Ludacris & Ciara to Host the “2016 Billboard Music Awards”; The Weeknd leads with 16 nominations

buzzz worthy. . .

The Weeknd is the mst nominated artist, Justin Bieber Follows as a Finalist in 11 Categories, 

While Drake and Fetty Wap Tie With Nods in 10 Categories Each

Drake, Taylor Swift 

Ludacris and Ciara will host the 2016 Billboard Awards Live on May 22 on ABC.  The co-hosts announced top nominees on Good Morning America earlier this month.  Billboard has compiled artist summaries to give an idea of what each nominee's award status will be if they win and we have the alphabetical list of all the nominees.  

• Adele is a finalist in eight categories and is a contender to earn the most BBMA wins of any artist in history, a record currently held by Taylor Swift, with 20 wins. Adele has previously won 13 BBMAs. Swift herself is a finalist in eight 2016 BBMA categories.

• Justin Bieber is a finalist in 11 categories and could surpass Garth Brooks, who currently is the highest winning male with 19 wins, if he takes home six or more BBMA trophies. If Bieber takes home more than eight trophies, he has the chance of beating Taylor Swift’s current all-time leading record of 20, pending other results.

• Drake is a finalist in 10 categories. If he wins, he will take home his first BBMA trophy. He has previously been a finalist in 21 categories.

• First time finalist Fetty Wap is a contender in 10 categories, including Top Male Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artists, Top Rap Artist, Top Streaming Song (Audio) and Top Rap Song.

• Hillsong UNITED is a finalist in three categories including Top Christian Artist and Top Christian Album.

• Sam Hunt is a finalist in three categories – the most of any country artist this year — including Top Country Artist and Top Country Album. If he wins, he will take home his first BBMA trophy.

• First time finalist Silentó is a contender for Top New Artist, Top Rap Artist, Top Rap Song, Top Streaming Songs Artist and Top Streaming Song (Video).

• This year could prove to be historic, in that Taylor Swift could beat her own all-time record for the most BBMA wins (she has 20), while Justin Bieber and Adele are also vying to surpass Swift’s record. Swift is a finalist in eight categories this year, and thus could extend her own record, or can be caught or surpassed by Bieber (an 11 times finalist this year with 13 prior BBMA trophies) or Adele (a finalist in 8 categories this year and also with 13 all-time BBMAs to her name).

• The Weeknd is a first-time Billboard Music Award finalist and leads all artists with nods in 16 categories (including multiple songs competing in the Top Hot 100 Song and Top R&B Song categories). If he wins, he will take home his first Billboard Music Award trophy. With a near sweep of his 16 categories, The Weeknd could set the record for taking home the most trophies in one night. That single-night mark is held by Adele with 12 trophies in 2012.

• Thanks to their smash collaboration “See You Again,” Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa are finalists in six categories each, including Top New Artist for Puth, a category won by Khalifa in 2012.

The “2016 Billboard Music Awards” are set to return to ABC and will be broadcast live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 22 at 8:00pm ET/PT. The show will showcase this year’s hottest and biggest music stars.  Billboard Music Awards finalists are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital songs sales, radio airplay, streaming, touring and social engagement. These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound. The awards are based on the reporting period of March 23, 2015 through March 17, 2016. 

The “2016 Billboard Music Awards” is produced by dick clark productions. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, Mark Bracco, Barry Adelman and Robert Deaton are Executive Producers.
dick clark productions (dcp) is the world’s largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming, with the “Academy of Country Music Awards,” AMERICAN COUNTRY COUNTDOWN AWARDS, “American Music Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” “Golden Globe Awards,” “Hollywood Film Awards” and the “Streamy Awards.” Weekly television programming includes SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, from 19 Entertainment, a division of CORE Media Group and dcp. dcp also owns one of the world’s most unique and extensive entertainment archive libraries, with more than 55 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. For additional information, visit www.dickclark.com.  

THE “2016 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS” FINALISTS:

ARTIST AWARDS

Top Artist:
Adele
Justin Bieber
Drake
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Top New Artist:
Fetty Wap
OMI
Charlie Puth
Silentó
Bryson Tiller

Top Male Artist:
Justin Bieber
Drake
Fetty Wap
Ed Sheeran
The Weeknd

Top Female Artist:
Adele
Selena Gomez
Ariana Grande
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group:
Maroon 5
One Direction
twenty one pilots
The Rolling Stones
U2

Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Adele
Justin Bieber
Drake
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Top Hot 100 Artist:
Justin Bieber
Drake
Fetty Wap
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Top Song Sales Artist:
Adele
Justin Bieber
Drake
Fetty Wap
The Weeknd

Top Radio Songs Artist:
Justin Bieber
Ellie Goulding
Ed Sheeran
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Top Streaming Songs Artist:
Justin Bieber
Drake
Fetty Wap
Silentó  
The Weeknd

Top Social Media Artist:
Justin Bieber
Selena Gomez
Ariana Grande
Demi Lovato
Taylor Swift

The Weeknd leads the finalist pack with nods in 16 categories including Top Artist, Top Male Artist and Top Hot 100 Song. Justin Bieber follows as a finalist in 11 categories including Top Artist, Top Male Artist and Top Hot 100 Artist. Fetty Wap and Drake are tied with nods in 10 categories each, including Top Male Artist contenders for both musicians. Drake will compete against himself for Top Rap Album for “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” and his collaboration with Future on “What A Time To Be Alive.” Leading the ladies, Adele and Taylor Swift are tied with eight nods each including Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist and Top Billboard 200 Album, all of which Swift won last year. Other returning winners from 2015, who are also finalists this year, include One Direction, Romeo Santos, Coldplay, DJ Snake and Carrie Underwood.

This year, Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth are finalists in six categories respectively. They received five each for their hit single “See You Again,” while Wiz Khalifa is also up for Top Rap Artist and Charlie is up for Top New Artist. The late David Bowie is honored posthumously as a finalist for Top Rock Album for “Blackstar.”


NOMINATIONS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER (BY FIRST NAME):
Adele: (8) Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album (25), Top Hot 100 Song (“Hello”), Top Selling Song (“Hello”), Top Radio Song (“Hello”)
Afrojack: (1) Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Hey Mama” with David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj & Bebe Rexha)
Alabama Shakes: (1) Top Rock Album (Sound & Color)
Alessia Cara: (1) Top R&B Song (“Here”)
AlunaGeorge: (1) Top Dance/Electronic Song (“You Know You Like It”)
Anthony Brown & group therAPy: (3) Top Gospel Artist, Top Gospel Album (Everyday Jesus), Top Gospel Song (“Worth”)
Ariana Grande: (2) Top Female Artist, Top Social Media Artist
Ariel Camacho y Los Plebes del Rancho: (2) Top Latin Artist, Top Latin Song (“Te Metiste”)
Banda Sinaloense MS De Sergio Lizárraga: (1) Top Latin Artist
Bebe Rexha: (1) Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Hey Mama” with David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj & Afrojack)
Big Shizz: (1) Top Gospel Song (“I Luh God” with Erica Campbell)
Brian Courtney Wilson: (1) Top Gospel Song (“Worth Fighting For”)
Bruno Mars: (2) Top Radio Song (“Uptown Funk!” with Mark Ronson), Top Streaming Song (Video) (“Uptown Funk!” with Mark Ronson)
Bryson Tiller: (3) Top R&B Album (T R A P S O U L), Top New Artist, Top R&B Artist
Carrie Underwood: (2) Top Country Album (Storyteller), Top Country Artist
Casting Crowns: (1) Top Christian Artist
Charlie Puth: (6) Top Hot 100 Song (“See You Again” with Wiz Khalifa), Top Radio Song (“See You Again” with Wiz Khalifa), Top Rap Song (“See You Again” with Wiz Khalifa), Top Selling Song (“See You Again” with Wiz Khalifa), Top Streaming Song (Video) (“See You Again” with Wiz Khalifa), Top New Artist
Chris Brown: (3) Top R&B Album (Royalty), Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Song (“Post To Be” with Omarion & Jhené Aiko)
Chris Stapleton: (2) Top Country Album (Traveller), Top Country Artist
Chris Tomlin: (3) Top Christian Album (Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship), Top Christian Song (“Good Good Father”), Top Christian Artist
Chris Young: (1) Top Country Song (“I’m Comin’ Over”)
Coldplay: (1) Top Rock Album (A Head Full Of Dreams)
David Bowie: (1) Top Rock Album (Blackstar)
David Guetta: (3) Top Dance/Electronic Album (Listen), Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Hey Mama” ft. Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack), Top Dance/Electronic Artist
Demi Lovato: (1) Top Social Media Artist
Diplo: (2) Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Where Are Ü Now” with Justin Bieber and Skrillex), Top Dance/Electronic Album (Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack U)
DJ Snake: (3) Top Dance/Electronic Artist, Top Dance/Electronic Song (“You Know You Like It” with AlunaGeorge), Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Lean On” ft. MØ)
Dr. Dre: (1) Top Rap Album (Compton)
Drake: (11) Top Rap Album (What A Time To Be Alive), Top Rap Album (If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late), Top Rap Song (“Hotline Bling”), Top Streaming Song (Audio) (“Hotline Bling”), Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Rap Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist
Ed Sheeran: (3) Top Billboard 200 Album (X), Top Male Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist
Elle King: (2) Top Rock Song (“Ex’s & Oh’s”), Top Rock Artist
Ellie Goulding: (1) Top Radio Songs Artist
“Empire: Original Soundtrack From Season 1”: (1) Top Soundtrack
Enrique Iglesias: (1) Top Latin Song (“El Perdon”)
Erica Campbell: (1) Top Gospel Song (“I Luh God” ft. Big Shizz)
Fall Out Boy: (2) Top Rock Song (“Uma Thurman”), Top Rock Artist
Fetty Wap: (11) Top Hot 100 Song (“Trap Queen”), Top Rap Song (“Trap Queen”), Top Streaming Song (Audio) (“Trap Queen”), Top Streaming Song (Video) (“Trap Queen”), Top Rap Song (“679” ft. Remy Boyz), Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Male Artist, Top New Artist, Top Rap Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist
“Fifty Shades of Grey”: (1) Top Soundtrack
“Furious 7”: (1) Top Soundtrack
Future: (2) Top Rap Artist, Top Rap Album (What A Time To Be Alive)
Gavin DeGraw: (1) Top Christian Song (“Brother” with NEEDTOBREATHE)
Gerardo Ortiz: (1) Top Latin Album (Hoy Mas Fuerte)
 “Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1”: (1) Top Soundtrack
Hillsong UNITED: (4) Top Christian Album (Empires), Top Christian Song (“Oceans [Where Feet May Fail]”), Top Christian Song (“Touch The Sky”), Top Christian Artist
J Balvin: (1) Top Latin Song (“Ginza”)
Jeremih: (1) Top R&B Artist
Jhené Aiko: (1) Top R&B Song (“Post To Be” with Omarion & Chris Brown)
Joey + Rory: (1) Top Christian Album (Hymns That Are Important To Us)
Jonathan McReynolds: (1) Top Gospel Album (Life Music: Stage Two)
Juan Gabriel: (3) Top Latin Album (Los Dúo), Top Latin Album (Mis Número 1… 40 Aniversario), Top Latin Artist
Justin Bieber: (12) Top Billboard 200 Album (Purpose), Top Streaming Song (Audio) (“Sorry”), Top Streaming Song (Audio) (“What Do You Mean”), Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top Social Media Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Where Are Ü Now” with Diplo and Skrillex)
Kendrick Lamar: (1) Top Rap Album (To Pimp A Butterfly)
Kirk Franklin: (3) Top Gospel Album (Losing My Religion), Top Gospel Song (“Wanna Be Happy?”), Top Gospel Artist
Lauren Daigle: (2) Top Christian Album (How Can It Be), Top Christian Artist
Little Big Town: (1) Top Country Song (“Girl Crush”)
Luke Bryan: (2) Top Country Album (Kill The Lights), Top Country Artist
Madonna: (1) Top Touring Artist
Major Lazer: (3) Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Lean On” with Major Lazer and MØ), Top Dance/Electronic Album (Peace Is The Mission), Top Dance/Electronic Artist
Maluma: (1) Top Latin Song (“Borro Cassette”)
Maná: (1) Top Latin Album (Cama Incendiada)
Mark Ronson: (2) Top Radio Song (“Uptown Funk!” with Bruno Mars), Top Streaming Song (Video) (“Uptown Funk!” with Bruno Mars)
Maroon 5: (1) Top Duo/Group
Marvin Sapp: (2) Top Gospel Album (You Shall Live), Top Gospel Artist
Meek Mill: (1) Top Rap Album (Dreams Worth More Than Money)
MercyMe: (2) Top Christian Song (“Flawless”), Top Christian Artist
MØ: (1) Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Lean On” with Major Lazer and DJ Snake)
Mumford & Sons: (1) Top Rock Album (Wilder Mind)
NEEDTOBREATHE: (1) Top Christian Song (“Brother” ft. Gavin DeGraw)
Nicki Minaj: (1) Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Hey Mama” with David Guetta ft. Bebe Rexha & Afrojack)
Nicky Jam: (2) Top Latin Song (“El Perdon” with Enrique Iglesias), Top Latin Artist
ODESZA: (1) Top Dance/Electronic Album (In Return)
Omarion: (1) Top R&B Song (“Post To Be” ft. Chris Brown & Jhené Aiko)
OMI: (2) Top Selling Song (“Cheerleader”), Top New Artist
One Direction: (2) Top Duo/Group, Top Touring Artist
“Pitch Perfect 2”: (1) Top Soundtrack
Rachel Platten: (1) Top Selling Song (“Fight Song”)
Remy Boyz: (1) Top Rap Song (“679” with Fetty Wap)
Rihanna: (3) Top R&B Album (Anti), Top Female Artist, Top R&B Artist
Romeo Santos: (3) Top Latin Album (Formula Vol. 2), Top Latin Song (“Propuesta Indecente”), Top Latin Artist
ROZES: (1) Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Roses” with The Chainsmokers)
Sam Hunt: (4) Top Country Song (“Break Up In A Small Town”), Top Country Song (“Take Your Time”), Top Country Album (Montevallo), Top Country Artist
Selena Gomez: (2) Top Female Artist, Top Social Media Artist
Silentó: (5) Top Rap Song (“Watch Me”), Top Streaming Song (Video) (“Watch Me”), Top New Artist, Top Rap Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist
Skrillex: (2) Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Where Are Ü Now” with Justin Bieber and Diplo), Top Dance/Electronic Album (Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack U)
Tasha Cobbs: (2) Top Gospel Album (One Place Live), Top Gospel Artist
Taylor Swift: (8) Top Billboard 200 Album (1989), Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top Social Media Artist, Top Touring Artist
The Chainsmokers: (2) Top Dance/Electronic Song (“Roses” ft. ROZES), Top Dance/Electronic Artist
The Rolling Stones: (2) Top Duo/Group, Top Touring Artist
The Weeknd: (19) Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album (Beauty Behind The Madness), Top R&B Album (Beauty Behind The Madness), Top Hot 100 Song (“Can’t Feel My Face”), Top Hot 100 Song (“The Hills”), Top Selling Song (“The Hills”), Top Radio Song (“Can’t Feel My Face”), Top Streaming Song (Audio) (“The Hills”), Top Streaming Song (Video) (“The Hills”), Top R&B Song (“Can’t Feel My Face”), Top R&B Song (“Earned It [Fifty Shades of Grey]”), Top R&B Song (“The Hills”)
Thomas Rhett: (1) Top Country Song (“Die A Happy Man”)
TobyMac: (1) Top Christian Album (This Is Not A Test)
Travis Greene: (2) Top Gospel Song (“Intentional”), Top Gospel Artist
twenty one pilots: (4) Top Rock Album (Blurryface), Top Rock Song (“Stressed Out”), Top Duo/Group, Top Rock Artist
Tyrese: (1) Top R&B Album (Black Rose)
U2: (2) Top Duo/Group, Top Touring Artist
WALK THE MOON: (3) Top Radio Song (“Shut Up And Dance”), Top Rock Song (“Shut Up And Dance”), Top Rock Artist
Wiz Khalifa: (6) Top Hot 100 Song (“See You Again” with Charlie Puth), Top Radio Song (“See You Again” with Charlie Puth), Top Rap Song (“See You Again” with Charlie Puth), Top Selling Song (“See You Again” with Charlie Puth), Top Streaming Song (Video) (“See You Again” with Charlie Puth), Top Rap Artist
X Ambassadors: (2) Top Rock Song (“Renegades”), Top Rock Artist
Zac Brown Band: (2) Top Country Album (Jekyll + Hyde), Top Country Artist
Zedd: (2) Top Dance/Electronic Album (True Colors), Top Dance/Electronic Artist