Clear Channel is involved in every aspect of the music industry anymore, from radio stations to selling concert tickets to putting on festivals through its iHeartRadio brand, so why not get in the award show game, too? Today (March 26), the nominees for the first-ever iHeart Radio Music Awards were announced, with Rihanna, Justin Timberlake and Imagine Dragons leading the pack.
According to The Wall Street Journal, music fans cast over 13.2 million votes via Twitter and Facebook to end up some of music's most expected acts as nominees. Imagine Dragons, Justin Timberlake, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Maroon 5 and Rihanna, for instance, are the nominees for artist of the year.
Other categories, such as Song Of The Year and Best Collaboration featured similarly predictable nominees like "Mirrors," "Stay" and "The Monster" all getting nods. Thanks to her Rihanna Navy (who are nominated for Best Fan Army), Rihanna leads every other act with seven total nominations.
The iHeartRadio Music Awards will be chosen exclusively by the fans, with voting opening today at iheartradio.com/awards. Voting will run through April 25.
Check out the full list of nominees below:
Artist of the Year:
Imagine Dragons
Justin Timberlake
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Maroon 5
Rihanna
Song of the Year:
"Hold On, We're Going Home," Drake (feat. Majid Jordan)
"Mirrors," Justin Timberlake
"Radioactive," Imagine Dragons
"Stay," Rihanna (feat. Mikky Ekko)
"The Monster," Eminem (feat. Rihanna)
Best Collaboration:
"Holy Grail," Jay Z (feat. Justin Timberlake)
"Stay," Rihanna (feat. Mikky Ekko)
"Suit & Tie," Justin Timberlake (feat. Jay Z)
"The Monster," Eminem (feat. Rihanna)
"Timber," Pitbull (feat. Kesha)
Best New Artist:
Florida Georgia Line
Icona Pop
Imagine Dragons
Lorde
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Passenger
Country Song of the Year:
"Boys 'Round Here," Blake Shelton
"Highway Don't Care," Tim McGraw w/ Taylor Swift
"It Goes Like This," Thomas Rhett
"Mine Would Be You," Blake Sheton
"That's My Kind Of Night," Luke Bryan
Hip-Hop/R&B Song of the Year:
"Blurred Lines," Robin Thicke (feat. Pharrell & T.I.)
"Hold On, We're Going Home," Drake (feat. Majid Jordan)
"Holy Grail," Jay Z (feat. Justin Timberlake)
"Pour It Up," Rihanna
"Started From The Bottom," Drake
EDM Song of the Year:
"Get Lucky," Daft Punk (feat. Pharrell Williams)
"Stay The Night," Zedd (feat. Hayley Williams)
"Summertime Sadness," Lana Del Rey (feat. Cedric Gervais)
"Sweet Nothing," Calvin Harris (feat. Florence Welch)
"Wake Me Up!" Avicii
Alternative Rock Song of the Year:
"Demons," Imagine Dragons
"Do I Wanna Know?" Arctic Monkeys
"Pompeii," Bastille
"Royals," Lorde
"Safe and Sound," Capital Cities
Best Lyrics:
"Wake Me Up!" Avicii
"I Love It," Icona Pop (feat. Charli XCX)
"Say Something," A Great Big World
"Same Love," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
"Wrecking Ball," Miley Cyrus
Best Fan Army:
Arianators (Ariana Grande)
Little Monsters (Lady Gaga)
Lovatics (Demi Lovato)
Mahomies (Austin Mahone)
Rihanna Navy (Rihanna)
Swifties (Taylor Swift)
The iHeartRadio Music Awards will take place on May 1 and air on NBC.
