iHeartMedia and NBC announced today the finalists for the 2015
iHeartRadio Music Awards, which returns to the historic Shrine
Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 29. The event
will be televised live on NBC from 8-11 p.m. ET/PT and broadcast
simultaneously on iHeartMedia stations nationwide and across the
iHeartRadio digital music platform.
The awards will celebrate the year’s amazing music that’s been heard
across iHeartMedia radio stations and on iHeartRadio nationwide and will
feature today’s biggest artists and songs with live performances,
never-before-done duets and collaborations, celebrity guest appearances
and live award presentations. iHeartRadio On the Verge artist
Iggy Azalea and Sam Smith lead nominees with five nominations, including
Best New Artist, while Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande each received four
nominations. The nominations are a true reflection of a banner year for
female artists especially Swift, who released her multiplatinum album
“1989.” Swift, Azalea and Grande will go head-to-head against Luke Bryan
and Sam Smith for the coveted Artist of the Year award.
The inaugural 2014 iHeartRadio Music Awards telecast showcased the
year’s most popular artists and songs determined by the iHeartRadio
Chart and music fans nationwide who cast more than 65 million votes
using hashtags on Facebook and Twitter. More than 5.5 million people, up
86 percent vs. the time period average, tuned in to watch exhilarating
performances by music’s biggest names and to see which of their favorite
artists were selected as winners for categories such as Best
Collaboration and Alt Rock Song of the Year. Among the winners were
Lorde for Best New Artist, Blake Shelton’s “Boys ‘Round Here” for
Country Song of the Year and Rihanna, last year’s top vote-getter, with
awards for Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Hip Hop/R&B Song of the
Year and Best Fan Army.
The 2014 award show received a record-setting 8.5 billion social
impressions and was a dominant social media topic throughout the week of
the show. Additionally, #iHeartAwards trended No. 1 on Twitter
throughout the night and the awards were ranked No. 1 in Nielsen's
Twitter TV Ratings Top 10 Programs for the week.
This year’s awards will feature a broad array of exciting categories,
with fan voting determining Best Fan Army, Best Lyrics and the
first-ever Renegade Award, sponsored by the Jeep brand. This award,
which captures the spirit of the all-new 2015 Jeep Renegade, recognizes
an emerging standout artist that defies convention and who takes risks
while still staying true to themselves. They explore new sounds and not
only break external boundaries but their own personal boundaries, as
well; creating new music lanes that are distinctly their own; artists
with the talent and spirit to separate from the pack. This award
acknowledges an authentic, passionate artist willing to stretch the
limits in order to do something extraordinary – a renegade. Voting will
begin on Monday, March 2 and extend through Friday, March 20. Category
finalists (by alphabetical order) are:
Artist of the Year:
· Ariana Grande
· Iggy Azalea
· Luke Bryan
· Sam Smith
· Taylor Swift
Song of the Year:
· "All About That Bass" - Meghan Trainor
· "All of Me" - John Legend
· "Happy" - Pharrell Williams
· "Shake It Off" - Taylor Swift
· "Stay With Me" - Sam Smith
Best Collaboration:
· "Bang Bang" - Jessie J + Ariana Grande + Nicki Minaj
· "Dark Horse" - Katy Perry featuring Juicy J
· "Fancy" - Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX
· "Problem" - Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea
· "Talk Dirty" - Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz
Best New Artist:
· Bastille
· Cole Swindell
· Iggy Azalea
· Meghan Trainor
· Sam Smith
Country Song of the Year:
· "Bartender" - Lady Antebellum
· "Burnin' It Down" - Jason Aldean
· "Dirt" - Florida Georgia Line
· "Give Me Back My Hometown" - Eric Church
· "Play It Again" - Luke Bryan
Hip Hop/R&B Song of the Year:
· "Don't Tell 'Em" - Jeremih featuring YG
· "Drunk in Love" - Beyoncé featuring Jay Z
· "Flawless" - Beyoncé
· "Loyal" - Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga
· "New Flame" - Chris Brown featuring Usher and Rick Ross
Dance Song of the Year:
· "Animals" - Martin Garrix
· "Blame" - Calvin Harris featuring John Newman
· "La La La" - Naughty Boy featuring Sam Smith
· "Summer" - Calvin Harris
· "Waves" - Mr. Probz
Alternative Rock Song of the Year:
· "Come With Me Now" - KONGOS
· "Do I Wanna Know?" - Arctic Monkeys
· "Fever" - The Black Keys
· "Something From Nothing" - Foo Fighters
· "Take Me to Church" - Hozier
Best Lyrics:
· "All of Me" - John Legend
· "Blank Space" - Taylor Swift
· "Counting Stars" - OneRepublic
· "Habits (Stay High)" - Tove Lo
· "Stay With Me" - Sam Smith
· "Thinking Out Loud" - Ed Sheeran
Best Fan Army:
· 5SOSFAM - 5 Seconds of Summer
· Arianators - Ariana Grande
· Bey Hive - Beyoncé
· Team Breezy - Chris Brown
· Sheerios - Ed Sheeran
· Church Choir - Eric Church
· Directioners - One Direction
· Selenators - Selena Gomez
· Mendes Army - Shawn Mendes
· Swifties - Taylor Swift
Renegade:
· Brantley Gilbert
· Charli XCX
· Hozier
· Iggy Azalea
· Meghan Trainor
The iHeartRadio Music Awards will be executive produced by John Sykes,
Tom Poleman and Liz Kelly of iHeartMedia, along with Ian Stewart and
Hamish Hamilton of Done and Dusted Inc., who will also produce the show
for NBC Studios. Hamilton will also direct.
For breaking news, additional new award categories and exclusive
iHeartRadio Music Awards content visit iHeartRadio.com/awards
or follow the social buzz on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Google +.
# # #
About iHeartMedia
With 245 million monthly listeners in the U.S., 97 million monthly
digital uniques and 196 million monthly consumers of its Total Traffic
and Weather Network, iHeartMedia has the largest reach of any radio or
television outlet in America. It serves over 150 markets through 858
owned radio stations, and the company’s radio stations and content can
be heard on AM/FM, HD digital radio, satellite radio, on the Internet at iHeartRadio.com
and on the company’s radio station websites, on the iHeartRadio mobile
app, in enhanced auto dashes, on tablets and smartphones, and on gaming
consoles.
iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s digital radio platform, is the No. 1
all-in-one digital audio service with over 500 million downloads; it
reached its first 20 million registered users faster than any digital
service in Internet history and reached 50 million users faster than any
digital music service and even faster than Twitter, Facebook and
Pinterest. The company’s operations include radio broadcasting, online,
mobile, digital and social media, live concerts and events, syndication,
music research services and independent media representation. For more
company information visit iHeartMedia.com.
About NBC Entertainment
NBC Entertainment develops and schedules programming for the network’s
primetime, late-night, and daytime schedules. NBC’s quality programs and
balanced lineup have earned the network critical acclaim, numerous
awards and ratings success. The network finished the 2013-14 season as
No. 1 in the 18-49 demo for the first time in 10 years. NBC has earned
more Emmy Awards than any network in television history. NBC’s roster of
popular scripted comedies includes the critically acclaimed “Parks and
Recreation,” as well as “About a Boy” and “Marry Me.” NBC’s drama slate
is highlighted by “The Blacklist,” veteran series “Law & Order: Special
Victims Unit,” fan favorites “Parenthood,” “Grimm,” “The Night Shift,”
“Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.,” as well as its new series
“Allegiance,” “A.D.,” “Odyssey” and “The Slap.” Unscripted series for
NBC include the Emmy Award-winning musical competition hit “The Voice”
as well as “The Biggest Loser,” “Hollywood Game Night” and the perennial
#1 most-watched summer series, “America’s Got Talent.” In late night,
NBC regularly delivers #1 broadcast results with “The Tonight Show
Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” “Last Call with
Carson Daly” and “Saturday Night Live.” NBC Daytime’s “Days of our
Lives” consistently ranks among daytime’s top programs in the valuable
women 18-34 category. The five-time, Emmy Award-winning NBC.com
streams full episodes and provides original content for NBC
entertainment shows online and through apps for mobile and tablet
devices. NBC recently launched NBC Kids, a new Saturday morning
programming block designed specifically to address the developmental
needs of preschool-aged children. Programmed by the kids’ experts at
Sprout, the nation’s first 24-hour preschool television channel, this
new three-hour block will feature educational series that promote
active, healthy lifestyles for younger children.
About Done+Dusted
Since its founding 15 years ago, Done + Dusted has made a name for
itself as one of the biggest global live events and television
production companies capable of executing a live show or concert from
concept to broadcast in every medium and every film format worldwide.
What they’ve learned along the way is applicable to any event,
particularly now that many events of all types and sizes have both
in-person and remote audiences. Some of their most recognized events
they have produced include Madonna at Brixton Academy, which was the
first live music event to crash the Internet, they are the only
independent production company in history to film an Olympic and
Para-Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies (London), produced the
largest televised event in UAE history, produced the first
intercontinental 3D broadcast, and countless other firsts. Recent
producing projects include: the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards from
Malaysia, the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Awards, the 2014 Nickelodeon Kids
Choice Sports Awards and 2014 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in London.
About 2015 Jeep RenegadeThe all-new 2015 Jeep Renegade expands
the brand’s global vehicle lineup, entering the growing small SUV
segment, while staying true to the fun-and-freedom lifestyle for which
the Jeep brand is known. Renegade delivers a unique combination of
best-in-class off-road capability, open-air freedom and convenience, a
segment-first nine-speed automatic transmission that contributes to
outstanding on-road and off-road driving dynamics, world-class
refinement, two fuel-efficient MultiAir engines with more than 30 mpg,
and a host of innovative safety and advanced technology offerings.
Copyright Business Wire 2015