The 2021 Billboard Music Awards (BBMA) nominees were announced today via live stream, with The Weeknd topping this year’s list with 16 nominations. The Weeknd picked up nominations in categories including Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist, and Top Song Sales Artist. His 2020 album, After Hours, picked up multiple nominations including Top Billboard 200 Album and Top R&B Album. And the album’s hit single “Blinding Lights” was nominated in five categories.
DaBaby’s 11 nominations made him the second-top nominated artist, scoring Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Rap Artist, Top Streaming Song (for “Rockstar” and “Whats Poppin), and Top Rap Album nominations. A win in any category would net him his first Billboard Music Awards trophy.
Grammy-nominated global superstars BTS are nominated in four categories, hitting a new high mark for the group and making history as the most nominations earned by any Korean act in the history of the BBMAs. The group is up for Top Duo/Group, Top Selling Song – “Dynamite,” Top Song Sale Artists, and Top Social Artists.
Late rappers Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD received multiple nods, with the 2021 nominations marking the “first time in a decade that two of the top ten finalists received posthumous recognition.”
The Billboard Music Awards consist of 51 categories and cover all musical genres. This year’s awards show will take place on Sunday, May 23rd and will be broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 5pm PT/8pm ET on NBC.
NBC and dick clark productions announced presenters will include Anitta, FINNEAS, Luis Fonsi, Rob Gronkowski, Paris Hilton, Leslie Jordan, Tate McRae, and Jay Pharoah.
According to Billboard, “this year’s awards are based on the chart period of March 21, 2020 through April 3, 2021. Billboard Music Awards finalists and winners are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including MRC Data. Fan-voted categories include Top Social Artist and Top Collaboration.”
2021 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES:
Top Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Top New Artist
Gabby Barrett
Doja Cat
Jack Harlow
Pop Smoke
Rod Wave
Top Male Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd
Top Female Artist
Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande
Dua Lipa
Megan Thee Stallion
Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group
AC/DC
AJR
BTS
Dan + Shay
Maroon 5
Top Billboard 200 Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Post Malone
Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artist
DaBaby
Drake
Dua Lipa
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd
Top Streaming Songs Artist
DaBaby
Drake
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd
Top Song Sales Artist
Justin Bieber
BTS
Megan Thee Stallion
Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd
Top Radio Songs Artist
Justin Bieber
Lewis Capaldi
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
The Weeknd
Top Social Artist (Fan Voted)
BLACKPINK
BTS
Ariana Grande
SB19
Seventeen
For a full list of nominees visit Billboard Music Awards.
 nominees were announced today via live stream, with The Weeknd topping this year’s list with 16 nominations.){kind=link}