2007 MTV Video Music Awards

It's the time of the year again when MTV throws its annual party - the Video Music Awards (VMA). The VMAs of the past few years haven't been as memorable, largely due to the fall in quality of performing acts. And there aren't as many showstopping performances or moments.

Or maybe it's because my favourite artistes haven't made appearances for some time now. But Foo Fighters are one of the headliners this year, so hopefully there will be at least one good performance.

For this year's VMAs, MTV has decided to change the format and have it in the city of glitz, Las Vegas. It's going to be glamorous, with dinner tables around the stage rather than the usual throngs of fans and most pit.

And they have hired Timbaland as the night's Maestro, and he's responsible for putting together the music and overall show. He's also throwing some Fantasy Quite Party with Justin Timberlake, whatever that means.

However, all these shouldn't detract the fact that the VMAs is an awards show, and there are prizes to be given out. So who's going to take home the most moonmen this year?

Justin and Beyonce lead the field with 7 nominations each. But as you might have known, MTV have introduced a few new awards this year, which in my opinion, are rather lame award categories.

We have the Monster Single of the Year, Most Earth-Shattering Collaboration and Quadruple Threat of the Year. Sound like a desperate bid to stay relevant and hip.

Their introduction has also led to the removal of a few categories, namely the individual genre awards such as Best Rock Video and Best Dance Video. This causes the award show to be tilted heavily in Pop music's favour.

Only 8 awards will be given out during the telecast. It remains to be seen whether this total reinvention will work well. Right now, I'm still an old-school fan and I think I prefer the old format. But let's see what MTV have got up their sleeve, and whether Timbaland can pull off another hit.

In the meantime, here are my predictions for the winners.

Best Group

• Fall Out Boy
• Gym Class Heroes
• Linkin Park
• Maroon 5
• The White Stripes

Winner: Maroon 5
Why: They're on this month's issue of Rolling Stone, and lead singer Adam Levine is every girl's dream date. But frankly, I can't see what's so hot about him. His nasal voice irritates the hell out of me sometimes.

The White Stripes are too left field, Linkin Park is not as good as they were and Gym Class Heroes are too new. MTV loves FOB, so they might be the ones to cause an upset.

Best New Artiste

• Lily Allen
• Gym Class Heroes
• Peter Bjorn & John
• Carrie Underwood
• Amy Winehouse

Winner: Carrie Underwood
Why: She's had an amazing year and found mainstream success after winning Idol. Might be a little country for some people, but then again, Idol was such a huge phenomenon and millions of people voted. And this category is based on viewers' votes.

Amy Winehouse could be the darkhorse, but with her recent health issues, she has lost a lot of favour. Cancelling her US tour doesn't help either.

Female Artist of the Year

• Beyonce
• Fergie
• Nelly Furtado
• Rihanna
• Amy Winehouse

Winner: Rihanna
Why: She's the new darling of pop and Umbrella was inescapable, even though it wasn't raining or sunny. Her star has been up and rising ever since she released Pon De Replay, and she's only still 19 years old.

Nelly Furtado could nick it because she had an amazing year as well, with 4 major hit singles the past year. And Timbaland is producing the show. Beyonce is way too over-exposed and I will really puke if she wins again. Fergie hasn't been a slob too and her solo career managed to outshine her BEP career. But then, Rihanna's fresher, which will be more in line with this year's VMA concept.

Male Artist of the Year

• Akon
• Robin Thicke
• T.I.
• Justine Timberlake
• Kanye West

Winner: Justin Timberlake
Why: MTV loves Justin as well, ever since his *NSYNC days. Plus it's Timbaland's party. Plus the fact that Justin opened the show last year. His only competitor is Kanye West, whose album drops September 11, just 2 days after the show, and the momentum might be with him.

Monster Single of the Year

• Home - Daughtry
• Thnks Fr Th Mmrs - Fall Out Boy
• Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne
• Lip Gloss - 'Lil Mama
• This Is Why I'm Hot - MIMS
• Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
• Umbrella - Rihanna ft Jay-Z
• Party Like A Rock Star - Shop Boyz
• Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin') - T-Pain ft Yung Joc
• The Way I Are - Timbaland ft Keri Hilson, D.O.E. and Sebastian

Winner: Umbrella
Why: Do we even need to know why?

Most Earth-Shattering Collaboration

• Smack That - Akon ft Eminem
• Beautiful Liar - Beyonce ft Shakira
  
• The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani ft Akon
• SexyBack - Justin Timberlake ft Timbaland
• The Saints Are Coming - U2 ft Green Day

Winner: Beautiful Liar
Why: Sympathy prize for Beyonce. I absolutely hate this song, and it's one lame attempt to pair them up together.

Justin and Timbo should win this one, but they won't. Too bad.

Quadruple Threat of the Year

• Beyonce
• Bono
• Jay-Z
• Justin Timberlake
• Kanye West

Winner: Justin Timberlake
Why: Beyonce comes a close second, escpecially after her turn in Dreamgirls, but Justin will nick this. He's the most well-rounded performer among them. Certainly harks back the days when MJ ruled the pop kingdom.

This is the category that I have the most problem with. Think it's too contrived. And it's quite meaningless and not prestigious at all. Sound like a side award that is given to honour a person's lifetime body of work rather than a competing category.

Video of the Year

• Irreplaceable - Beyonce
• D.A.N.C.E. - Justice
• Umbrella - Rihanna ft Jay-Z
• What Goes Around...Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
• Stronger - Kanye West
• Rehab - Amy Winehouse

Winner: Umbrella
Why: Rihanna in body paint, need we say more?

Best Choreography

• Beautiful Liar - Beyonce ft Shakira
• Wall To Wall - Chris Brown
• Like A Boy - Ciara
• Tambourine - Eve
• My Love - Justin Timberlake

Winner: My Love
Why: I'm surprised My Love isn't named as a nominee for Video of the Year, as it was certainly my pick for the top prize. There is no way Justin will lose this. If he does, then the "media professionals" who voted clearly have no skill. Beyonce and Shakira shaking their hips is not choreography.

Best Director

• Candyman - Christina Aguilera
• Beautiful Liar - Beyonce ft Shakira
• Stronger - Kanye West
• What I've Done - Linkin Park
• Umbrella - Rihanna ft Jay-Z
• What Goes Around...Comes Around - Justin Timberlake

Winner: Tie: It's either LP or JT
Why: LP's video was well shot and it featured sitrring images that fitted the song's message perfectly, while JT's video is more of an epic. It's one or the other.

Best Editing

• Beautiful Liar - Beyonce ft Shakira
• Smiley Faces - Gnarls Barkley
• What I've Done - Linkin Park
• What Goes Around...Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
• Stronger - Kanye West

Winner: What I've Done
Why: It brought out the message very clearly and in an impactful manner.


Let's see if the final results tally with my predictions. Bottomline is: I want a smashing show that's memorable for the right reasons. Let's see...