Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, SZA, The Weeknd, and Drake lead the list of 2023 Billboard Music Awards nominations, announced on Thursday, October 26 by the awards show, which will be livestreamed instead of airing on a network.
The 2023 BBMAs will take place live on Sunday, November 19 on BBMAs.watch. Winners will also be announced on social media. There are nine new categories added to the list of awards this year, including new categories for the K-Pop and Afrobeats genres. Unlike other awards shows that pick its nominees and winners through a voting system, BBMAs nominees (aka finalists) are determined by album and digital songs sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring, and social engagement.
“The BBMAs will deliver a fresh award show concept that will entertain fans with music and exclusive content, including winner celebrations, behind-the-scenes moments, and performances created by the world’s biggest chart-topping artists,” the awards show shares. ‘In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the BBMAs and Spotify ‘Fans First’ will bring fans up close and personal with their favorite artists at performances and award celebrations taking place around the globe, in the midst of sold-out tours, and in custom venues – with bespoke never before seen BBMAs creative.”
BBMAs performers will be announced daily across Billboard social media platforms starting on Monday, November 6. The BBMAs are presented by Marriott Bonvoy and produced by Dick Clark Productions.
Swift leads the pack as a finalist in 20 categories. The “Cruel Summer” singer already holds the record for the most BBMAs win by a woman with 29 total wins. This year, “Anti-Hero” is up for five awards, including Top Hot 100 Song. Swift is also a finalist in the Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Billboard 100 Artist, the new Top Hot 100 Songwriter category, and more. She’s also nominated in country music categories thanks to her re-recorded old albums like Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) that came out this year.
While Drake has won more BBMAs than any other artist (34 career wins), he’s the fifth-most nominated at this year’s ceremony with 14. Swift could unseat Drake as the new record holder at the 2023 ceremony.
Country singer Wallen is tied with SZA in second with 16 nominations out his 17 entries. Wallen is up for Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, and Top Hot 100 Artist. His album One Thing At A Time is up for two awards, while his song “Last Night” is up for three awards, including Top Hot 100 Song.
SZA’s 16 nominations out of 17 entries includes Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, and Top 100 Artist. Her album SOS is a finalist for both the Top Billboard 200 Album and Top R&B Album awards, and her song “Kill Bill” is up for four awards, including Top Hot 100 Song.
The Weeknd is a finalist in 13 categories out of his 16 entries, and one of the song’s up for awards is his 2016 collaboration with Ariana Grande, “Die for You.” The song found a new life in 2023, six years after its release, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
See below for the list of the 2023 BBMAs nominees.
2023 Billboard Music Awards, Sunday, November 19, BBMAs.watch
Artist Awards
Top Artist
Drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
Top New Artist
Bailey Zimmerman
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Peso Pluma
Zach Bryan
Top Male Artist
Drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd
Zach Bryan
Top Female Artist
Beyoncé
Miley Cyrus
Olivia Rodrigo
SZA
Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group
Eslabon Armado
Fifty Fifty
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Frontera
Metallica
Top Billboard 200 Artist
Drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artist
Drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Songwriter (NEW)
Ashley Gorley
Jack Antonoff
SZA
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Top Hot 100 Producer (NEW)
Jack Antonoff
Joey Moi
Metro Boomin
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Top Streaming Songs Artist
Drake
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Top Radio Songs Artist
Miley Cyrus
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Top Song Sales Artist
Jason Aldean
Miley Cyrus
Morgan Wallen
Oliver Anthony Music
Taylor Swift
Top Billboard Global 200 Artist
Bad Bunny
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Top Billboard Global (Excluding U.S.) Artist
Bad Bunny
Ed Sheeran
NewJeans
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Top R&B Artist
Beyoncé
Chris Brown
Rihanna
SZA
The Weeknd
Top R&B Male Artist
Chris Brown
Miguel
The Weeknd
Top R&B Female Artist
Beyoncé
Rihanna
SZA
Top R&B Touring Artist
Beyoncé
Bruno Mars
The Weeknd
Top Rap Artist
21 Savage
Drake
Lil Baby
Metro Boomin
Travis Scott
Top Rap Male Artist
21 Savage
Drake
Travis Scott
Top Rap Female Artist
Doja Cat
Ice Spice
Nicki Minaj
Top Rap Touring Artist
50 Cent
Drake
Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa
Top Country Artist
Bailey Zimmerman
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Top Country Male Artist
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Zach Bryan
Top Country Female Artist
Lainey Wilson
Megan Moroney
Taylor Swift
Top Country Duo/Group
Old Dominion
Parmalee
Zac Brown Band
Top Country Touring Artist
George Strait
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Top Rock Artist
Jelly Roll
Noah Kahan
Stephen Sanchez
Steve Lacy
Zach Bryan
Top Rock Duo/Group (NEW)
Arctic Monkeys
Foo Fighters
Metallica
Top Rock Touring Artist
Coldplay
Depeche Mode
Elton John
Top Latin Artist
Bad Bunny
Eslabon Armado
Fuerza Regida
KAROL G
Peso Pluma
Top Latin Male Artist
Bad Bunny
Peso Pluma
Rauw Alejandro
Top Latin Female Artist
KAROL G
ROSALÍA
Shakira
Top Latin Duo/Group
Eslabon Armado
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Frontera
Top Latin Touring Artist
Daddy Yankee
Karol G
RBD
Top Global K-Pop Artist (NEW)
Jimin
NewJeans
Stray Kids
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
TWICE
Top K-Pop Touring Artist (NEW)
BLACKPINK
SUGA
TWICE
Top Afrobeats Artist (NEW)
Burna Boy
Libianca
Rema
Tems
Wizkid
Top Dance/Electronic Artist
Beyoncé
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
Drake
Tiësto
Top Christian Artist
Brandon Lake
Elevation Worship
for KING & COUNTRY
Lauren Daigle
Phil Wickham
Top Gospel Artist
CeCe Winans
Elevation Worship
Kanye West
Kirk Franklin
Maverick City Music
Album Awards
Top Billboard 200 Album
Drake & 21 Savage “Her Loss”
Metro Boomin “HEROES & VILLAINS”
Morgan Wallen “One Thing At A Time”
SZA “SOS”
Taylor Swift “Midnights”
Top Soundtrack
“Barbie The Album”
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By”
“ELVIS”
“Metro Boomin Presents Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Soundtrack From and Inspired by the Motion Picture)”
“Top Gun: Maverick”
Top R&B Album
Beyoncé “RENAISSANCE”
Brent Faiyaz “WASTELAND”
Drake “Honestly, Nevermind”
Steve Lacy “Gemini Rights”
SZA “SOS”
Top Rap Album
Drake & 21 Savage “Her Loss”
Future “I Never Liked You”
Lil Baby “It’s Only Me”
Metro Boomin “HEROES & VILLAINS”
Travis Scott “UTOPIA”
Top Country Album
Luke Combs “Gettin’ Old”
Luke Combs “Growin’ Up”
Morgan Wallen “One Thing At A Time”
Taylor Swift “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)”
Zach Bryan “American Heartbreak”
Top Rock Album
HARDY “the mockingbird & THE CROW”
Jelly Roll “Whitsitt Chapel”
Noah Kahan “Stick Season”
Steve Lacy “Gemini Rights”
Zach Bryan “American Heartbreak”
Top Latin Album
Bad Bunny “Un Verano Sin Ti”
Eslabon Armado “DESVELADO”
Ivan Cornejo “Dañado”
KAROL G “MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO”
Peso Pluma “GÉNESIS”
Top K-Pop Album (NEW)
Jimin “FACE”
NewJeans “2nd EP ‘Get Up’”
Stray Kids “5-STAR”
TOMORROW X TOGETHER “The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION”
TWICE “READY TO BE: 12th Mini Album”
Top Dance/Electronic Album
Beyoncé “RENAISSANCE”
Drake “Honestly, Nevermind”
ILLENIUM “ILLENIUM”
Kim Petras “Feed The Beast”
Tiësto “DRIVE”
Top Christian Album
Anne Wilson “My Jesus”
Brandon Lake “House of Miracles”
CAIN “Rise Up”
Elevation Worship “LION”
Lauren Daigle “Lauren Daigle”
Top Gospel Album
Jonathan McReynolds “My Truth”
Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin “Kingdom Book One”
Tye Tribbett “All Things New”
Whitney Houston “I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston”
Zacardi Cortez “Imprint (Live in Memphis)”
Song Awards
Top Hot 100 Song
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage “Creepin’”
Miley Cyrus “Flowers”
Morgan Wallen “Last Night”
SZA “Kill Bill”
Taylor Swift “Anti-Hero”
Top Streaming Song
Miley Cyrus “Flowers”
Morgan Wallen “Last Night”
SZA “Kill Bill”
Taylor Swift “Anti-Hero”
Zach Bryan “Something in the Orange”
Top Radio Song
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage “Creepin’”
Miley Cyrus “Flowers”
Rema & Selena Gomez “Calm Down”
Taylor Swift “Anti-Hero”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Die For You”
Top Selling Song
Jason Aldean “Try That in a Small Town”
Jimin ‘Like Crazy”
Miley Cyrus “Flowers”
Oliver Anthony Music “Rich Men North of Richmond”
Taylor Swift “Anti-Hero”
Top Collaboration
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha “I’m Good (Blue)”
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage “Creepin’”
Rema & Selena Gomez “Calm Down”
Sam Smith & Kim Petras “Unholy”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Die For You”
Top Billboard Global 200 Song
Miley Cyrus “Flowers”
Rema & Selena Gomez “Calm Down”
SZA “Kill Bill”
Taylor Swift “Anti-Hero”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Die For You”
Top Billboard Global (Excluding U.S.) Song
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha “I’m Good (Blue)”
Harry Styles “As It Was”
Miley Cyrus “Flowers”
Rema & Selena Gomez “Calm Down”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Die For You”
Top R&B Song
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage “Creepin’”
Miguel “Sure Thing”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Die For You”
SZA “Kill Bill”
SZA “Snooze”
Top Rap Song
Coi Leray “Players”
Drake & 21 Savage “Rich Flex”
Gunna “fukumean”
Lil Durk ft. J. Cole “All My Life”
Toosii “Favorite Song”
Top Country Song
Bailey Zimmerman “Rock and a Hard Place”
Luke Combs “Fast Car”
Morgan Wallen “Last Night”
Morgan Wallen “You Proof”
Zach Bryan “Something in the Orange”
Top Rock Song
Jelly Roll “Need A Favor”
Stephen Sanchez “Until I Found You”
Steve Lacy “Bad Habit”
Zach Bryan ft. Kacey Musgraves “I Remember Everything”
Zach Bryan “Something in the Orange”
Top Latin Song
Eslabon Armado x Peso Pluma “Ella Baila Sola”
Fuerza Regida x Grupo Frontera “Bebe Dame”
Grupo Frontera x Bad Bunny “un x100to”
KAROL G & Shakira “TQG”
Yng Lvcas x Peso Pluma “La Bebe”
Top Global K-Pop Song (NEW)
Fifty Fifty “Cupid”
Jimin “Like Crazy”
Jungkook ft. Latto “Seven”
NewJeans “Ditto”
NewJeans “OMG”
Top Afrobeats Song (NEW)
Ayra Starr “Rush”
Libianca “People”
Oxlade “KU LO SA”
Rema & Selena Gomez “Calm Down”
Victony, Rema, & Tempoe ft. Don Toliver “Soweto”
Top Dance/Electronic Song
Bizarrap & Shakira “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53”
David Guetta, Anne-Marie & Coi Leray “Baby Don’t Hurt Me”
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha “I’m Good (Blue)”
Elton John & Britney Spears “Hold Me Closer”
Tiësto ft. Tate McRae “10:35”
Top Christian Song
Brandon Lake “Gratitude”
Chris Tomlin “Holy Forever”
for KING & COUNTRY with Jordin Sparks “Love Me Like I Am”
Lauren Daigle “Thank God I Do”
Phil Wickham “This Is Our God”
Top Gospel Song
CeCe Winans “Goodness of God”
Crowder & Dante Bowe ft. Maverick City Music “God Really Loves Us”
Elevation Worship ft. Chandler Moore & Tiffany Hudson “More Than Able”
Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin ft. Brandon Lake & Chandler Moore “Fear is Not My Future”
Zacardi Cortez “Lord Do It For Me (Live in Memphis)”
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
