2016 VMA Winner Predictions

Video of the Year

Adele — "Hello"

Beyoncé — "Formation"

Justin Bieber — "Sorry"

Drake — "Hotline Bling"

Kanye West — "Famous"

Should win: “Formation”

Will win: “Sorry”

Best Male Video

Drake — "Hotline Bling"

Calvin Harris (featuring Rihanna) — "This Is What You Came For"

Bryson Tiller — "Don't"

The Weeknd — "Can't Feel My Face"

Kanye West — "Famous"

Should win: “Hotline Bling”

Will win: “Hotline Bling”

Best Female Video

Adele — "Hello"

Beyoncé — "Hold Up"

Ariana Grande — "Into You"

Rihanna (featuring Drake) — "Work"

Sia — "Cheap Thrills"

Should win: “Hold Up”

Will win: “Work”

Best New Artist

Desiigner

DNCE

Zara Larsson

Lukas Graham

Bryson Tiller

Should win: DNCE

Will win: DNCE

Best Pop Video

Adele — "Hello"

Beyoncé — "Formation"

Justin Bieber — "Sorry"

Alessia Cara — "Wild Things"

Ariana Grande — "Into You"

Should win: “Sorry”

Will win: “Sorry”

Best Collaboration Video

Beyoncé (featuring Kendrick Lamar) — "Freedom"

Fifth Harmony (featuring Ty Dolla Sign) — "Work from Home"

Ariana Grande (featuring Lil Wayne) — "Let Me Love You"

Calvin Harris (featuring Rihanna) — "This Is What You Came For"

Rihanna (featuring Drake) — "Work"

Should win: “Work”

Will win: “Work”

Breakthrough Long Form Video

Beyoncé — Lemonade

Justin Bieber — Purpose: The Movement

Chris Brown — Royalty

Florence + The Machine — The Odyssey

Troye Sivan — Blue Neighbourhood Trilogy

Should win: Lemonade

Will win: Lemonade

Best Direction

Adele — "Hello" (Director: Xavier Dolan)

Beyoncé — "Formation" (Director: Melina Matsoukas)

David Bowie — "Lazarus" (Director: Johan Renck)

Coldplay — "Up&Up" (Directors: Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia)

Tame Impala — "The Less I Know the Better" (Director: Canada)

Should win: “Lazarus”

Will win: “Formation”

Best Choreography

Beyoncé — "Formation" (Choreographers: Chris Grant, JaQuel Knight and Dana Foglia)

Beyoncé — "Sorry" (Choreographers: Chris Grant, JaQuel Knight, Dana Foglia, Anthony Burrell & Beyoncé Knowles Carter)

Missy Elliott (featuring Pharrell) — "WTF (Where They From)" (Choreographer: Hi-Hat)

FKA Twigs — M3LL155X (Choreographer: Aaron Sillis, Benjamin Milan, Kenrick Sandy and FKA Twigs)

Florence + The Machine — "Delilah" (Choreographer: Holly Blakey)

Should win: “Formation”

Will win: “Formation”

Best Visual Effects

Adele — "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" (Visual Effects: Jonathan Box and MPC)

Coldplay — "Up&Up" (Visual Effects: Vania Heymann and GloriaFX)

FKA Twigs — M3LL155X (Visual Effects: Lewis Saunders and Jihoon Yoo)

The Weeknd — "Can't Feel My Face" (Visual Effects: Louis Mackall and T.J. Burke)

Zayn — "Pillowtalk" (Visual Effects: David Smith)

Should win: “Pillowtalk”

Will win: “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)”

Best Art Direction

Adele — "Hello" (Art Director: Colombe Raby)

Beyoncé — "Hold Up" (Art Director: Jason Hougaard)

David Bowie — "Blackstar" (Art Director: Jan Houllevigue)

Drake — "Hotline Bling" (Art Director: Jeremy MacFarlane)

Fergie — "M.I.L.F. $" (Art Director: Alexander Delgado)

Should win: “Hotline Bling”

Will win: “Hotline Bling”

Best Editing

Adele — "Hello" (Editor: Xavier Dolan)

Beyoncé — "Formation" (Editor: Jeff Selis)

David Bowie — "Lazarus" (Editor: Johan Söderberg)

Fergie — "M.I.L.F. $" (Editor: Vinnie Hobbs)

Ariana Grande — "Into You" (Editor: Hannah Lux Davis)

Should win: “Into You”

Will win: “Formation”

Best Cinematography

Adele — "Hello" (Director of Photography: André Turpin)

Alesso — "I Wanna Know" (Director of Photography: Corey Jennings)

Beyoncé — "Formation" (Director of Photography: Malik Sayeed)

David Bowie — "Lazarus" (Director of Photography: Crille Forsberg)

Ariana Grande — "Into You" (Director of Photography: Paul Laufer)

Should win: “Into You”

Will win: “Hello”

Song of Summer

The Chainsmokers (featuring Halsey) — "Closer"

Drake (featuring Kyla and Wizkid) — "One Dance"

Fifth Harmony (featuring Fetty Wap) — "All in My Head (Flex)"

Selena Gomez — "Kill Em with Kindness"

Calvin Harris (featuring Rihanna) — "This Is What You Came For"

Nick Jonas (featuring Ty Dolla Sign) — "Bacon"

Kent Jones — "Don't Mind"

Major Lazer (featuring Justin Bieber and MØ) — "Cold Water"

Sia — "Cheap Thrills"

Justin Timberlake — "Can't Stop the Feeling!"

Should win: “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”

Will win: “Cold Water”

"Ain't Your Mama" Music Video Review

Time for another installment of Vinny Views!

This week I'm reviewing my queen's new music video "Ain't Your Mama".

Be sure to subscribe!

Ciara Top 10 Countdown

In the wake of releasing her solid 5th studio album this week, Ciara continues her presence as one of the most underrated and underestimated R&B artists today. Song after song and album after album, Ciara has proved that although she may not have a voice like Mariah or Beyonce, she still is one of the most versatile and entertaining R&B singers around. So now let's take a look at her top 10 best singles; from the party jams to the sultry, sexy R&B slow jams she's graced us with over the years.

 

 

10.) "Oh" (featuring Ludacris)

(from the album Goodies)

It was here that Ciara continued to prove that she was the indeed the "Princess of Crunk", bringing a sweet, angelic vocal to a hard beat that gets everyone popping, locking, and dropping (you're welcome for that). Ludacris in his prime brought more swagger to this single that had Ciara bringing us all back to her hometown in Atlanta, making us all feel like we were just there for one of her block parties.

 

9.) "Ride" (featuring Ludacris)

(from the album Basic Instinct)

After a dissapointing and very confusing album that was Fantasy Ride, Ciara made her way back to why we loved her to begin with. This was a solid first single that didn't really take off on the radio, but the video itself was a classic Ciara performance, complete with a sweaty, wet T, a seductive bull ride, and one hell of an ab workout that I know alot of people tried to do to get in shape like CC. Luda didn't do too bad himself either here.

8.) "Got Me Good"

It's unfortunate that this single didn't make that big of a splash and in the end didn't end up on her newest album, but it still is a great upbeat song. The video's background was simple enough, but it still brought us Ciara's insane dance ability and athleticism. Her booty definitely was shaking from left and right...(you're welcome again)

7.) "1, 2 Step" (featuring Missy Elliott)

(from the album Goodies)

The first of Ciara's upbeat club hits, this song helped elevate her cred as a pop artist. She had an upbeat groove that everyone could sing along to with a beat that had everyone 2-stepping. And of course it didn't hurt to have the queen Missy Elliott by her side for this one either.

6.) "Get Up" (featuring Chamillionaire)

(from the album Step Up)

With darker hair and an improved vocal ability, Ciara got us ready for her second album by releasing a single from the first Step Up album, offering us a taste of what was to come. While it had a typical Jazze Pha production quality (and one of the last songs he and Ciara collaborated on) it still was a solid upbeat jam for the end of summer 2006, getting all of us up on our feet to the dancefloor.

5.) "Body Party"

(from the album Ciara)

While Ciara does well with upbeat dance songs, she really shines on the slow jams. One of her newest singles "Body Party" definitely does the job with showcasing both a sexy vocal and a sultry musical background. And it doesn't hurt that she brought Ghost Town DJ's "My Boo" into this day and age. (Want a really good throwback to the song she samples? Get the remix with Future & B.o.B!)

4.) "Goodies" (featuring Petey Pablo)

(from the album Goodies)

I can't dismiss Ciara's first ever single that introduced everyone to her crunk style. Lil' Jon and Petey Pablo were in their prime (what with Usher's "Yeah!" and Petey Pablo's "Freak-a-Leek" released around the same time) and Ciara fit right in with their sound. She brought us sexy, she brought us upbeat sass, and she brought us all to her cookie jar (once again, you're welcome for the cheesy puns).

3.) "Like A Boy"

(from the album The Evolution)

This song is often forgotten about, especially when it gets overshadowed by Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy", a similar lyric but definetly two different sounds we're dealing with here. Ciara did it first after all. She went hard in the video where she plays up the many stereotypes of what it takes to be a man and proved that women could do the same thing if given the opportunity, just a little bit better and sexier.

2.) "Love Sex Magic" (featuring Justin Timberlake)

(from the album Fantasy Ride)

One of the best and most successful singles of her career from her weakest album, Justin Timberlake helped elevate her (for a little bit at least) into mainstream pop. This song was very sexual and hip, and it brought funk back onto the radio. The two artists really played off each other well in the video. It definitely showed Ciara as a sexy video vixen with all of those sexy dance moves she rocked out with.

1.) "Promise"

(from the album The Evolution)

Easily her best single that's been released, this song is classic Ciara. Remember how I said she does well with upbeat dance songs, but she shines more in the slow jams? This is why! With production from R&B superstar produced Polow Da Don, Ciara brought out a more mature and sensual R&B sound to the radio. The song is reminiscent of something we might have heard back in the hey-day of 1980's R&B (a la Prince), but it felt just right and even better in 2006 when it was released. The video was the first of Ciara being seen as a bonafide entertainer, bringing sweet sensuality and beauty to a perfect song.