MTV Announces 2014 VMA Nominees, “Turn Down For What” Only Gets Four

MTV announces 2014 nominations for the Video Music Awards via Snapchat, with the most nominations for Beyonce.

July 17, 2014


It was an explosive year for music videos, but Beyoncé takes the cake (and the most VMA nominations) for her visual album, snagging eight total nominations for Best Video, Best Female Video, Best Collaboration, Best Video With a Social Message, Best Direction, Best Choreography, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography. Eminem and Iggy Azalea landed seven nominations apiece, while "Turn Down For What" only got four. FADER Summer Music Issue covers stars Lana Del Rey and Sam Smith were both nominated this year, with Sam Smith being nominated for Best Male Video and Artist to Watch for his video "Stay With Me" while Lana Del Rey's woozy black and white "West Coast" snagged a nomination for Best Cinematography. One more category remains unannounced, which is the new entirely vote-based "Best Lyric Video." This year's awards will be held in Inglewood, California at The Forum. Nominees Ariana Grande, Usher, and 5 Seconds of Summer are slated to perform, among others who have not been disclosed yet. See the full list of nominees below via MTV and read our cover stories on nominees Sam Smith and Lana Del Rey.

Video of the Year
Beyoncé ft. Jay Z, “Drunk In Love”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Miley Cyrus, “Wrecking Ball”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
Sia, “Chandelier”

Best Hip-Hop Video
Childish Gambino, “3005″
Drake ft. Majid Jordan, “Hold On (We’re Going Home)”
Eminem, “Berzerk”
Kanye West, “Black Skinhead”
Wiz Khalifa, “We Dem Boyz”

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

Best Female Video
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Beyoncé, “Partition”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J, “Dark Horse”
Lorde, “Royals”

Best Pop Video
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Avicii ft. Aloe Blacc, “Wake Me Up”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz, “Talk Dirty”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”

Best Rock Video
Arctic Monkeys, “Do I Wanna Know?”
Black Keys, “Fever”
Imagine Dragons, “Demons”
Linkin Park, “Until It’s Gone”
Lorde, “Royals”

Artist to Watch, Presented by Taco Bell
5 Seconds of Summer, “She Looks So Perfect”
Charli XCX, “Boom Clap”
Fifth Harmony, “Miss Movin’ On”
Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”
Schoolboy Q, “Man of the Year”

Best Collaboration
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea, “Problem”
Beyoncé ft. Jay Z, “Drunk In Love”
Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Tyga, “Loyal”
Eminem ft. Rihanna, “The Monster”
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J, “Dark Horse”
Pitbull ft. Kesha, “Timber”

MTV Clubland Award
Calvin Harris, “Summer”
Disclosure, “Grab Her!”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down For What”
Martin Garrix, “Animals”
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams, “Stay the Night”

Best Video With A Social Message
Angel Haze ft. Sia, “Battle Cry”
Avicii ft. Dan Tyminski, “Hey Brother”
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
David Guetta, “One Voice”
J. Cole, “Crooked Smile”
Kelly Rowland, “Dirty Laundry”

Best Cinematography
30 Seconds to Mars, “City of Angels”
Arcade Fire, “Afterlife”
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
Gesaffelstein, “Hate Or Glory”
Lana Del Rey, “West Coast”

Best Editing
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Fitz and the Tantrums, “The Walker”
MGMT, “Your Life is a Lie”
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams, “Stay the Night”

Best Choreography
Beyoncé, “Partition”
Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz, “Talk Dirty”
Kiesza, “Hideaway”
Michael Jackson ft. Justin Timberlake, “Love Never Felt So Good”
Sia, “Chandelier”
Usher, “Good Kisser”

Best Direction
Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down For What”
Eminem ft. Rihanna, “The Monster”
Miley Cyrus, “Wrecking Ball”
OK Go, “The Writing’s On The Wall”

Best Art Direction
Arcade Fire, “Reflektor”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down For What”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Tyler, the Creator, “Tamale”

Best Visual Effects
Disclosure, “Grab Her!”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down For What”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Jack White, “Lazaretto”
OK Go, “The Writing’s On The Wall”

MTV Announces 2014 VMA Nominees, “Turn Down For What” Only Gets Four