Alright, so they may not be the Grammys, but the Billboard Music Awards are still important because they…umm…uhh…
You know what, just forget it. Let’s take a look at the nominees, shall we?
Party-rockers LMFAO lead the crop of finalists for the 2012 awards, with a total of 22 entries in 17 categories, including Top Duo/Group and Top Hot 100 Artist.
Hot on their heels is unstoppable chart juggernaut Adele with a total of 20 entries in 18 categories, including Top Artist, Top Female Artist and Top Billboard 200 Artist.
Other big finalists include Rihanna (a finalist in 13 categories including Top Artist), Lady Gaga (10 categories) and rapper Lil Wayne (also 10 categories).
In addition to the announced finalists (a word Billboard uses as opposed to the more-typical “nominees”), the trade magazine has revealed that LMFAO, Justin Bieber (who garnered spots in a measly 5 categories, including Top Male Artist), Carrie Underwood (zip, zilch, zippo) and British-Irish boy band The Wanted (ditto) are slated to perform at the ceremony, which ABC will air live on Sunday, May 20.
Below you can find the full list of finalists.
If you have an opinion on any of the artists chosen, let us know about it in the comments!
From the Billboard website:
The awards will reflect Billboard’s chart rankings based on key fan interactions with music, including album sales and downloads, track downloads, radio airplay and touring as well as streaming and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, Vevo, Youtube, Spotify and other popular online destinations for music. These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Entertainment and Next Big Sound. The awards will be based on the reporting period of March 1, 2011 through February 29, 2012. Top artists will be recognized in a variety of genres, including R&B, Rap, Pop, Country, Rock, Latin and Alternative.
2012 Billboard Music Awards nominees:
Top Artist:
Adele
Lady Gaga
Lil Wayne
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Top New Artist:
Bad Meets Evil
Big Sean
Foster The People
Scotty McCreery
Wiz Khalifa
Top Male Artist:
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
Drake
Lil Wayne
Bruno Mars
Top Female Artist:
Adele
Lady Gaga
Nicki Minaj
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Top Duo/Group:
The Black Eyed Peas
Coldplay
Lady Antebellum
LMFAO
Maroon 5
Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Adele
Justin Bieber
Michael Buble
Lady Gaga
Lil Wayne
Top Hot 100 Artist:
Adele
LMFAO
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Top Digital Songs Artist:
Adele
LMFAO
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Top Radio Songs Artist:
Adele
Katy Perry
Bruno Mars
Nicki Minaj
Rihanna
Top Touring Artist:
Bon Jovi
Taylor Swift
Take That
U2
Roger Waters
Top Social Artist:
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Shakira
Top Streaming Artist:
Lil Wayne
LMFAO
Nicki Minaj
Bruno Mars
Rihanna
Top Digital Media Artist:
Adele
Justin Bieber
Lady Gaga
Lil Wayne
Rihanna
Top Pop Artist:
Adele
Lady Gaga
LMFAO
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Top R&B Artist:
Beyonce
Chris Brown
Cee Lo Green
Miguel
Rihanna
Top Rap Artist:
Drake
Lil Wayne
LMFAO
Nicki Minaj
Wiz Khalifa
Top Country Artist:
Jason Aldean
Zac Brown Band
Lady Antebellum
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift
Top Rock Artist:
The Black Keys
Coldplay
Foster The People
Foo Fighters
Mumford & Sons
Top Alternative Artist:
The Black Keys
Coldplay
Foster The People
Foo Fighters
Mumford & Sons
Top Latin Artist:
Mana
Pitbull
Prince Royce
Romeo Santos
Shakira
Top Dance Artist:
David Guetta
Lady Gaga
LMFAO
Rihanna
Britney Spears
Top Christian Artist:
Casting Crowns
MercyMe
Skillet
Laura Story
Chris Tomlin
Top Billboard 200 Album:
Adele “21”
Michael Buble “Christmas”
Drake “Take Care”
Lady Gaga “Born This Way”
Lil Wayne “Tha Carter IV”
Top Pop Album:
Adele “19”
Adele “21”
Michael Buble “Christmas”
Lady Gaga “Born This Way”
Justin Bieber “Under The Mistletoe”
Top R&B Album:
Beyonce “4”
Mary J. Blige “My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act 1)”
Chris Brown “F.A.M.E.”
Jennifer Hudson “I Remember Me”
Rihanna “Talk That Talk”
Top Rap Album:
Bad Meets Evil “Hell: The Sequel”
Drake “Take Care”
Jay Z & Kanye West “Watch The Throne”
Lil Wayne “Tha Carter IV”
LMFAO “Sorry For Party Rocking”
Top Country Album:
Jason Aldean “My Kinda Party”
The Band Perry “The Band Perry”
Luke Bryan “Tailgates & Tanlines’
Lady Antebellum “We Own The Night”
Scotty McCreery “Clear As Day”
Top Rock Album:
Coldplay “Mylo Xyloto”
Foo Figthers “Wasting Light:
Foster The People “Torches”
Mumford & Sons “Sigh No More”
Nickelback “Here And Now”
Top Alternative Album:
Coldplay “Mylo Xyloto”
Foo Figthers “Wasting Light:
Foster The People “Torches”
Mumford & Sons “Sigh No More”
Nickelback “Here And Now”
Top Latin Album:
Camila “Dejarte De Amar”
Cristian Castro “Viva El Principe”
Mana “Drama Y Luz”
Prince Royce “Prince Royce”
Romeo Santos “Formula: Vol. 1”
Top Dance Album:
David Guetta “Nothing But The Beat”
Lady Gaga “Born This Way”
Lady Gaga “The Fame”
LMFAO “Sorry For Party Rocking”
Skrillex “Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites”
Top Christian Album:
Casting Crowns “Come To The Well”
Casting Crowns “Until The Whole World Hears”
Skillet “Awake”
Laura Story “Blessings”
Various Artists “Wow Hits 2012”
Top Hot 100 Song:
Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
Maroon 5 Featuring Christina Aguilera “Moves Like Jagger”
Kay Perry Feat. Kanye West “E.T.”
Pitbull Feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer “Give Me Everything”
Top Digital Song:
Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
LMFAO “Sexy And I Know It”
Maroon 5 Featuring Christina Aguilera “Moves Like Jagger”
Kay Perry Feat. Kanye West “E.T.”
Top Radio Song:
Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
Maroon 5 Featuring Christina Aguilera “Moves Like Jagger”
Pitbull Feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer “Give Me Everything”
Rihanna Feat. Calvin Harris “We Found Love”
Top Streaming Song (Audio):
Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
David Guetta Feat. Usher “Without You”
Lil Wayne “How To Love”
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
Nicki Minaj “Super Bass
Top Streaming Song (Video):
Adele “Someone Like You”
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
LMFAO “Sexy And I Know It”
Bruno Mars “The Lazy Song”
Nicki Minaj “Super Bass”
Top Pop Song:
Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
LMFAO “Sexy And I Know It”
Maroon 5 Featuring Christina Aguilera “Moves Like Jagger”
Kay Perry Feat. Kanye West “E.T.”
Top R&B Song:
Chris Brown “She Ain’t You”
Cee Lo Green “Fk You (Forget You)
Jeremih Feat. 50 Cent “Down On Me”
Miguel “Sure Thing”
Kelly Rowland Feat. Lil Wayne “Motivation”
Top Rap Song:
Flo Rida “Good Feeling”
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
LMFAO “Sexy And I Know It”
Nicki Minaj “Super Bass”
Pitbull Feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer “Give Me Everything”
Top Country Song:
Jason Aldean “Dirt Road Anthem”
Luke Bryan “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)”
Eli Young Band “Crazy Girl”
Lady Antebellum “Just A Kiss”
Blake Shelton “Honey Bee”
Top Rock Song:
Adele “Rolling In The Deep”
Adele “Someone Like You”
Coldplay “Paradise”
Foo Fighters “Walk”
Foster The People “Pumped Up Kicks”
Top Alternative Song:
Adele “Rolling In The Deep”
AWOLNATION “Sail”
Coldplay “Paradise”
Foster The People “Pumped Up Kicks”
Mumford & Sons “The Cave”
Top Latin Song:
Don Omar & Lucenzo “Danza Kuduro”
Don Omar “Taboo”
Pitbull “Bon Bon”
Prince Royce “Corazon Sin Cara”
Romeo Santos Feat. Usher “Promise”
Top Dance Song:
Dev “In The Dark”
David Guetta Feat. Usher “Without You”
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
LMFAO “Sexy And I Know It”
Britney Spears “Til The World Ends”
Top Christian Song:
Casting Crowns “Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)”
Jamie Grace Feat. TobyMac “Hold Me”
Mandisa “Stronger”
Laura Story “Blessings”
Matthew West “Strong Enough”