The nominees for the 2015 American Music Awards have been announced, and a talented upstart from Reading, Pa., named Taylor Swift leads the pack with six nominations.
Honored for music from her smash album “1989,” the multiplatinum pop queen snagged nods for artist of the year, song of the year (“Blank Space”), collaboration of the year (for “Bad Blood” featuring Kendrick Lamar) and favorite female artist, pop rock.
Canadian R&B singer the Weeknd and beat-boxing folk rocker Ed Sheeran earned five nominations each, and dozens of other creators of big-ticket commercial art including country hunk Luke Bryan, doughnut-licking pop star Ariana Grande, bass-obsessed vocalist Meghan Trainor and Long Beach rapper Wiz Khalifi also made the cut.
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Unlike the Grammys, whose nominees and winners are chosen by an elite cabal of industry workers and players, the American Music Awards is the year’s biggest musical popularity contest. It was created for ABC by “American Bandstand” host Dick Clark in 1973 as competition to the Grammys after that show jumped networks. Decades later it’s evolved into a fan-friendly foil to its more prestigious counterpart.
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Madonna performs at the Forum in Inglewood on Oct. 27, 2015. Read the review.
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Don Henley performs at the Forum in Inglewood on Oct. 9, 2015. Read the review.
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Los Lobos perform at El Gallo Plaza in East Los Angeles on Sept. 29, 2015. Read the review.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 4/82
Silversun Pickups perform at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery Masonic Lodge on Sept. 28, 2015. Read the review.
(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times) 5/82
R. Kelly, cigar and mike in hand, performs at the Forum in Inglewood on Oct. 10. Read the Times review.
(Axel Koester / For the Los Angeles Times) 6/82
Grace Jones in concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Sep. 27.
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Lauryn Hill performs at the Greek Theatre on Sept. 14, 2015. Read the review.
(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times) 8/82
Little Big Town band member Phillip Sweet performs at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Sept. 10.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 9/82
Miguel performs at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Sept. 4, 2015. Read the review.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 10/82
D’Angelo and the Vanguard performs at FYF Fest at Exposition Park on Aug. 23, 2015. Read the review.
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Morrissey takes the stage at FYF Fest on Aug. 23, 2015. Read the review.
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Solange onstage at FYF Fest on Aug. 23, 2015.
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FKA Twigs performs at FYF Fest at Exposition Park on Aug. 23, 2015.
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Kanye West performs during FYF Fest on Aug. 22.
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Jehnny Beth performs with Savages at FYF Fest on Aug. 22, 2015.
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Taylor Swift performs at Staples Center in August.
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Shania Twain at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Aug. 20.
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Aretha Franklin at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on Aug. 2.
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The Weeknd performs during Hard Summer at the Fairplex in Pomona on Aug. 1, 2015. Read the review.
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Mötley Crüe celebrates the end of another concert, at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore., on July 22.
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John Famiglietti, left, front man Jake Duzsik, and Jupiter Keyes of the L.A. experimental band Health performing at the Echo in Los Angeles on July 22, 2015.
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Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie performing at the Hollywood Bowl on July 12.
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Kendrick Lamar performing at the BET Experience at Staples Center on June 27.
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Underworld performs at the Hollywood Bowl on June 21. Read the review.
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Brian Wilson at the Greek Theater on Saturday, June 20. It was also his 73rd birthday.
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D’Angelo performs at Club Nokia on June 8, 2015. Read the review.
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Ciara performs at Club Nokia on May 30, 2015.
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U2 guitarist The Edge, left, and lead singer Bono perform at the Forum on Tuesday, May 26. It was the first night of five at the venue.
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Guitarist Ron Wood, singer Mick Jagger, drummer Charlie Watts and guitarist Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones play Petco Park in San Diego on May 24, on the opening night of their 2015 American tour.
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Neil Diamond performs at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday, May 23, 2015.
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Steve Aoki, EDM DJ, producer and recording artist, performs on Broadway between 4th and 6th streets in downtown Los Angeles, May 16, 2015.
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Rapper Big Sean performs at Rock in Rio in Las Vegas on May 16.
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Sia performs during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Justin Bieber performs during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Kanye West performs in shadowy lights during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Ne-Yo performs in front of a full house during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Nick Jonas performs during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105 in Carson.
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James Hatfield fronts Metallica at the Rock in Rio Festival in Las Vegas on May 9.
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Chester Bennington and Linkin Park play the Rock in Rio fest in Las Vegas on May 9.
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Tim McIlrath, lead singer for the Chicago-based, melodic hardcore band Rise Against, wades into the crowd at Rock in Rio on May 9.
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Gwen Stefani fronts No Doubt at Rock in Rio in Las Vegas on May 8.
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Janet Weiss, left, and Corin Tucker perform during the
Sleater-Kinney concert at the Palladium in Hollywood on April 30.
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Carrie Brownstein performs during the
Sleater-Kinney concert at the Palladium in Hollywood on April 30.
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Swedish-born soft-indie-rock artist
Jose Gonzalez performs at the Regent on April 30.
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Bassist Dusty Hill, left, and guitarist Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top perform on the Palomino Stage at the
Stagecoach Country Music Festival on April 25.
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Rumer performs at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetary in Hollywood on April 23.
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Kanye West makes a surprise appearance during the Weeknd’s performance at the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 18.
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Marina and the Diamonds perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 18. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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FKA Twigs performs at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 18. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Barry Manilow performs at the Staples Center on April 14.
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Florence + The Machine perform during the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12.
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El-P, left, and Killer Mike of
Run The Jewels perform at the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 11.
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Brittany Howard of
Alabama Shakes performs at the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 10.
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Ariana Grande performs at the Forum in Inglewood, April 8, 2015.
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Rivers Cuomo of Weezer performs with his band at Burgerama on March 28. Weezer was one of the headliners for the two-day festival at Santa Ana’s Observatory.
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Lead singer Zac Carper of FIDLAR performs with his band at Burgerama, the two-day Santa Ana festival thrown by OC DIY impresarios Burger Records.
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Experimental artist Lustmord makes his Los Angeles debut on March 21 at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever.
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R&B singer Chris Brown performs at the Forum in Inglewood. The March 8 show was a stop on his tour with Trey Songz and Tyga.
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Trey Songz performs at the Forum on March 8.
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Alan Jackson performs at the Nokia Theatre on Feb. 27 as part of his
Keepin’ It Country tour.
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Brandy Clark performs as part of Alan Jackson’s
Keepin’ It Country tour at the Nokia Theatre on Feb. 27.
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Caribou performs at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood on Feb. 26.
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Roots rocker
Bob Seger performs at the Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on Feb. 25.
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Tegan and Sara perform with the Lonely Island during the 87th
Academy Awards on Feb. 22 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
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Sarah Barthel of Phantogram performs at the
Air + Style concert and snowboarding event at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Feb. 21.
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Kendrick Lamar performs at the Air + Style concert and snowboarding event at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Feb. 21.
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John Legend performs during a rehearsal for “Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Tribute” on Feb. 9 at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Madonna interacts with a dancer during the 57th Grammy Awards on Feb. 8.
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Patti Smith at the Roxy on Feb. 2.
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R&B singer Tinashe sings to a packed crowd at the El Rey Theatre on Jan. 22.
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Eric Church rocks the house while performing at Staples Center on Jan. 23.
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Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue performs at the Grand Plaza during the 2015 NAMM show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Jan. 22. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Sam France of Foxygen performs at the Roxy on Jan. 2.
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Foxygen at the Roxy on Jan. 2. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Last year, for example, the rapper Iggy Azalea earned six nominations.
Nominees for new artist of the year include Fetty Wap, Sam Hunt, Tove Lo, Walk The Moon and the Weeknd.
According to the press announcement, nominations are “based on key fan interactions as reflected in Billboard magazine and on Billboard.com, including album and digital singles sales, radio airplay, streaming, social activity and touring. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Entertainment and Next Big Sound.”
A social media-savvy Phase 2 of the AMAs news began Tuesday morning, when voting opened in many of the categories. Fans can vote once per day for each category on various platforms: at AMAvote.com; by posting a status on Facebook that includes the nominee’s name and the category’s hashtag; and by posting a tweet that includes the nominee’s name or Twitter handle, the category name and the #AMAs hashtag.
This year’s ceremony will be broadcast on Nov. 22 from Microsoft Theatre in downtown Los Angeles and will be hosted by Jennifer Lopez.
Follow Randall Roberts on Twitter: @liledit
