NEW YORK – The Weeknd was snubbed by the Grammys, but is the top nominee for the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, where rappers Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD garnered multiple posthumous nominations and discredited country singer Morgan Wallen received six nominations.
In the Latin music sections, Anuel AA, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Maluma and Ozuna will compete for the best Latin artist award, while Bad Bunny, J Balvin and Ozuna will also be measured for the best Latin male artist. The award for the best Latin female artist will be disputed by Becky G, Karol G and Rosalía. And the best Latin duo or group among Sergio Lizárraga’s Banda MS, Eslabón Armado and Los Dos Carnales.
The Weeknd, Juice WRLD and Pop Smoke, the third most nominated this year, will be measured for the honor of the artist of the year with Taylor Swift and Drake, the most honored singer in the history of these awards. The Billboard Awards ceremony will air live on May 23.
The Weeknd received 16 nominations, including top male artist, top R&B artist, top Billboard 200 album for “After Hours” and top Hot 100 song for “Blinding Lights,” last year’s No. 1 track. DaBaby —thanks to his hit “Rockstar” and his guest appearance on Jack Harlow’s “What’s Poppin” – follows with 11 mentions, and will compete with himself for best rap song; best song, streaming; and better collaboration.
Pop Smoke, with 10 nominations, died in February at age 20 as his songs and mixtapes began to appear on the pop and rap charts. His official debut album, “Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon”, was released in July and dominated the charts and streaming services with songs certified platinum such as “For the Night”, “What You Know About Love” and “ Dior, ”which was nominated for a Grammy this year. His Billboard nominations include Top New Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Rap Artist, and Top Billboard 200 Album.
Juice WRLD passed away in December 2019 at age 21. His posthumous album “Legends Never Die” came out a week after Pop Smoke’s and had several hits on the Billboard charts. It was the best posthumous debut in 23 years, since the 1997 Tupac and Notorious BIG releases. His seven Billboard nominations include top male artist, top rap artist, and top Billboard 200 album.
Others competing with The Weeknd, Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD for the best album award are Lil Baby with “My Turn” and Swift with “folklore,” which last month earned the singer-songwriter her third Grammy for album of the year.
Morgan Wallen was banned from the Academy of Country Music Awards after being recorded on camera using a racial slur earlier in the year, but he is one of the top contenders on the Billboard. His six nominations include best country artist and best country album for “Dangerous: The Double Album,” which is currently third on the charts and continues to sell despite Wallen’s time of crisis. The singer even received two nominations for best country song, for “Chasin ‘You” and “More Than My Hometown.”
Wallen competes on the Billboards because nominations are based on record sales and digital sales, streaming, radio broadcast and social media performance, and “are not chosen by a voting committee or members of an organization,” said dick clark productions. The producers indicated that although Wallen is a multiple nominee, they will not allow him to participate in the show.
For this edition of the Billboard, the popularity charts from March 21, 2020 to April 3, 2021 were taken into account. Two of the 51 categories are chosen by fan vote, including best collaboration and best social artist, than this one. year dominate Asian artists. Candidates include K-pop groups BTS, BLACKPINK, and Seventeen; the Philippine boy band SB19; and Ariana Grande.
Chris Brown, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat and Justin Bieber are among other artists with multiple nominations.