There are a handful of musical artists that have become forever associated with MTV's Video Music Awards. Miley Cyrus twerked her way into VMA notoriety, Britney Spears cemented her place in the awards show history with an unforgettable "Gimme More" opener, and of course, Kanye West is a perennial eccentric presence viewers have come to expect to see -- but will Kanye West go to the 2017 VMAs?
This year may be an exception. MTV just announced its slate of 2017 VMA nominees, and you won't find Kanye's name in any of the major categories. West actually did land one nomination in the Best Choreography category in recognition of his music video for "Fade," which he premiered at the 2016 VMAs. But that nomination is more in honor of the video's star Teyana Taylor and choreographers Guapo, Jae Blaze, and Derek "Bentley" Watkins. West doesn't even appear in the video.
Of course, the real reason Kanye West didn't land nominations in any major category this year is that he hasn't released any new material since last year's VMAs. The only piece of work West has produced that's eligible for nomination this year is the "Fade" music video since that was released during the 2016 VMAs.
West's most recent album The Life of Pablo was eligible for last year's VMAs, and he received two nominations for his controversial music video "Famous" from the album at last year's ceremony.
Of course, West is better known for his unpredictable on-stage antics at the VMAs rather than his award wins. Back in 2009, West famously stormed the stage while Taylor Swift was accepting the Video of the Year Award and declared it should have gone to Beyoncé instead. More recently, in 2015 he used his Video Vanguard winner speech to announce his intent to run for president in 2020.
With no major nominations for Kanye West this year, fans are now speculating whether or not he'll even attend the VMAs. It's been a famously hectic year for West — last fall he rushed out of one of his concerts to comfort his wife Kim Kardashian after she was held at gunpoint and robbed in Paris. Shortly after that, he abruptly canceled the final twenty shows of his Saint Pablo tour and checked into a hospital for a week for reported mental health treatment.
Both West and Kim Kardashian have notably toned down their normally bombastic public life since the incidents of last fall. Though there are reports West has been working on a new album, he has yet to follow up The Life of Pablo with any new work. It's definitely a possibility that we may not see West at the VMAs, but then again, he may show up to support his protege Teyana Taylor and his friend Chance the Rapper, who's nominated twice in Best Hip Hop.
The 2017 VMAs will air on Sunday, August 27 at 8 p.m. ET on MTV. Check out the full list of 2017 VMA nominations below:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records) Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam) DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best) The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records)
ARTIST OF THE YEAR Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records) Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) Ed Sheeran (Atlantic Records) Ariana Grande (Republic Records) The Weeknd (XO/Republic Records) Lorde (Republic Records)
BEST NEW ARTIST (Presented by Taco Bell®) Khalid (RCA Records) Kodak Black (Atlantic Records) SZA (TDE/RCA Records) Young M.A (3D) Julia Michaels (Republic Records) Noah Cyrus (Records)
BEST COLLABORATION Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez – “We Don't Talk Anymore” (Atlantic Records) DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best) D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli” (Atlantic Records) The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (Disruptor Records/Columbia Records) Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean – “Feels” (Columbia Records) Zayn & Taylor Swift – “I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)” (Republic Records)
BEST POP Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better” (Island Records) Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You” (Asylum/Atlantic Records) Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Columbia Records) Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down” (Syco Music/Epic Records) Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) Miley Cyrus – “Malibu” (RCA Records)
BEST HIP HOP Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) Big Sean – “Bounce Back” (Def Jam) Chance the Rapper – “Same Drugs” (Chance the Rapper LLC) D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli” (Atlantic Records) Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad & Boujee” (300 Entertainment) DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne – “I'm The One” (Epic Records/We The Best)
BEST DANCE Zedd and Alessia Cara – “Stay” (Interscope) Kygo x Selena Gomez – “It Ain't Me” (Ultra/Interscope) Calvin Harris – “My Way” (Columbia Records) Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – “Cold Water” (Mad Decent) Afrojack ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Gone” (Wall Recordings/Latium/RCA Records)
BEST ROCK Coldplay – “A Head Full of Dreams” (Parlophone/Atlantic Records) Fall Out Boy – “Young And Menace” (Island) Twenty One Pilots – “Heavydirtysoul” (Fueled by Ramen/Atlantic Records) Green Day – “Bang Bang” (Warner Bros. Records) Foo Fighters – “Run” (RCA Records)
BEST FIGHT AGAINST THE SYSTEM Logic ft. Damian Lemar Hudson – “Black SpiderMan” (Race & LGBTQ) (Def Jam) The Hamilton Mixtape – “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” (Immigration) (Atlantic Records) Big Sean – “Light” (Race) (Def Jam) Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Body image) (Def Jam) Taboo ft. Shailene Woodley – “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL” (Environment) John Legend – “Surefire” (Immigration & Anti-Muslim hate) (Columbia Records)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Scott Cunningham) Imagine Dragons – “Thunder” (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope) (Matthew Wise) Ed Sheeran – “Castle On The Hill” (Asylum/Atlantic Records) (Steve Annis) DJ Shadow ft. Run The Jewels – “Nobody Speak” (Mass Appeal Records LLC) (David Proctor) Halsey – “Now or Never” (Astralwerks/Capitol) (Kristof Brandl)
BEST DIRECTION Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Dave Meyers & the little homies) Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) (Mathew Cullen) Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records) (Cameron Duddy & Bruno Mars) Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam) (Aaron A) The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Glenn Michael)
BEST ART DIRECTION Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Spencer Graves) Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records) (Alex Delgado) Katy Perry ft. Migos – “Bon Appetit” (Capitol Records) (Natalie Groce) DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best) (Damian Fyffe) The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Creative Director: Lamar C Taylor / Co-creative Director: Christo Anesti)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Company: Timber/Lead: Jonah Hall) A Tribe Called Quest – “Dis Generation” (Epic Records) (Company: Bemo/Lead: Brandon Hirzel) KYLE ft. Lil Yachty – “iSpy” (Atlantic Records) (Company: Gloria FX/Leads: Max Colt & Tomash Kuzmytskyi) Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) (Company: MIRADA) Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Columbia Records) (Company: ONE MORE/Lead: Cédric Nivoliez)
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY Kanye West – “Fade” (Def Jam) (Teyana Taylor, Guapo, Jae Blaze & Derek 'Bentley' Watkins) Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side To Side” (Republic Records) (Brian & Scott Nicholson) Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Dave Meyers) Sia – “The Greatest” (Monkey Puzzle Records/RCA Records) (Ryan Heffington) Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down” (Syco Music/Epic Records) (Sean Bankhead)
BEST EDITING Future – “Mask Off” (Epic Records/Freebandz/A1) (Vinnie Hobbs of VHPost) Young Thug – “Wyclef Jean” (300 Entertainment/Atlantic Records) (Ryan Staake & Eric Degliomini) Lorde – “Green Light” (Republic Records) (Nate Gross of Exile Edit) The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (Disruptor Records/Columbia Records) (Jennifer Kennedy) The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Red Barbaza)
