By Mesfin Fekadu, Music Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Rap has easily dominated the pop charts and on streaming services in the last few years, and that's reflected at the 2018 American Music Awards.
Drake and Cardi B are the leaders with eight nominations each — earning bids in both the pop/rock and rap/hip-hop categories.
Drake has the year's top-selling album with "Scorpion" and also scored three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He will compete for artist of the year alongside Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons and Post Malone.
In the rap/hip-hop and pop/rock categories, Drake earned nominations for favorite male artist, favorite album and favorite song with "God's Plan."
Rapper-singer XXXTentacion, a streaming juggernaut before his death in June and afterward, earned nominations for new artist of the year and favorite soul/R&B album for his 2017 debut, "17."
While some of the nominees were expected, others turned heads and seemed outdated, though that's because the nominees reflect albums and songs that were successful on radio, streaming services and the Billboard charts during the time period of mid-September 2017 through Aug. 9, 2018. Some of the head-turners include Ed Sheeran's "Divide" and Khalid's "American Teen," both released in March 2017, or Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)" and SZA's "Ctrl," both released in June 2017. Kane Brown's self-titled album, up for favorite country album, was originally released in Dec. 2016 and re-released in 2017. Luke Combs's 2017 album, "This One's for You," is also a country album nominee. It is also the genre's most-streamed album of the year.
Rihanna, who has barely released music since "Anti" dropped in 2016, picked up a nomination for favorite soul/R&B female artist alongside SZA and "Boo'd Up" newcomer Ella Mai, while Cardi B's "Invasion of Privacy" was surprisingly shut of the favorite rap/hip-hop album category. Cardi B's collaboration with Bruno Mars, the remix of "Finesse," earned two nominations and the rapper also earned nods for favorite social artist and favorite music video.
Sheeran and Malone each earned six nominations, while Camila Cabello is up for five honors. The fan-voted AMAs will air live Oct. 9 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More