It's that time again...The 24th Annual MTV Video Music Awards! MTV's biggest celebration will go down at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas September 9th. Only eight categories will be announced during the two-hour show including four-all new ones: Male/Female Artist of the Year; Most Earthshattering Collaboration; Monster Single of the Year and Quadruple Threat Award. Beyonce and Justin Timberlake lead the pack with 7 nods each. Clearly, with less categories and more performances, it's about the show not the winners...

Performers will include Kanye West, Fall Out Boy, Amy Winehouse, Chris Brown, the Foo Fighters and Rihanna. Timbaland will be the “maestro” of the award show, serving essentially as the evening’s DJ.

“By me being maestro,” said Timbaland, “I am the show.”



My picks are in green!

Video of the Year

• Amy Winehouse: "Rehab"
• Beyoncé: "Irreplaceable"
• Justice: "D.A.N.C.E."
• Justin Timberlake: "What Goes Around ... "
• Kanye West: "Stronger"
• Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z): "Umbrella"

Male Artist of the Year

• Akon: "Don't Matter," "I Wanna Love You" (featuring Snoop Dogg), "Smack That" (featuring Eminem)
• Kanye West: "Can't Tell Me Nothing," "Stronger," "Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been" — DJ Premier remix, featuring Nas, KRS-One and Rakim)
• Justin Timberlake: "Let Me Talk To You/ My Love," "SexyBack" (featuring Timbaland), "What Goes Around ... "
• T.I.: "Big Things Poppin' (Do It)," "You Know What It Is" (featuring Wyclef Jean), "What You Know"
• Robin Thicke: "Can U Believe," "Lost Without U," "Wanna Love You Girl" (remix, featuring Busta Rhymes and Pharrell)

Female Artist of the Year

• Amy Winehouse: "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good"
• Beyoncé: "Irreplaceable," "Beautiful Liar" (featuring Shakira)
• Fergie: "Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal)," "Glamorous" (featuring Ludacris), "Fergalicious" (featuring Will.I.Am)
• Nelly Furtado: "Maneater," "Say It Right"
• Rihanna: "Umbrella" (featuring Jay-Z)

Best New Artist

• Amy Winehouse: "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good"
• Carrie Underwood: "Before He Cheats"
• Gym Class Heroes: "Clothes Off," "Cupid's Chokehold/ Breakfast in America"
• Lily Allen: "Alfie," "Smile," "LDN"
• Peter Bjorn and John: "Young Folks"

Best Group

• Fall Out Boy: "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race," "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs"
• Gym Class Heroes: "Clothes Off," "Cupid's Chokehold/ Breakfast in America"
• Linkin Park: "What I've Done"
• Maroon 5: "Makes Me Wonder"
• White Stripes: "Icky Thump"

Most Earthshattering Collaboration

• Akon (featuring Eminem): "Smack That"
• Beyoncé and Shakira: "Beautiful Liar"
• Justin Timberlake (featuring Timbaland): "SexyBack"
• Gwen Stefani (featuring Akon): "The Sweet Escape"
• U2 (featuring Green Day): "The Saints Are Coming"

Quadruple Threat of the Year

• Beyoncé
• Bono
  
• Jay-Z
• Justin Timberlake
• Kanye West

Monster Single of the Year

• Avril Lavigne: "Girlfriend"
• Daughtry: "Home"
• Fall Out Boy: "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs"
• Lil Mama: "Lip Gloss (No Music)"
• T-Pain (featuring Yung Joc): "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')"
• Timbaland (featuring Keri Hilson, D.O.E. and Sebastian): "The Way I Are"
• MIMS: "This Is Why I'm Hot"
• Plain White T's: "Hey There, Delilah"
• Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z): "Umbrella"
• Shop Boyz: "Party Like A Rock Star"

Best Director

• Beyoncé and Shakira: "Beautiful Liar" (director: Jake Nava)
• Christina Aguilera: "Candyman" (directors: Matthew Rolston and Christina Aguilera)
• Justin Timberlake: "What Goes Around ..." (director: Samuel Bayer)
• Kanye West: "Stronger" (director: Hype Williams)
• Linkin Park: "What I've Done" (director: Joseph Hahn)
• Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z): "Umbrella" (director: Chris Applebaum)

Best Editing in a Video

• Beyoncé and Shakira: "Beautiful Liar" (editor: Jarett Figl)
• Gnarls Barkley: "Smiley Faces" (editor: Ken Mowe)
• Justin Timberlake: "What Goes Around ..." (editor: Hollee Singer)
• Kanye West: "Stronger" (editors: Peter Johnson and Corey Weisz)
• Linkin Park: "What I've Done" (editor: Igor Kovalik)

Best Choreography in a Video

• Beyoncé and Shakira: "Beautiful Liar" (choreographer: Frank Gatson)
• Chris Brown: "Wall To Wall" (choreographers: Rich & Tone and Flii Styles)
• Ciara: "Like A Boy" (choreographer: Jamaica Craft)
• Eve: "Tambourine" (choreographer: Tahesha Scott)
• Justin Timberlake (featuring Timbaland): "SexyBack" (choreographer: Marty Kuldeka)

Labels: Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, MTV, VMAs