MTV announced the nominees for its upcoming annual Video Music Awards on Tuesday and we’re thrilled to see that just like with the Movie & TV Awards earlier this year, categories are no longer divided by gender.
MTV is onto something. The network announced the nominees for the 2017 Video Music Awards via Instagram Live on Tuesday, and in keeping with the precedent set with the Movie & TV Awards back in May, gender is no longer a category divider. Instead of splitting the awards into Best Female Video or Best Male Video, for instance, MTV instead nominated Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, Alessia Cara, DJ Khaled, and The Weeknd for simply Video of the Year.
When you really think about it, the fact that we still divide any award show category by gender is strange. Unlike professional sports, the skill level required for acting, or making music videos are in no way gender-specific. And where do gender-non-conforming artists fit into the picture? (The lack of representation for that community in the award show universe in general is a whole separate issue.)
Some may argue dividing up categories into Best Actor or Best Actress at the Oscars, for instance, allows for more performances to be recognized, but who says there can only be a certain number of nominees, and why couldn’t that number be upped? Or, we could all just accept that the competition just got a little tougher, and the winners are truly a reflection of the best there is out there.
MTV reportedly made the decision to do away with gendered categories because that’s what their young, progressive viewers were telling the network they wanted. As MTV president Chris McCarthy told Vulture back in April:
"“This audience actually doesn’t see male-female dividing lines, so we said, ‘Let’s take that down.’ They don’t see lines between theatrical releases and television— they just see it as great content — so let’s take that down,” McCarthy said. “And they don’t really care whether it’s scripted, reality or a theatrical release. They just want to celebrate great content.”"
The same philosophy obviously applies to the artists nominated for the VMAs. Say what you will about MTV’s audience (yes, liking Teen Mom is a questionable life choice), but this generation is forging a new path in terms of what the entertainment-consuming public demands. Old, nonsensical rules need not apply. “That’s the way we’ve always done it” isn’t reason enough to keep doing something.
Here’s hoping other award shows follow MTV’s lead. It could make for not only a more inclusive celebration, but also a closer, more talent-loaded competition. The Oscars in particular could benefit from this type of thinking. Yes, awarding Moonlight the Best Picture award last year (albeit in a garbage fire of a manner) was a step in a more representative direction of the world we live in, but the Academy still has a long way to go.
But until they get to that point, MTV deserves the applause it’s getting for this logical move. And in case you were wondering, here are this year’s VMA nominees:
Video of the Year
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
The Weeknd – “Reminder”
Artist of the Year
Bruno Mars
Kendrick Lamar
Ed Sheeran
Ariana Grande
The Weeknd
Lorde
Best New Artist
Khalid
Kodak Black
SZA
Young M.A
Julia Michaels
Noah Cyrus
Best Pop
Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better”
Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
Harry Styles – “Sign of the Times”
Fifth Harmony featuring Gucci Mane – “Down”
Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley – “Chained to the Rhythm”
Miley Cyrus – “Malibu”
Best Choreography
Kanye West – “Fade”
Ariana Grande featuring Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Sia – “The Greatest”
Fifth Harmony featuring Gucci Mane – “Down”
Best Editing
Future – “Mask Off”
Young Thug – “Wyclef Jean”
Lorde – “Green Light”
The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey – “Closer”
The Weeknd – “Reminder”
Best Collaboration
Charlie Puth featuring Selena Gomez – “We Don’t Talk Anymore”
DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
D.R.A.M. featuring Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey – “Closer”
Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean – “Feels”
Zayn and Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
Best Hip Hop
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Big Sean – “Bounce Back”
Chance the Rapper – “Same Drugs”
D.R.A.M. featuring Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
Migos featuring Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad & Boujee”
DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne – “I’m the One”
Best Dance
Zedd and Alessia Cara – “Stay”
Kygo and Selena Gomez – “It Ain’t Me”
Calvin Harris – “My Way”
Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber and Mø – “Cold Water”
Afrojack featuring Ty Dolla $ign – “Gone”
Best Rock
Coldplay – “A Head Full of Dreams”
Fall Out Boy – “Young and Menace”
Twenty One Pilots – “Heavydirtysoul”
Green Day – “Bang Bang”
Foo Fighters – “Run”
Best Fight Against the System
Logic featuring Damian Lemar Hudson – “Black SpiderMan”
The Hamilton Mixtape – “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)”
Big Sean – “Light”
Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
Taboo featuring Shailene Woodley – “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL”
John Legend – “Surefire”
Best Cinematography
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Imagine Dragons – “Thunder”
Ed Sheeran – “Castle on the Hill”
DJ Shadow featuring Run the Jewels – “Nobody Speak”
Halsey – “Now or Never”
Best Direction
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley – “Chained to the Rhythm”
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
The Weeknd – “Reminder”
Best Art Direction
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Katy Perry featuring Migos – “Bon Appetit”
DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
The Weeknd – “Reminder”
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Best Visual Effects
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
A Tribe Called Quest – “Dis Generation”
KYLE featuring Lil Yachty – “iSpy”
Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley – “Chained to the Rhythm”
Harry Styles – “Sign of the Times”