We’re nearly approaching August and you know what that means: the MTV Video Music Awards is fast approaching. Justin Timberlake and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis lead with the most nominations for a Moonman this year with six apiece. JT’s “Mirrors” off his solid comeback album The 20/20 Experience and Macklemore & RL’s catchy “Thrift Shop” are in the running for Video of the Year along with Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven,” Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” and T. Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble.” Close behind are Bruno Mars with four nods, and artists Pink, Robin Thicke, Miley Cyrus, and Thirty Seconds To Mars managed to pick up three nods each.
For 2013 the VMAs will air live on Sunday, August 25 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. To honor the new host venue, one of the borough’s most influential artists KAWS was asked to redesign for this year only the famous Moonman statue. It features his signature x’s for eyes, crossbones through the head, and puffy gloves for hands. No doubt artists will be clamoring for a win to claim the limited-edition, wickedly awesome trophy pictured above.
To view the full list of nominees, pop after the break.
Video of the Year
» Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors”
» Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz, “Thrift Shop”
» Bruno Mars, “Locked Out of Heaven”
» Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell, “Blurred Lines”
» Taylor Swift, “I Knew You Were Trouble”
Best Hip Hop Video
» Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us”
» Drake, “Started From The Bottom”
» Kendrick Lamar, “Swimming Pools”
» A$AP Rocky feat. Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, “F–kin’ Problems”
» J. Cole feat. Miguel, “Power Trip”
Best Male Video
» Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors”
» Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell, “Blurred Lines”
» Bruno Mars, “Locked Out of Heaven”
» Ed Sheeran, “Lego House”
» Kendrick Lamar, “Swimming Pools”
Best Female Video
» Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko, “Stay”
» Taylor Swift, “I Knew You Were Trouble”
» Miley Cyrus, “We Can’t Stop”
» Pink feat. Nate Ruess, “Just Give Me A Reason”
» Demi Lovato, “Heart Attack”
Best Pop Video
» Bruno Mars, “Locked Out of Heaven”
» Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors”
» Fun., “Carry On”
» Miley Cyrus, “We Can’t Stop”
» Selena Gomez, “Come and Get It”
Artist To Watch, Presented by Taco Bell
» Twenty One Pilots, “Holding On To You”
» Zedd feat. Foxes, “Clarity”
» Austin Mahone, “What About Love”
» The Weeknd, “Wicked Games”
» Iggy Azalea, “Work”
Best Collaboration
» Justin Timberlake, feat. Jay-Z, “Suit & Tie”
» Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera, “Feel This Moment”
» Calvin Harris feat. Ellie Goulding, “I Need Your Love”
» Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell, “Blurred Lines”
» Pink feat. Nate Ruess, “Just Give Me A Reason”
Best Video With A Social Message
» Kelly Clarkson, “People Like Us”
» Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, “Same Love”
» Snoop Lion, “No Guns Allowed”
» Miguel, “Candles in the Sun”
» Beyoncé, “I Was Here”
Best Rock Video
» Imagine Dragons, “Radioactive”
» Fall Out Boy, “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)”
» Mumford & Sons, “I Will Wait”
» Thirty Seconds To Mars, “Up in the Air”
» Vampire Weekend, “Diane Young”
Best Art Direction
» Capital Cities, “Safe and Sound”
» Thirty Seconds To Mars, “Up in the Air”
» Janelle Monae feat. Erykah Badu, “Q.U.E.E.N”
» Lana Del Rey, “National Anthem”
» Alt-J, “Tesselate”
Best Choreography
» Chris Brown, “Fine China”
» Ciara, “Body Party”
» Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull, “Live It Up”
» will.i.am feat. Justin Bieber, “#thatPOWER”
» Bruno Mars, “Treasure”
Best Cinematography
» Thirty Seconds To Mars, “Up in the Air”
» Lana Del Rey, “Ride”
» Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Sacrilege”
» Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us”
» A-Trak & Tommy Trash, “Tuna Melt”
Best Direction
» Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z, “Suit & Tie”
» Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us”
» Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Sacrilege”
» Fun., “Carry On”
» Drake, “Started From The Bottom”
Best Editing
» Pink feat. Nate Ruess, “Just Give Me A Reason”
» Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch, “Sweet Nothing”
» Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us”
» Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors”
» Miley Cyrus, “We Can’t Stop”
Best Visual Effects
» Capital Cities, “Safe and Sound”
» Duck Sauce, “It’s You”
» Flying Lotus, “Tony Tortures”
» Skrillex feat. the Doors “Breakn’ a Sweat”
» The Weeknd “Wicked Games”
KAWS discusses the opportunity to reshape the Moonman for the 2013 VMAs.
[Via MTV; image via designboom]