iHeartRadio Awards: Live Acts From Drake to Arcade Fire
Having a new awards show from popular internet-radio website iHeartRadio seems to be a welcome addition for many to the annual red-carpeted offerings, if only because the public gets to decide the nominees and the winners.
That said, not everyone’s tastes jibe with the mainstream middle-school audience, which is likely to be the most formidable voting bloc deciding who wins and almost wins. (Remember: Clear Channel is iHeartRadio’s overlord, and since voters can cast a new ballot every day, who’s got time for that but middle-schoolers?)
To overcome that impression, iHeartRadio just released its performance lineup for the May 1 awards show in Los Angeles, and it doesn’t smack of a popularity contest as much as an attempt to satisfy every genre’s core fan base, which just so happens to be Clear Channel’s forte. Look at the nominees for best alt-rock song, and it’s clear we’re not talking college-radio rock but its pop-rock cousin with prettier teeth and a major-label pushing from the back.
On slate at the mic: Pharrell, Ed Sheeran, Drake, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Blake Shelton, Arcade Fire, Kendrick Lamar, Pitbull, Shakira, Ariana Grande and Luke Bryan.
Adding a touch of authenticity, the performances won’t all be held on the headquarters stage of The Shrine Auditorium. “In addition to performances at the show,” iHeartRadio organizers state, “artists will be taking over Los Angeles’ most iconic venues (from) The Roxy to Hotel Cafe, highlighting their ‘L.A. Story’ and telling fans what brought them there and how it helped make their careers.”
Not a terrible theme for an inaugural awards show, which will air on NBC from 8 to 11 p.m. EST.
Voting continues at iHeartRadio’s website until Friday, April 25. The nominees:
Artist of the Year
Imagine Dragons; Rihanna; Justin Timberlake; Maroon 5; and Macklemore with Ryan Lewis.
Song of the Year
“Hold On We’re Going Home” by Drake featuring Majid Jordan; “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons; “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake; “Stay” by Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko; and “The Monster” by Eminem featuring Rihanna.
Best Collaboration
“The Monster” by Eminem featuring Rihanna; “Stay” by Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko; “Holy Grail” by JAY Z featuring Justin Timberlake; “Suit & Tie” by Justin Timberlake featuring JAY Z; and “Timber” by Pitbull featuring Kesha.
Best New Artist
Imagine Dragons, Icona Pop, Florida Georgia Line, Passenger, Lorde, and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
Alternative Rock Song of the Year:
“Pompeii” by Bastille; “Royals” by Lorde; “Demons” by Imagine Dragons; “Do I Wanna Know?” by Arctic Monkeys; and “Safe And Sound” by Capital Cities.
Country Song of the Year
“It Goes Like This” by Thomas Rhett; “Mine Would Be You” by Blake Shelton; “Boys ‘Round Here” by Blake Shelton; “Highway Don’t Care” by Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift; and “That’s My Kind of Night” by Luke Bryan.
Best Lyrics
“Wake Me Up” by Avicii (with vocals by Aloe Blacc); “Same Love” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis; “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus; “I Love It (featuring Charli XCX)” by Icona Pop; and “Say Something” by A Great Big World.
Hip Hop/R&B Song of the Year
“Started From The Bottom” by Drake; “Holy Grail” by JAY Z featuring Justin Timberlake; “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell; “Hold On We’re Going Home” by Drake featuring Majid Jordan; and “Pour It Up” by Rihanna.
EDM Song of the Year
“Stay The Night” by Zedd featuring Hayley Williams; “Summertime Sadness” by Lana Del Rey featuring Cedric Gervais; “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell; “Sweet Nothing” by Calvin Harris featuring Florence Welch; and “Wake Me Up” by Avicii.
Best Fan Army
Little Monsters (Lady Gaga); Lovatics (Demi Lovato); Mahomies (Austin Mahone); Arianators (Ariana Grande); the Rihanna Navy (Rihanna); and the Swifties (Taylor Swift).
[Image courtesy of iHeartRadio]
