Despite a mostly predictable batch of nominees at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, including big names like Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus across the board, there were a number of unexpected moments from the announcement. Here are the top snubs and surprises.
Snub: Little love for Ice Spice
Bronx rapper Ice Spice is inarguably the biggest breakout of the year, earning four top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 so far and collaborating with icons like Nicki Minaj and the aforementioned Taylor Swift. She has also had a great videography, from the colorful “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2” or the fun “In Ha Mood.” As such, she could have received nominations in pop, collaboration, and hip hop, plus a couple of general categories. So it was surprising that she was only featured in two races: Best New Artist and Best Push Performance of the Year, both of which honor breakout performers. The exclusions of “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2,” “In Ha Mood,” and “Princess Diana” were glaring considering they were among the most watched and well produced videos of their genres.
Surprise: Doja Cat hits it big
While Doja Cat is a big name and has been nominated for multiple years now, her single “Attention” was a commercial disappointment. The song only spent three weeks charting on the Hot 100 and couldn’t reach the top 30. So it was a surprise that the VMAs, which are typically very commercially focused, decided to nominate the song for Video of the Year, Best Direction, and Best Art Direction, in addition to an Artist of the Year bid for Doja.
Snub: SZA out of Artist of the Year
2023 has been the year of SZA. Her sophomore studio album, “SOS,” hit it big with both critics and general audiences. The album topped the Billboard 200 for 10 non-consecutive weeks and brought SZA multiple top-10 hits, including “Kill Bill,” “Shirt,” and “I Hate U,” as well as another rising hit with “Snooze.” It’s weird that such success couldn’t get SZA a nomination for Artist of the Year, especially when she was nominated almost everywhere else. Despite missing in the category, she got six noms, including Video of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Direction.
Surprise: Diddy’s “Gotta Move On” gets two nominations
The Best Collaboration race is filled with some of the year’s biggest hits … and a Diddy song you probably haven’t heard of. Indeed, the rap icon got a nomination — alongside Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, and Yung Miami — for their track “Gotta Move On.” While it’s an inspired pick, one does have to wonder how it had enough traction to get in, especially with snubs like the aforementioned “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2” and, bafflingly, the VOTY-nominated “Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras. “Gotta Move On” also received a second nomination, for Best Hip-Hop.
Snub: No NewJeans
One of the biggest breakouts of the year is K-pop girl group NewJeans. They have made waves internationally due to their combination of K-pop, R&B, and hip-hop, bringing a unique new sound to the game. They have even found success in the US, collecting multiple Hot 100 entries and a number-one Billboard 200 album recently. So it’s weird that the group couldn’t get a single nomination, even in the Best K-Pop category, where they would’ve been one of the most popular nominees, or in Best New Artist. It’s especially shocking considering NewJeans have also found acclaim for their videography, which has brought a new aesthetic to the forefront of K-pop visuals. Guess the VMAs aren’t on the NewJeans hype train just yet.
Surprise: Demi Lovato’s “Swine” recognized twice
Demi Lovato hasn’t necessarily been at her peak commercially, so it’s especially nice to see that her important video for “Swine” was recognized anyway. The song addresses abortion rights and feminism, and the video features multiple trans artists. While the category placement might be a bit off — “Swine” is a rock song, but got nominated for Best Pop — the nomination in a genre category as well as Best Video for Good are welcome surprises, especially considering the political climate we are in.
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