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Taylor Swift is the top finalist for the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, scheduled for Sunday, November 19th. Swift is a finalist in 20 categories. At next month’s show, Swift – who is already the top female BBMA winner of all time with 29 wins – could overtake Drake and become the overall leader. Drake has won 34 BBMAs and is a finalist for 14 more this year.
Swift could also break Drake’s record for most Billboard Music Awards won in one night. Drake received 13 awards at the 2017 show.
Morgan Wallen and SZA tied for second place with 17 entries each; followed by The Weeknd (16); Drake and Zach Bryan (14); Luke Combs (10); 21 Savage, Metro Boomin and Miley Cyrus (nine each); Beyoncé and Rema (seven each); Bad Bunny and Peso Pluma (six each); and Ariana Grande, David Guetta, Eslabon Armado, KAROL G, NewJeans and Selena Gomez (five each).
The 2023 BBMAs will feature a new awards show concept that will entertain fans with music and exclusive content, including winners’ celebrations, behind-the-scenes looks and performances from the world’s biggest artists. In a unique collaboration, the BBMAs and Spotify “Fans First” will bring fans up close and personal with their favorite artists. Performances and awards will be announced on Sunday, November 19th on the BBMAs and Billboard social channels and via BBMAs.watch. Beginning Monday, November 6, Billboard Music Awards artists will be announced daily on BBMAs social channels.
Bryan is this year’s leading first-time BBMA finalist. Other first-time BBMA finalists include Bailey Zimmerman, Coi Leray, Fifty Fifty, Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera, Jelly Roll, Ice Spice, Metro Boomin, NewJeans, Peso Pluma and Oliver Anthony Music.
This year, nine new awards were presented, including four in the emerging K-Pop field – Top K-Pop Artist Worldwide, Top K-Pop Tour, Top K-Pop Album and Top K-Pop Song worldwide – and two in the red zone. Hot Afrobeats Field – Top Afrobeats Artist and Top Afrobeats Song.
Several other awards shows have added categories recognizing African music in the past year. Wizkid was the first winner of the Favorite Afrobeats Artist category at the American Music Awards in November 2022. “Calm Down” by Rema & Selena Gomez was the first winner of the Best Afrobeats Artist category at the MTV Video Awards last Month. The nominees for the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance will be announced on November 10.
The BBMAs are also adding new categories for Top Hot 100 Songwriter and Top Hot 100 Producer. Swift, her frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff and Bryan are finalists in both categories.
The show also adds a new award for Best Rock Duo/Group. Last year there were two rock categories: Top Rock Artist (four groups or duos competed with Machine Gun Kelly) and Top Rock Tour.
Country, rock and Latin are the only genres that have a category for top duos/groups. As a result, country and Latin have seven categories, one more than R&B and rap, which each have six. Following these genres is rock, which has five categories; K-Pop (four); Dance/Electronic, Christian and Gospel (three each); and Afrobeats (two).
The late Whitney Houston, who won 16 BBMA Awards, the third-most honor among women behind Taylor Swift and Adele, is a finalist for the top gospel album, “I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston.”
Several other all-time BBMA winners are finalists again this year. The Weeknd, who has won 20 BBMA Awards, has 16 entries this year; Beyoncé, who has 13 BBMAs, has seven; Bad Bunny, who has 10 BBMAs, the most among Latin artists, has six.
Kanye West/Ye, who has received 17 BBMAs, has one entry this year; Rihanna, who received 12, has two.
Elton John, who has been producing Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 longer than most of today’s pop fans have been alive, is a finalist this year in two categories – Top Rock Touring Artist and Top Dance/Electronic Song – for “Hold”. Me Closer,” a collaboration with Britney Spears.
Unique among music awards shows, winners are determined based on performance metrics on the Billboard year-end charts, the music industry’s ultimate authority and data-driven measure of success. Eligibility dates for this year’s awards are based on Billboard’s year-end chart tracking period, which measures music consumption from the charts from November 19, 2022 to October 21, 2023. (This corresponds to the tracking period from November 4, 2022 to Oct. 12, 2023.)
The 2023 Billboard Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions.
The 2023 Billboard Music Awards are presented by Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott’s award-winning travel program and marketplace. A special BBMA appearance and two exclusive acceptance speeches will take place at exceptional hotel brands in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. In addition, Marriott Bonvoy is offering a select group of fans access to five BBMA performances through Marriott Bonvoy Moments. Look out for special access to the final performance, available from October 30th.
Other sponsors include Lexus, who will surprise one lucky fan with the ultimate VIP treatment. Not only do you have the best seat in the house, but you also get to enjoy the unique appearance of a private ride in a luxury Lexus vehicle.
Follow the BBMAs on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and YouTube; Join the conversation using the hashtag #BBMAs; and get the latest news and updates at BillboardMusicAwards.com and BBMAs.watch.
Here is the complete list of 2023 Billboard Music Awards finalists. New categories will be marked with the word (NEW).
Top artists
drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
Top new artist
Bailey Zimmerman
Ice seasoning
jellyroll
Peso Pluma
Zach Bryan
Top male artist
drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
The weeknd
Zach Bryan
Top artist
Beyonce
Miley Cyrus
Olivia Rodrigo
SZA
Taylor Swift
Top duo/group
Eslabon Armado
Fifty-fifty
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Frontera
Metallica
Top Billboard 200 Artists
drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artists
drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Songwriters (NEW)
Ashley Gorley
Jack Antonoff
SZA
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Top Hot 100 Producer (NEW)
Jack Antonoff
Joey Moi
Metro Boomin
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Top Streaming Songs Artists
drake
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Top Radio Songs Artists
Miley Cyrus
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
The weeknd
Top song selling artist
Jason Aldean
Miley Cyrus
Morgan Wallen
Oliver Anthony Music
Taylor Swift
Top artists on the Billboard Global 200
Bad bunny
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
The weeknd
Top Billboard Artists Worldwide (Except USA).
Bad bunny
Ed Sheeran
New jeans
Taylor Swift
The weeknd
Top R&B artists
Beyonce
Chris Brown
Rihanna
SZA
The weeknd
Top Male R&B Artist
Chris Brown
Miguel
The weeknd
Top R&B artist
Beyonce
Rihanna
SZA
Top R&B touring artist
Beyonce
Bruno Mars
The weeknd
Top rap artist
21 Wild
drake
Lil baby
Metro Boomin
Travis Scott
Top rap artist
21 Wild
drake
Travis Scott
Top rap artist
Doja cat
Ice seasoning
Nicki Minaj
Top rap touring artist
50 cents
drake
Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa
Top country artists
Bailey Zimmerman
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Top country artists
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Zach Bryan
Top country artist
Lainey Wilson
Megan Moroney
Taylor Swift
Top country duo/group
Old Dominion
Parmalee
Zac Brown Band
Top country touring artist
George Strait
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Top rock artists
jellyroll
Noah Kahan
Stephen Sanchez
Steve Lacy
Zach Bryan
Top Rock Duo/Group (NEW)
Arctic monkeys
Foo fighters
Metallica
Top rock touring artist
Coldplay
Depeche Mode
Elton John
Top Latin artists
Bad bunny
Eslabon Armado
Fuerza Regida
KAROL G
Peso Pluma
Best Latin American Artist
Bad bunny
Peso Pluma
Rauw Alejandro
Top Latin American artist
KAROL G
ROSALIA
Shakira
Top Latin duo/group
Eslabon Armado
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Frontera
Top Latin touring artist
Daddy Yankee
Karol G
RBD
Top Global K-Pop Artist (NEW)
Jimin
New jeans
Stray children
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
TWICE
Top K-Pop Touring Artists (NEW)
BLACK PINK
SUGA
TWICE
Top Afrobeats Artists (NEW)
Burna Boy
Libianca
Rema
systems
Wizkid
Top dance/electronic artist
Beyonce
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
drake
Tiesto
Top Christian Artist
Brandon Lake
Worship of the heights
for KING & COUNTRY
Lauren Daigle
Phil Wickham
Top Gospel Artists
CeCe Winans
Worship of the heights
Kanye West
Kirk Franklin
Maverick City Music
Top Billboard 200 album
Drake & 21 Savage, their loss
Metro Boomin, HEROES & VILLAINS
Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time
SZA, SOS
Taylor Swift, midnight
Top soundtrack
Barbie: The Album
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music by and inspired by
ELVIS
Metro Boomin presents Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (soundtrack from and inspired by the film)
Top Gun: Maverick
Top R&B album
Beyoncé, RENAISSANCE
Brent Faiyaz, WASTELAND
Drake, honestly, doesn’t care
Steve Lacy, twin rights
SZA, SOS
Top rap album
Drake & 21 Savage, their loss
Future, I never liked you
Lil baby, it’s just me
Metro Boomin, HEROES & VILLAINS
Travis Scott, UTOPIA
Top country album
Luke Combs, Gettin’ Old
Luke Combs, Growin’ Up
Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time
Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Zach Bryan, American Heartbreak
Top rock album
HARDY, the Mockingbird and the CROW
Jelly Roll, Whitsitt Chapel
Noah Kahan, Stick Season
Steve Lacy, twin rights
Zach Bryan, American Heartbreak
Top Latin album
Bad Bunny, Un Verano Sin Ti
Eslabon Armado, DESVELADO
Ivan Cornejo, Danado
KAROL G, MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO
Peso Pluma, GENESIS
Top K-Pop Album (NEW)
Jimin, FACE
NewJeans, 2nd EP “Get Up”
Stray Kids, 5 STARS
TOMORROW X TOGETHER, The title chapter: TEMPTATION
TWICE, READY TO BE: 12th mini album
Top dance/electronic album
Beyoncé, RENAISSANCE
Drake, honestly, doesn’t care
ILLENIUM, ILLENIUM
Kim Petras, Feed the Beast
Tiësto, DRIVE
Top Christian album
Anne Wilson, my Jesus
Brandon Lake, House of Miracles
CAIN, arise
Worship of exaltation, LION
Lauren Daigle, Lauren Daigle
Top gospel album
Jonathan McReynolds, My Truth
Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin, Kingdom Book One
Tye Tribbett, All New
Whitney Houston, I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston
Zacardi Cortez, Imprint (Live in Memphis)
SONG AWARDS
Top Hot 100 song
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, “Creepin’”
Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”
Morgan Wallen, “Last Night”
SZA, “Kill Bill”
Taylor Swift, “Antihero”
Top streaming song
Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”
Morgan Wallen, “Last Night”
SZA, “Kill Bill”
Taylor Swift, “Antihero”
Zach Bryan, “Something in the Orange”
Top radio song
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, “Creepin’”
Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”
Rema and Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”
Taylor Swift, “Antihero”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Die for You”
Best selling song
Jason Aldean, “Try this in a small town”
Jimin, “How crazy!”
Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”
Oliver Anthony Music, “Rich Men North of Richmond”
Taylor Swift, “Antihero”
Top collaboration
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, “I’m Good (Blue)”
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, “Creepin’”
Rema and Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”
Sam Smith & Kim Petras, “Unholy”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Die for You”
Top song on the Billboard Global 200
Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”
Rema and Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”
SZA, “Kill Bill”
Taylor Swift, “Antihero”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Die for You”
Top Billboard Global Song (Except USA).
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, “I’m Good (Blue)”
Harry Styles, “As It Was”
Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”
Rema and Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Die for You”
Top R&B song
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, “Creepin’”
Miguel, “Sure Thing”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Die for You”
SZA, “Kill Bill”
SZA, “Slumber”
Top rap song
Coi Leray, “Player”
Drake & 21 Savage, “Rich Flex”
Gunna, “Fukumean”
Lil Durk ft. J. Cole, “All My Life”
Toosii, “favorite song”
Top country song
Bailey Zimmerman, “Rock and a Hard Place”
Luke Combs, “Fast Car”
Morgan Wallen, “Last Night”
Morgan Wallen, “You Proof”
Zach Bryan, “Something in the Orange”
Top rock song
Jelly Roll, “Need a Favor”
Stephen Sanchez, “Until I Found You”
Steve Lacy, “Bad Habit”
Zach Bryan ft. Kacey Musgraves, “I Remember Everything”
Zach Bryan, “Something in the Orange”
Top Latin song
Eslabon Armado x Peso Pluma, “Ella Baila Sola”
Fuerza Regida x Grupo Frontera, “Bebe Dame”
Grupo Frontera x Bad Bunny, “un x100to”
KAROL G & Shakira, “TQG”
Yng Lvcas x Peso Pluma, “La Bebe”
Top K-Pop Song Worldwide (NEW)
Fifty Fifty, “Cupid”
Jimin, “How crazy!”
Jungkook ft. Latto, “Seven”
NewJeans, “Ditto”
NewJeans, “OMG”
Top Afrobeats Song (NEW)
Ayra Starr, “Rush”
Libianca, “People”
Oxlade, “KU LO SA”
Rema and Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”
Victony, Rema & Tempoe feat. Don Toliver, “Soweto”
Top dance/electronic song
Bizarrap & Shakira, “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53”.
David Guetta, Anne-Marie & Coi Leray, “Baby Don’t Hurt Me”
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, “I’m Good (Blue)”
Elton John & Britney Spears, “Hold Me Closer”
Tiësto ft. Tate McRae, “10:35”
Top Christian song
Brandon Lake, “Gratitude”
Chris Tomlin, “Holy Forever”
for KING & COUNTRY with Jordin Sparks, “Love Me Like I Am”
Lauren Daigle, “Thank God I Do”
Phil Wickham, “This is Our God”
Top gospel song
CeCe Winans, “Goodness of God”
Crowder & Dante Bowe ft. Maverick City Music, “God Really Loves Us”
Elevation Worship with Chandler Moore and Tiffany Hudson, “More Than Able”
Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin feat. Brandon Lake & Chandler Moore, “Fear is Not My Future”
Zacardi Cortez, “Lord Do It for Me (Live in Memphis)”