Industry News

MTV today revealed the full list of categories and nominees for its inaugural O Music Awards, a Web-based awards show dedicated to all things digital that will take place April 28.

Nominees -- selected by MTV's internal committee following discussions with various social media outlets, such as Facebook, Tumblr, iTunes and Twitter, according to the channel -- are an unusual mix of up-and-coming artists and superstars (Odd Future's Tyler the Creator and Lady Gaga). When asked specifically about the nomination process, an MTV spokesperson said the following:

"When it came to artist specific categories, we wanted to include a mix of mainstream artists and emerging talent. On the mainstream front, we wanted to acknowledge the power and influence of artists like Bieber and Gaga, who fans flocked to digital media to find out more about (like watching their music videos or following them on Twitter). We also wanted to put a spotlight on emerging talent who used digital platforms in creative ways to develop an audience base and launch their careers...hence it's only fitting that our two leading nominees would be Lady Gaga and Tyler the Creator"

Billboard.biz caught up with the O Music Awards senior executive producer Dermot McCormack, executive VP of digital media for MTV's Music and Logo Group who spoke about the event. A full list of nominees follows. 

Billboard.biz: What does the "O" stand for?
Dermot McCormack: That's one of the fun parts of the show. People are reacting in all different ways, and that's exactly what we wanted. We originally started calling the "Online Music Awards" or the "Ongoing Music Awards" and we felt like they were kind of older terms. It's about many digital platforms. So we thought we'd have some fun. Let's just leave it up to the audience to fill in the blank. It can be "Outrageous" or "Online" or "OMG." The whole tone of this is to be contrarian. So we feel we have the license to go the other way a bit.

So what does the "O" mean for you?
I've settled in on just liking the "O Music Awards." That's not just pomp, I believe that. We work in digital. Digital is starting to become every screen. The Web is an iterative process. It's gonna move. It's more fluid. I like it because there's a fluidity to it. If I called it one thing in the very beginning and in two years time it's streaming on a refrigerator, I'd be locked in. The world is moving so quickly, particularly digital, it makes sense.

Where can viewers see this?
It's not gonna be on TV. It'll be solely on the Web. It'll be a 60 minute packaged show, a mixture of pre-taped and live. It'll be on mobile and MTV websites, and also working with some key syndication partners we haven't disclosed.

Will there be performances?
[More details to be unveiled at a later date.]

How are the awards being handled?
We're going to nine awards during the physical broadcast. The rest will be streamed on the Web. We'll probably reveal one of the awards on the Monday before the event, but one of the bigger ones. We'll pre-tape a segment, and try to do it in a fun and interesting way. Hopefully some of the videos will be viral in nature. It's experimental. We know not all of it is going to work. But if you look at the first VMAs, not all of that worked either.

THE NOMINEES:

Best Fan Cover (Award goes to Fan):
Fan Cover By:  Alex Goot
Title: Hold It Against Me
Artist: Britney Spears
       
Fan Cover By:  Jorge & Alexa Narvaez
Title: Home
Artist: Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros
      
Fan Cover By: Maria Aragon
Title: Born This Way
Artist: Lady Gaga
       
Fan Cover By: Mike Tompkins
Title: Only Girl (In The World)
Artist: Rihanna
      
Fan Cover By: PS22 Chorus
Title: Lisztomania
Artist: Phoenix
       
Fan Cover By: Scampi
Title: Pursuit of Happiness
Artist: KiD CuDi featuring MGMT & Ratatat

Innovative Music Video (Award goes to Artist)
Artist: Andy Grammar
Title: Keep Your Head Up
       
Artist: Arcade Fire
Title: We Used To Wait
      
Artist: Cassius
Title: I Love You So
       
Artist: Craig Wedren
Title: Are We 
Artist: Das Racist
Title: Who's That? Brooown!
       
Artist: The Johnny Cash Project
Title: Ain't No Grave
      
Artist: OK Go
Title: Back From Kathmandu
       
Artist:Robyn
Title: Killing Me
      
Artist: Sour

Title: Mirror

Fan Army FTW (Award goes to Artist)
Artist: 30 Seconds to Mars
Fan Army: Echelon
       
Artist: Adam Lambert
Fan Army: Glamberts   

Artist: Justin Bieber
Fan Army: Beliebers
       
Artist: Katy Perry
Fan Army: Bandaids    

Artist: Lady Gaga
Fan Army: Little Monsters
       
Artist: My Chemical Romance
Fan Army: Killjoys/MCRmy      

Artist: Nicki Minaj
Fan Army: Barbiez
       
Artist: Rain
Fan Army: Clouds      

Artist: Rihanna
Fan Amy: Rihanna Navy
       
Artist: Tokio Hotel
Fan Army: Tokio Hotel Fans    

Artist: Wiz Khalifa
Fan Army: Taylor Gang

Funniest Music Short (Award goes to Creator)
Creator: Antoine Dobson/Gregory Brothers
Title: Bed Intruder Song
       
Creator: Funny or Die
Title:  Disney's Princess Ke$ha

Creator: The Lonely Island f/t Akon
Title: I Just Had Sex
       
Creator: The Lonely Island
Title: Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie and Clyde 

Creator: Portlandia
Title: Portland Dream of the '90s

    
Innovative Artist (Award goes to Artist)
Artist: The Flaming Lips       
Artist: iamwhoiam      
Artist: Kanye West       
Artist: Lady Gaga     
Artist: Lil B
Artist: Radiohead     
Artist: Tyler The Creator

Must-Follow Artist on Twitter (Award goes to Artist)       
Artist: 50 Cent       
Artist: Amanda Palmer 
Artist:  Kanye West    
Artist: Lady Gaga      
Artist: Nicki Minaj       
Artist: Questlove     
Artist: Ted Leo       
Artist: Tyler The Creator

NSFW Music Video (Award goes to Artist)
Artist: Earl Sweatshirt
Title: EARL    

Artist: M.I.A.
Title: Born Free
      
Artist: The Flaming Lips
Title: The Sparrow Looks Up At The Machine
       
Artist: Yuck
Title: Rubber
      
Artist: UNKLE
Title: Follow Me Down
              
Most Viral Dance (Award goes to originator of dance)
Artist:  Cali Swag District
Title: The Dougie
       
Artist: Ginuwine
Title: Pony   

Artist: Lil B
Title: Lil B's Cooking Dance
       
Artist: "Movin' Like Berney" Video
Title: The "Berney" Dance     

Artist: Willow Smith
Title: Whip My Hair

Best Independent Music Blog (Award goes to blog owner)
Blog: Aquarium Drunkard       
Blog: Arjan Writes    
Blog: Discobelle       
Blog: Gorilla vs. Bear
Blog: Hipster Runoff       
Blog: Nah Right
Blog: Pretty Much Amazing       
Blog: Said the Gramophone     
Blogs: Transparent Blog

Best Music Hashtag Meme (Award goes to hashtag creator)
Hashtag: #awfulsupergroups     
Hashtag: #bustinjieber
Hashtag: #failedrockbandmovies
Hashtag: #fatindiebands
Hashtag: #lessambitiousbands

Best Music Discovery Service (Award goes to Company)
Company: Bandcamp      
Company: The Hype Machine
Company: Pandora       
Company: RCRD LBL
Company: Shazam
Company: Shuffler.fm  
Company: SoundCloud
Company: We Are Hunted

Best Performance Series (Award goes to site that runs performance series)
Website: 4AD
Performance Series: Sessions
       
Website: A.V. Club
Performance Series: Undercover

Website: Black Cab Sessions
       
Website: Beck
Performance Series: Record Club
      
Website: Daryl Hall
Performance Series: Live From Daryl's House
       
Website: From the Basement 

Website: La Blogothesque
       
Website: NPR
Performance Series: Tiny Desk Concerts

Website: Yours Tru.ly  

Website: Unplugged (MTV, VH1, CMT)

Favorite F**k Yeah Tumblr (Award goes to site owner)
Artist: Adam Lambert
Site: f*ckyeahadamlambert.tumblr.com   

Artist: Beyonce
Site: f*ckyeahbeyonceknowles.tumblr.com
      
Artist: Britney
Site: f*ckyeahcrazybritney.tumblr.com
       
Artist: Janelle Monae
Site: f*ckyeahjanellemonae.tumblr.com 

Artist: Kanye West
Site: f*ckyeahkanyewest.tumblr.com     

Artist: KiD CuDi
Site: f*ckyeahkidcudi.com
      
Artist: Lady Gaga
Site: f*ckyeahladygaga.tumblr.com      

Artist: Nicki Minaj
Site: f*ckyeahharajukubarbie.tumblr.com
      
Artist: Rihanna
Site: f*ckyeahrihanna.com      

Artist: Thom Yorke
Site: f*ckyeahthomyorke.tumblr.com

Favorite Animated GIF (Award goes to GIF)
GIF: 50 Cent, Bert and Kermit on Entourage

GIF: 50 Cent, Rebecca Black and Bert
      
GIF: J ustin Bieber - Tongue Roll
       
GIF: Katy Perry - California Gurls Whipped Cream
      
GIF: Lady Gaga - Finger Lickin' Good
       
GIF: Mariah Carey - Check Yourself
     
GIF: Nicki Minaj - Gum Twirl

GIF: Rihanna & Katy Perry
   
GIF: Whitney Houston- Whitney Points

Best Fan Forum (Award goes to forum owner)
Forum: Animal Collective
Site: animalcollective.org

Forum: Britney Spears - Breathe Heavy
Site: breatheheavy.com

Forum: Justin Bieber Fan Fiction
Site: justinbieber.org/justin-bieber-fan-fiction       

Forum: Michael Jackson
Site: mjcommunity.com/site
      
Forum: Phish.net
Site:  phish.net

Best Music Hack (Award goes to hack)
Hack: Gigbeat
Hacker: Mike Novack    

Hack: Highlight to Listen
Hacker: Marshall Jones
      
Hack: Invisible Instruments
Hacker: Tim Soo

Hack: Jennie's Ultimate Road Trip
Hackers: Jennie Lamere and Paul Lamere
      
Hack: Sing'Em All
Hackers: Imanol Gomez, Jorge Garcia, Vincent Akkermans

Best Animal Performance (Award goes to video creator)
Title: Cats from Holy F*ck's "Red Lights"
       
Title: Dancing Merengue Dog     

Title: Parrot Dancing to Willow Smith's Whip My Hair

Title: Parrot Sings Drowning Pool's "Let The Bodies Hit The Floor"

Title: Rooster Death Metal

Title: Sax Playing Walrus

Best Remix (Award goes to Remixer)
Remixer: Andre 3000
Artist: Ke$ha
Title: Sleazy (Andre 3000 remix)
       
Remixer: Hercules & Love Affair
Artist: Lady Gaga
Title: Bad Romance (Hercules & Love Affair Mix)

Remixer: Lil Wayne
Artist: Birdman
Title: Fire Flame Remix

Remixer: Miami Horror
Artist: Gorillaz
Title: Empire Ants (Miami Horror Remix)

Remixer:  Skrillex
Artist: La Roux
Title: In For The Kill (Skrillex Remix)

Remixer: Tyler The Creator
Artist: Lekke Li
Title: Follow Rivers (Tyler the Creator Mix)

Best iTunes LP (Award goes to Artist)
Artist: Bruce Springsteen
LP Title: The Promise  

Artist: The Beatles
LP Title: The Beatles Box Set
      
Artist: Gorillaz
LP Title: Plastic Beach
       
Artist: Janelle Monae
LP Title: The ArchAndroid (Deluxe)    

Artist: Pink
Title: Greatest Hits…So Far!!!
       
Artist: Talib Kweli
LP Title: Reflection Eternal/Revolutions Per Minute (Deluxe Version)