Swift leads AMA nominations

Now is the season of Taylor Swift. So it comes as no surprise that she once more leads the pack in the just-released list of nominations at the upcoming American Music Awards (AMA). This will be held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Nov. 22. That means that we will be getting the live coverage early on the morning of Nov. 23. That is, if a local network will be carrying the event live.

I hope we are because, while the AMAs is really all about the awards, the show always comes up with big, interesting surprise numbers. Remember that collaboration of the New Kids On The Block and the Backstreet Boys a few years ago? It became so big that it spawned an album and a huge international tour, all of them collaborative efforts by two of the greatest boy bands of all time. I am very curious to find out what will be in the program this year.

Now back to the lovely Swifty. Taylor got a total of six nominations. That means she will soon be adding more trophies to her 16 AMA collection. And mind you, three of those are for the most coveted Artist of the Year. She is up for that one again this year as well as for Favorite Female Artist Pop/Rock. Her blockbuster release 1989 is up for Album of the Year and Favorite Pop/Rock Album, while her songs Blank Space and Bad Blood with Kendrick Lamar are in the running for Song of the Year and Collaboration of the Year.

Hot on Taylor’s heels are the Toronto sensation The Weeknd and UK troubadour Ed Sheeran with five nods each and Sam Smith, Nicki Minaj and Meghan Trainor with four nominations each. All of them are also nominated for Artist of the Year along with country artist Luke Bryan, pop-rock band Maroon 5, pop princess Ariana Grande and hot boy band One Direction.

Here now is the complete list.

Artist of the Year: Luke Bryan, Ariana Grande, Maroon 5, Nicki Minaj, One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, Meghan Trainor, The Weeknd.

New Artist of the Year Presented by Kohl’s: Fetty Wap, Sam Hunt, Tove Lo, Walk The Moon, The Weeknd.

Song of the Year: Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth, See You Again; Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, Uptown Punk!; Ed Sheeran, Thinking Out Loud; Taylor Swift, Blank Space; The Weeknd, Can’t Feel My Face.

Collaboration of the Year Un-Leashed by T-Mobile: Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth, See You Again; Rihanna & Kanye West feat. Paul McCartney, FourFiveSeconds; Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk; Skrillex & Diplo feat. Justin Bieber, Where Are U Now; Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar, Bad Blood.

Pop/Rock Favorite: Male Artist — Nick Jonas, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith; Female Artist — Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Meghan Trainor; Duo or Group — Maroon 5, One Direction, Walk The Moon; Album -— Ed Sheeran, X, Sam Smith, In The Lonely Hour, Taylor Swift, 1989.

Country Favorite: Male Artist — Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt; Female Artist — Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood; Duo or Group — Zac Brown Band, Florida Georgia Line, Little Big Town; Album — Jason Aldean, Old Boots New Dirt; Florida Georgia Line, Anything Goes, Sam Hunt, Montevallo.

Rap/ Hip-Hop Favorite: Artist — Drake, Fetty Wap, Nicki Minaj; Album — J. Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, Drake, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint.

Soul/R&B Favorite: Male Artist — Chris Brown, Trey Songz, The Weeknd; Female Artist — Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna; Album — Chris Brown, X, D’Angelo and The Vanguard, Black Messiah, The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness.

Alternative Rock Favorite: Fall Out Boy, Hozier, Walk The Moon.

Adult Contemporary Artist: Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Meghan Trainor.

Latin Favorite Artist: Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Romeo Santos.

Contemporary Inspirational Favorite Artist:  Casting Crowns, Hillsong United, MercyMe.

EDM Favorite Artist:  Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Zedd.

Top Soundtrack: Fifty Shades of Grey, Empire Original Soundtrack from Season 1, Pitch Perfect 2.

Nominations at the American Music Awards are based on record and digital sales, radio airplay, streaming, social activity and touring data based on tracking by Billboard Magazine, Nielsen Entertainment and the Next Big Sound. The winners though are decided by fans who cast their votes in the American Music Awards website. Fans can also cast their votes via ballots on Twitter or Facebook.