While "Loud" singer Rihanna leads the official list of 2011 Billboard Music Award nominations, both new artists and fellow chart toppers including Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars are among those with multiple nominations for categories including Top New Artist, Top Male Artist and Top Rap Album. Nominations for the Billboard Music Awards were revealed Wednesday, prefacing the official ceremony May 22.
Fresh off signing on to join Britney Spears for a tour in support of "Femme Fatale," Young Money Hip Hop star Nicki Minaj earned a total of four nods Wednesday. Led by a nomination for Top Rap Album (Pink Friday), Minaj is also up for Top Rap Artist, Top New Artist and Top R&B Song -- the latter for Trey Songz's Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Songs charting single "Bottoms Up".
While Minaj leads in Hip Hop/Rap, Justin Beiber and Bruno Mars tie with a strong eleven nominations each, including Top New Artist (which they share with Minaj), and Top Male Artist.
Bieber, who is working on a follow up to his Billboard Music Award nominated album "My World 2.0," earned most of his nods from Billboard's recently introduced digital and social media related charts. His undeniable success online earned him, in addition to nods for his album and songs like "Baby" ft. Ludacris, nominations for Top Social Artist, Top Digital Media Artist, Top Streaming Artist, and Top Streaming Song (Video).
Mars, in addition to a nomination for his hit collaboration with B.o.B ("Nothin' on You," Top Rap Song), is nominated for Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Hot 100 Song (Just The Way You Are), and Top Digital Song in addition to aforementioned nods for Top Male and Top New Artist.
Joining Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, "Speak Now" singer Taylor Swift also received multiple nominations. Dominating the country fields/categories, Swift is up for Top Country Album, Top Country Artist, and Top Country Song in addition to Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album, and Top Billboard 200 Artist -- giving Swift at least seven nominations.
In related news, R&B singer Usher received ten nominations, including nods for his hit singles "OMG," "There Goes My Baby" and "DJ Got Us Falling In Love". Joined in the R&B categories by Monica, Trey Songz and Sade, among others, Usher dominates the R&B sect with four nods in three categories. "Judas" singer Lady Gaga is also nominated for twelve awards, including three albums all competing for the award of Top Dance/Electronic Album: "The Fame," "The Fame Monster" and "The Remix." "The Fame" is also a finalist for Top Pop Album.
The 2011 Billboard Music Awards are slated to air May 22, from Las Vegas, on ABC.
See a list of nominations for each of the aforementioned artists below. For a complete list of nominees, visit Billboard.com.
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