It’s that time again—the industry’s leading music charts brand is ready to honor the top artists of the year with some shiny statuettes! The nominees for the 2020 Billboard Music Awards are in!
Post Malone is the top nominee this year (with 16 nominations), but there is definitely some Black representation among the leading nominee list this year. The runner-up is Lil Nas X, who has 13 nominations, including Top Male Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist and Top Hot 100 Artist. Khalid is in third place with 12 nominations (tying Billie Eilish) and is in the running for Top Artist. Lizzo is right behind in fourth place (she’s also in the Top New Artist category with Lil Nas X) with 11 noms and Kanye West rounds it out in fifth place with 9 noms.
Ready for a few fun facts? Both Lizzo and Lil Nas X are first-time nominees this year. West, who has a quadruple nomination in the Top Gospel Song category this year, is being represented in the Christian and Gospel categories for the first time in his career.
Overall, Drake is currently the reigning champ of the Billboard Music Awards. The rapper holds the most wins ever in the history of the ceremony, with 27 awards.
More info for the leading Black noms this year, via Billboard’s press release sent to The Root:
Lil Nas X (13)
Lil Nas X made quite an impression with his debut hit “Old Town Road,” as the track broke the record for the most weeks at No. 1 ever on the Hot 100 chart. The tune, enhanced by a remix featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, shattered the long-standing record for the most weeks atop the chart in its 60-plus-year history, spending 19 weeks at No. 1 in 2019. It surpassed the previous record-holders, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber, and Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day,” each with 16 weeks at No. 1. Lil Nas X followed up his success with two more top 40 hits on the Hot 100: “Panini” and “Rodeo.” He also launched his debut EP 7, which bowed at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Khalid (12)
2018’s Billboard Music Award winner for top new artist celebrated his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 in 2019 with Free Spirit, and its top five-charting Hot 100 hit “Talk.” Free Spirit also ruled the Top R&B Albums chart for 12 weeks, and never left the weekly top 10 of the list from its debut in April of 2019 on through the first half of 2020. Further, upon the debut of Free Spirit, Khalid dominated that week’s Hot R&B Songs chart, placing 16 songs on the 25-position tally – including the entire top five.
Lizzo (11)
In 2019, Lizzo’s barnstorming single “Truth Hurts” ruled the Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven weeks, while it spent 11 weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The success of the track helped its parent album Cuz I Love You reach the top five on the Billboard 200 albums chart. She followed “Truth” with another smash, “Good As Hell,” which topped out at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Kanye West (9)
Five-time Billboard Music Award winner Kanye West has been a consistent chart topper for years, having earned eight consecutive No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart between 2005 and 2018. In 2019, West garnered yet another No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 with Jesus Is King, and also his first No. 1 on the Top Gospel Albums and Top Christian Albums chart. The effort also snared West a top 10 hit on the Hot 100 with “Follow God,” which has spent 37 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart.
To view the complete list of nominees for the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, head to billboard.com.