given.

Best Lyric Video
- Don't Stop - Five Seconds of Summer
- Really Don't Care ft Cher Lloyd - Demi Lovato
- Mmm Yeah ft Pitbull - Austin Mahone
- Problem ft Iggy Azalea - Ariana Grande
- Birthday - Katy Perry


My Pick: Don't Stop
This is a new category for the award show, but it shows that MTV is keeping up with the times; seeing as lyric videos are becoming more and more popular. The lyric video for "Don't Stop" actually matches the real music video for the song, featuring the band's superhero characters in comic book form. This is the only award that is voted for via Twitter. MTV's website shows the number of votes that each video has, and currently "Don't Stop" has 40,800,000 votes, with Demi Lovato's "Really Don't Care" close behind with 40,500,000.

MTV Clubland Award
- Summer - Calvin Harris
- Grab Her! - Disclosure
- Turn Down For What - Lil John & DJ Snake
- Animals - Martin Garrix
- Stay the Night ft Haley Williams - Zedd


My Pick: Stay the Night
It was interesting seeing Haley Williams do something outside of Paramore for once, and I'm really glad that she lent her voice for this song. This is one of the few songs that I can hear on the radio and not get sick of. Since it is still in constant rotation on airwaves, a lot of people have heard it so it's chances of winning are very good.

Best Video with a Social Message
- Battle Cry ft Sia - Angel Haze
- Hey Brother - Avicii
- Pretty Hurts - Beyonce
- One Voice ft Mikky Ekko - David Guetta
- Crooked Smile - J. Cole
- Dirty Laundry - Kelly Rowland


My Pick: Pretty Hurts
What I love about "Pretty Hurts" is that it shines the light on insecurities and images of "acceptable" beauty in a setting that anyone can understand: a beauty pageant. She shows herself working out, having her body critiqued, purging. There's even one shot of an already very skinny contestant eating a cotton ball to stifle her appetite. Both the song is very compelling, and I love the cinematography of the music video.

Video of the Year
- Drunk In Love ft Jay Z - Beyonce
- Fancy ft Charli XCX - Iggy Azalea
- Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus
- Happy - Pharrell
- Chandelier - Sia


My Pick: Drunk In Love
Beyonce has always been a VMA favorite, so there's no doubt in my mind that she'll take home the moonman for Video of the Year. To quote Kanye West, "Beyonce had the best video of all time!"