A Look at the 2012 VMAs Best Female Video

Last year, I took a look at what I thought would be potential nominees for Best Female Video at the VMAs. Surprisingly, I did quite well, picking four of the eventual nominees out of the top seven while surprise nominee Beyoncé for "Run the World (Girls)" was highlighted towards the bottom of the list (before the video had even premiered!). The other night I was thinking of that post and decided to try again to come up with what I thought this year's race might look like. Not sure if I can match my predictions last year, but let's give this a shot and see what happens.

The Top 5:

Katy Perry "Part of Me"

4 Noms/0 Wins

In Her Favor: After two years, six #1's and a 3D concert movie, the Teenage Dream Era is coming to an end. Can you think of a more fitting farewell to Katy's immense success than with another nomination here?

But: Nothing. She's in.

Rihanna "We Found Love"

2 Noms/1 Win

In Her Favor: Rihanna manages to pump out hit after hit, but "We Found Love" was her biggest song since "Umbrella." Plus, "We Found Love" is without a doubt her best video to date.

But: Only two nominations? As big of a star as Rihanna should have more.

Kelly Clarkson "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)"

3 Noms/2 Wins

In Her Favor: Sometimes all it takes is a #1 hit like this to remind everyone why we fell in love with Kelly in the first place. Girlfriend already has two wins so they clearly love her.

But: Is she "hip" enough for MTV in these days of Katy Perry and Teen Wolf?

Nicki Minaj "Starships"

1 Nom/0 Wins

In Her Favor: Having just notched its 20th week in the Top 10, the song has proven to have massive staying power.

But: Does anybody remember the video? Like, at all?

Lana Del Rey "National Anthem"

0 Noms

In Her Favor: This is my No Guts, No Glory pick. This line-up is in clear need of a Critical Darling. Although Lana is not quite as huge as Adele, last year's Darling, is, she does have a rabid fanbase who were salivating over her material even before her Born to Die album came out. She seems like a long shot, but every once in awhile this category does embrace lesser-known artists with great, buzzworthy videos.

But: This only happens every once in awhile. As odd as it sounds, she probably has a better shot in the Video of the Year category, which is much more open to artistic videos like "National Anthem."

In the Running:

Lady Gaga "Marry the Night"

4 Noms/2 Wins

In Her Favor: I know I sound crazy for betting against Gaga, considering her rabid fanbase who are only out-crazied by the Beliebers. And this video was everything those fanatics could have possibly wanted from an artiste like Lady Gaga.

But: Come on. For an artist who has made a living off turning everything about her persona into pretentious bullshit, this fourteen minute, ultra serious video exploring the inner torment of Gaga The Person was Pretentious Bullshit.

Carly Rae Jepsen "Call Me Maybe"

0 Noms

In Her Favor: A zeitgeist hit...

But: ...That's only mildly less trashy than Rebecca Black's "Friday." More likely than not, expect her to pop up with One Direction in the Best New Artist category.

Madonna "Give Me All Your Luvin'" OR "Girl Gone Wild"

12 Noms/4 Wins

In Her Favor: In very different ways, these two videos have proven why Madonna is still the undisputed Queen of the Music Video.

But: The Gays have completely turned on her. If they don't care, why will MTV?

Britney Spears "I Wanna Go" OR "Criminal"

5 Noms/1 Win

In Her Favor: "I Wanna Go" and "Criminal" were both far better videos than the previous Femme Fatale singles produced.

But: I read somewhere that "I Wanna Go" debuted on the cutoff date for last year's VMAs. I refuse to believe this as that masterpiece received zero nominations while the mediocre "Till The World Ends" nabbed her a Best Pop Video trophy. And if she couldn't get a Best Female Video nomination with that massive track, I doubt either of these songs has the legs to get her there this year.

Jessie J "Domino"

0 Noms

In Her Favor: For better or worse, her loud, painted on jumpsuits were certainly eye-catching in this video.

But: Despite the fact that this song was a hit in the U.S., I still don't feel like she's that big over here. Do you ever hear people talking about her (well, I mean, despite complaining about her singing/wailing)?

Never Say Never:

Demi Lovato "Give Your Heart a Break"

0 Noms 

In Her Favor: With her upcoming X-Factor gig, people are finally taking notice and trying to make her happen.

But: I don't think it's her moment yet. We'll see where she's at after X-Factor debuts this fall.

Cher Lloyd "Want U Back"

0 Noms 

In Her Favor: Against all odds, it appears that she's crossing over into America.

But: She's only just hit the Top 40 here. And if Carly Rae doesn't make it, Cher certainly won't.

Dev "In the Dark"

0 Noms 

In Her Favor: An ubiquitous singer with her own big hit.

But: The song is nearly a year old; has her Moment passed already?

Britney's Videography: "Do Somethin'"

Britney Spears "Do Somethin'" # # # # #

Released during those dark years that I stopped following Britney's career, this was my first time watching her "Do Somethin'" video, the final single released from her first greatest hits collection. Expecting the worst, I was pleasantly surprised by this video. It's nothing groundbreaking by any stretch of the imagination, but it's cute and fun and sometimes that's all you need. What struck me the most about this clip was the fact that this was Britney's tribute to (maybe even a parody of?) the stereotypical hip-hop video from around this time period. There's Britney and her crew in her gas-guzzling (pink, of course) Hummer, showing off her bling and throwing cash around like it's nothing. When she finally steps up into the club, everything around her literally stops as she becomes the focus of all the club-goers. There's even a scene where Britney sits in her throne and her crew pushes her through the club like the Queen that she is! Whatever she is attempting to pay tribute to, the video comes off as genuine Britney, something only she could pull off. It's no classic, nor is it something I'm likely to watch again anytime soon, but it was a pleasant way to spend three and a half minutes.

Britney's Videography: "My Prerogative"

Britney Spears "My Prerogative" # # # # #

Aside from a select few American Idol contestants over the years, there is no commercial pop artist around today who picks and performs covers as cleverly and uniquely as Britney Spears does. Whether you find her versions of "I Love Rock 'N Roll" or "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" good or bad, you at least have to agree that Britney is the only pop star who could have made them. Her cover of Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative," the lead single off her first greatest hits collection, is certainly no exception and, actually, makes sense as a Britney single in 2004, both stylistically and thematically. Can you think of a more appropriate way to start a Britney song of this era (outside of "It's Britney, bitch") than, "They say I'm crazy..."? And the video highlights this key statement in a very big way: showing a (crazy?) Britney in a car jump a massive walled gate into a swimming pool. Cutting out the music at the song at this point was a clever idea, not only adding emphasis to this statement but also proving that you can stop a song in a music video without downplaying the importance of the actual music.

On paper, the rest of the video sounds like the usual as far as Britney video goes: over a series of scandalously sexy outfits, Britney comments on her sexual image. But visually, at least through the first chorus, she generates new ideas out of something that's she had been doing for years. In what could be described as an off-the-wall homage to Sunset Boulevard, Britney wanders through an Old Hollywood mansion, reminiscent of Norma Desmond's home, eerily shot like a moody, color take on film noir. There's something mysterious about this setting that suggests far more than it explicitly shows. And then there's Britney, first lingering seductively over a sexy maid, then, clad in beautiful, surprisingly tasteful lingerie, walking in on a man watching home movies of her rolling around in a bed. Like I said, it doesn't say anything new we haven't seen before in Britney's videography--commenting on Britney's sex symbol status and how the media/public plaster this image of her to the point where she can't escape it, even in her own home--but it's done with such stylistic flair that I remained riveted. The final half of the music video falters, lumping in some big twist at the very end that feels both unnecessary and thematically. But, just as her "Toxic" video did previously, although not as strongly, "My Prerogative" makes a vivid enough first impression that you can almost forgive the video's collaborators for dropping the ball at the very end. All in all, not a bad way to market a cover of a Bobby Brown song.

Best Music Videos of 2011

J. Lo "Papi"

A lot of people complained about the rampant, obvious product placement in her latest video. Ultimately, though, who cares when it probably paid for a video as fun and carefree as "Papi". The premise is simple yet, in a mere four minutes, plays out like the silly, classic J. Lo romcom we expect from her. And nothing else in 2011 reminded us why we loved J. Lo in the first place quite like the "Papi" video.

Rebecca Black "Friday"

The fact that "Friday" is not a good video in the typical sense is irrelevant. This was the video that had everybody talking in 2011. Who can forget where they were the day they first clicked on the link for this video? I know my life was never the same after witnessing Queen Rebecca decide which seat to take. The video is absolutely ridiculous, yes, but Rebecca injected enough class and charm into the proceedings to make all of the weaker links (the $40 budget, the terrible girl in the car next to Rebecca who can't dance and, oddly enough, looks like my cousin's fiancée) much less noticeable.

Rihanna "S&M"

Normally a non-starter in the music video area, Rihanna gave us two reasons to be hopeful in 2011 that she is finally beginning to understand how important music videos can be for her. The first of these was "S&M," which, with its candy-colored sets and deranged, over-the-top bondage costumes, became the first video of hers that portrayed her having "fun" without sticking her in some dark club with laser lights. This is RiRi at her naughty best.

Frankmusik & Colette Carr "No I.D."

Sure, the Grease homage is a tad overdone, but if you can find me two other popstars this past year who share as much chemistry as Vincent and Colette do in this video, my name isn't Dame James. Besides, did the year in music videos offer up any image nearly as delicious as Vincent, in leather jacket, sunglasses and with slicked-back hair, driving that race car at the end?

Hurts "Sunday"

The Hurts boys recreate the Orpheus myth with heaping helpings of melancholy, bright flashes of color amid a bleak color palette and a fashion sense straight from the pages of Vogue Italia.

Katy Perry "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"

Unlike nearly any of Lady Gaga's videos this year, Katy Perry's massively stuffed "Last Friday Night" clip works despite its massive length for one reason: the video never feels at odds with the song. The two manage to cohabitate wonderfully, never once sacrificing the completeness of the song just to make the video longer.  Bonus points for including 2011's other Friday girl, Rebecca Black, as the Katy Perry character's fairy godmother of sorts.

Beyoncé "Run the World (Girls)"

Not only did this video make me truly understand "Run the World" as a song, no other song this year managed to have a video that felt so at odds with the flow and rhythm of the song and still have it come out this wonderfully. Beyoncé's dancing is hypnotic, but the long takes and slow editing contrasting with that incessant Diplo beat takes it to a whole other level, making one of the neatest visual tricks of the year.

Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris "We Found Love"

My only complaint with Rihanna's "S&M" video was that there were too many cuts, not allowing us any time to fully see any of the extreme visuals (although, I suppose, there were reasons for that). With "We Found Love," there are, perhaps, just as many cuts, but it works for two reasons. One, it matches the insane, escalating, driving beat of the Calvin Harris production. But, more importantly, it manages to convey the essence of a whirlwind romance, how you are so in love and out of control that everything flashes by you and you have no idea what is going on but you don't care because you are so happy. It's an enviable feeling, which many people expressed on Twitter the day of this video's premiere. But they are missing the grand point of the whole video. Sure, everything was great in the beginning, but by the end of the video, Rihanna grows bored and realizes that all the happiness she once felt for him isn't worth the pain she's feeling at the moment. It's a pessimistic view, sure, but it's conveyed poignantly in this video, without a doubt the finest one she has ever made.

Britney Spears "I Wanna Go"

The most fun Britney has had on a video ever. Spoofing not only herself (Crossroads 2: Cross Harder) and her image (sexed up vixen flirting with all the boys she passes on the street), but the press, who, 5+ years after her meltdown, still won't stop hounding her, this is the video "Piece of Me" should have been.

Robyn "Call Your Girlfriend"

With the music video rebounding in popularity thanks the ease of access on the internet, this leaves artists a lot of room to differentiate themselves and come up with creative ways to sell their product. Unfortunately, very few artists take this path, creating one forgettable video after another. Not content with doing that, Robyn crafted a clever and all-around fascinating video for the final single from her Body Talk trilogy. Armed with herself, a room, a lighting scheme, one shot and a dance routine, Robyn has created one of the finest music videos since Beyoncé's "Single Ladies". It's been more than half a year since the video came out and I still can't get enough of it.

Britney's Videography: "Everytime"

Britney Spears "Everytime" # # # # #

How appropriate that we get to "Everytime," the scariest and most haunting video in Britney's entire videography, on Halloween. Instead of the typical horror fodder with murders, monsters and mayhem, however, "Everytime" is about the horror of celebrity. The video starts by following Britney on what I'm sure was a typical day for her in 2003: driving in her limo with her manager/lover (played by Stephen Dorff), being ignored while he's on an important "call", and accosted by overzealous fans, paparazzi and the vicious lies of the tabloids. What sets "Everytime" apart from "Lucky," another video about the insanity of Britney's life behind-the-scenes, is the violence and anger that accompanies Britney's encounters. Her fans swarm her and her limo when she gets to her hotel, making it nearly impossible to even open her door, let alone get up to her room. And, this time, the fans very nearly attack her, grabbing and pulling at her so they can have their own piece of her. Her lover is angered by the constant attention, lashing back at the paparazzi and sending a display of tabloid magazines flying. He even lashes out at Britney, as if it's all somehow her fault. The tension and anger sends Britney to the bathtub for a relaxing soak; she begins to bleed from her head and slides under the water. She begins a journey into the great white light, seeing herself carted off to the hospital and failing to be resuscitated by doctors. This is where we see what is perhaps the scariest image in the entire video: as Britney is on the stretcher, unresponsive, being pushed into the ambulance, we see a fan holding up a magazine and a pen, hoping for an autograph. It begs the question, have people become so obsessed with the idea of celebrity that we have lost all traces of humanity? 

I believe director Dave LaChapelle would agree. He shoots the video in slow motion, while the ethereal "Everytime", with its own hauntingly beautiful piano melody, plays in the background. Its stark, jarring contrast to the horrific imagery we see only makes you more appalled at the state of celebrity today. And I think the film's final frames does more to drive home this point than anything. We see Britney emerge from the water and we quickly realize it was all a dream. She is laughing and happy, but why? Typically, I think people would assume it is because she's happy to be alive. But I think there is a darker answer: she's happy because she has seen her life without all the pressures and horrors of being a celebrity. She wants that life. People have often cited this as the video that predicted her pre-Blackout downward spiral. "Everytime" makes that part of her life scarier by showing us just how close we were to losing her.

Britney's Videography: "Toxic"

Britney Spears "Toxic" # # # # #

The first half of the music video for "Toxic", far and away the most widely beloved Britney single of the past decade, suggests that we are in for Britney's finest music video since "Oops!". The nude diamond bodysuit was, rightly so, as instantly iconic as the Red Leather Jumpsuit from "Oops!", but I find all these years later to be more fascinated by the opening blue flight attendant outfit. Maybe it's because the sequence is so thrilling and so Britney, spilling a drink a man's lap and then sexily mopping the mess up with a napkin, seducing a passenger in the bathroom. She's clearly having fun, while remaining cognizant of the mysterious, almost dark nature of the video. I love the quick reactions, particularly the one after she puts the blanket over the child and kisses him on the top of the head, which show that Britney both understood what the video was going for and how to convey that within her persona. Even beyond Britney's persona, there's a clear directorial eye guiding this video along. When Britney sings, "I'm dangerous," seventy-five percent of her face is covered by shadows, suggesting the darkness that lurks underneath her sexy demeanor. The airplane sequence is so good you can almost forgive how erratic and misguided the second half is, which sees Britney donning a red wig, riding a motorcycle with Tyson Beckford and acting like a super spy of sorts. My main problem with these scenes is the awful, vomit-inducing special effects. I understand that they were going for a certain look, probably that of an over-the-top Japanese anime, but it simply doesn't work in this video. I don't mean to say that everything in the final half doesn't work--if anything, most of the footage here is fine in and of itself. But its lack of focus is really glaring after so much of the first half works well.

Pardon the Interruption

This song reminds me of that horrific day like no other. My thoughts to everyone affected by the tragedy.

Britney's Videography: "Me Against the Music"

Britney Spears featuring Madonna "Me Against the Music" # # # # #

For the first single from her fourth album, Britney enlisted the help of the most influential female artist not only on her career but for every major female popstar of the past 20 years: Madonna. While its reputation as a mediocre effort from two artists who should have knocked it out of the park isn't wholly undeserved, the video has some smart, interesting ideas that aren't as dismissible. I love the video's overall sense of urgency and tension. It's never quite explained why Madonna is following/stalking Britney or why Britney feels so threatened by Madonna's presence, which is probably for the best, but I love how the frantic editing and the shaky hand-held camera during the maze sequences makes you interested in working toward finding out what's happening. Forgive me if I'm grasping at straws here but I feel like costuming Britney and Madonna in appealing, feminine versions of traditionally masculine suits, combined with the aforementioned stalking, makes an interesting commentary on female artists in the music industry, particularly those who work on their personas as carefully and deliberately as Madonna and Britney do. First of all, it's a commentary on how women, no matter what profession they are in, often must dress and act like men in order to be taken seriously. It's an issue Parks and Recreation also once tackled, humorously (Leslie tries to join the "Boys Club" in order to help herself in the future) but it's still prevalent all these years after feminism. Britney and even, in a way, Madonna at this stage in her career still have to prove they are worthy of being music icons among the male rockers, rappers and even popstars who dominate most people's conception of "musicianship." Secondly, the voyeurism feels like it's talking about how older females, again no matter what profession, feel they must watch out for every bright young thing that comes in and tries to steal their spotlight. Younger females, on the other hand, feel like they are being watched, waiting to get pounced on after making any little mistake. While I have no doubt that Madonna and Britney got along just fine, you can't help but feel like Madonna is always keeping tabs on all of these up and coming popstars and figuring out how she can out-maneuver them. Needless to say, it's worked for her so far as she has obliterated not only 99% of the 80's female popstars but also a good portion of those from the 90's as well. The reason this video doesn't get a full five stars is because, much like the song itself, it is missing that something extra that would have made it absolutely unforgettable. I wish the creepy undertones were played out a little better and that the weird Persona-like vibe the film seems to be giving was pushed further. All in all, though, "Me Against the Music" is a corker of a video, much better than I initially remembered it being back in 2003.

Britney Spears & Madonna: Me against the music by ocima7

Previous installments: ...Baby One More Time | Sometimes | (You Drive Me) Crazy (The Stop Remix!) | From the Bottom of My Broken Heart | Born To Make You Happy | Oops!...I Did It Again | Lucky | Stronger | Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know | I'm a Slave 4 U | I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman | Boys | Overprotected | I Love Rock & Roll

The Two Best Music Videos of the Year

Beyoncé "Run the World (Girls)" # # # # #

Robyn "Call Your Girlfriend" # # # # #

Robyn and Beyoncé are two of the biggest divas in pop music today, yet they couldn't be more different. Robyn is the undisputed Queen of Indie Pop: relatively unknown to the general (American) public, a god among mere mortals to those who worship her work. Beyoncé, on the other hand, is a motherfucking legend, an international icon, a legitimate star whether she's peddling shit like "If I Were a Boy" or classics like "Crazy in Love." Beyoncé is all high-wattage STAR with the massive persona to match; Robyn is more low key in her approach but never comes across as any less of a star. The two are from completely different worlds, but their recent videos prove that they are of similar minds when it comes to knowing the importance of how to sell a music video.

Beyoncé has the tougher task at hand, selling a completely bananas song with an odd sample and, at times, the most insipid "inspirational" lyrics this side of "Born This Way". The song completely flopped on the charts before the video's release, so it was up to the video to recharge this stagnating campaign. And not only did the video reignite my interest in the song, it (along with a fabulously fierce performance at the Billboard Music Awards) made me appreciate and--dare I say--enjoy the song in a way I never had.

So what is it about the "Run the World (Girls)" video that makes it so special? I'd say it is a combination of off-the-wall visuals, Beyoncé's hypnotizing dance moves and a wholly unexpected editing scheme. Beyoncé has never been known for being a particularly subtle artist (not an insult, just an observation), so it should come as no surprise that the visuals in "Run the World (Girls)" are completely over the top. Whether she's riding an enormous stallion, giving the audience the middle finger, holding on the leashes of two drooling hyenas or overstuffing the frame with background dancers to the point it feels like a later Miélès short, the video is a sumptuous visual treat. The images are out there, but they never once feel gratuitous.

The dancing in "Run the World (Girls)" is flawless, not surprising since it's from the same woman who made the "Single Ladies" dance a worldwide phenomenon. What makes it stand out, however, is the video's editing. For a song with "Run the World (Girls)"'s tempo and insane beat, you would expect the editing to be hyperactive in order to keep up with the breakneck pace of the song. Instead, "Run the World (Girls)" has longer takes to show off and immortalize Beyoncé's incredible dancing. The long takes combined with the rapid beat and dancing gives the video a hypnotic, almost eerily out-of-time feeling that proves once and for all that Beyoncé runs the world.

Robyn is not a dancer in the same vein of Beyoncé. Whereas Beyoncé is a technical dancer with mad skill, Robyn dances not with technique but with heart, which she shows off to dizzying effect in her "Call Your Girlfriend" video. A good thing since Robyn is literally the entire video. There is Robyn, one set, one camera, one take and one dance. Seriously. The fact that she is able to pull this video off is a true testament to her stature as one of the best popstars on the planet.

I'm a sucker for one-woman dances, whether it's Britney on the chair or Janet moving around that warehouse. Usually I'm not one for "instant classic" praise--in all honesty, I rather despise it--but as soon as I finished "Call Your Girlfriend" the first time, I was instantly comparing it favorably to the aforementioned videos. Robyn is a master of "dancing through the heartbreak" songs, so it was nice to finally see a dance accompanying the heartbreak. From the moment the dance begins with that hard-as-nails strut roughly 30 seconds in until the final moments, Robyn is unrelenting. She doesn't quit and the camera captures everything in all its glorious detail.

Doing the entire video in one take is perhaps the only way "Call Your Girlfriend" could have been done. The pain the song is talking about is cyclical, never ending and crushing the very life of the girlfriend who needs to be called. Editing any of Robyn's interpretive dance would do a disservice to the very message the song is conveying. Robyn needs to be let out of her cage and express every emotion that needs to be expressed. The lighting in "Call Your Girlfriend," which changes between various themes throughout the video's runtime, also aids Robyn in expressing the real meaning of the song. Not only do they add a melodramatic flair to the proceedings, but it also creates an almost outer space canvas for Robyn to paint her portrait of heartbreak as large as she wants. There's no denying a lot of craft went into making "Call Your Girlfriend" but there is no way any of it would have worked out without Robyn's presence, talents and pure charisma leading the way. Snaps to her for having the balls to pull this off.

Britney's Videography: 'I Love Rock 'N Roll'

Britney Spears 'I Love Rock 'N Roll' # # # # #

The video for 'I Love Rock 'N Roll', much like the video for 'Born To Make You Happy', is a bit of a throw away video. Not surprisingly, like 'Happy', 'I Love Rock 'N Roll' was the final single from Britney, released only in the non-US market. Obviously, the single was used as a gap-filler until the next album and the video shows. Without being completely blasé, it basically amounts to Britney standing in a room and singing the song into a microphone. True, the video is an homage to the spirit of rock 'n roll, where all you need is a hot song, a microphone and a killer attitude, but you would expect Britney, especially at this stage in her career, to have turned it into more than another opportunity for her to flaunt her sexuality. Not that I'm complaining about a 30 second montage which shows Britney straddling a motorcycle in ways that would make biker gang members blush. I just wished there was something more, like Britney's homage to rock's sex goddess Lita Ford when she sexily crawls along the floor. Apart from the opening sequence, shot in a grungy black and white that smartly evokes the rock 'n roll spirit the video is looking for, it's the only true moment of inspiration 'I Love Rock 'N Roll' has in it. The rest is merely a hold-over until The Madonna arrives.



Previous installments: ...Baby One More Time | Sometimes | (You Drive Me) Crazy (The Stop Remix!) | From the Bottom of My Broken Heart | Born To Make You Happy | Oops!...I Did It Again | Lucky | Stronger | Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know | I'm a Slave 4 U | I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman | Boys | Overprotected

A Look at the VMA's Best Female Video

Confession time: I'm a bit of an awards nerd. Yes, okay, I realize this not a huge surprise coming from me as I follow the Oscar race all year long. But there is a difference between loving the Oscars, which many ordinarily rational people do, and loving the MTV Video Music Awards, which is certifiably insane. The VMAs are completely silly and the winners are often times arbitrary as hell, but I can't help loving them and using them as a guidepost for discovering fascinating videos I never would have known about otherwise. My favorite category is, not surprisingly, Best Female Video, a category which has given Madonna 12 nominations over the years and regularly nominated Britney, Janet, Paula Abdul, Beyoncé and many other fabulous artists. I like this category so much I thought it would be fun to go through some of the big contenders and see how they stack up against each other. It's a completely futile task but, hey, I think it's rather fun to through them.

The Top 5

Lady Gaga

"Born This Way"

2/3 Noms/1 Win

In Her Favor: Have you noticed that Gaga is the biggest popstar on the planet right now? She easily swept last year's VMAs and, judging from the reception the Born This Way singles have gotten, her dominance should continue this year.

But: The video, die hard stans aside, went over like a lead balloon. Will this deter her less emotionally invested fans?

 

Katy Perry

"Firework"

3 Noms/0 Wins

In Her Favor: "Firework" was a monster "It Gets Better" anthem that, months later, is still being used exhaustively in movie trailer after movie trailer. The song has resonated with a lot of people and proved it has staying power. Plus, if she does get her fourth nomination, odds are that she will win; Christina Aguilera is the only artist with four or more nominations and no win.

But: By the time the VMAs actually air, "Firework" will be close to a year old. And will the spectacular "E.T." video siphon any votes?

 

Britney Spears

"Hold It Against Me"

5 Noms/1 Win

In Her Favor: Not only is Britney the undisputed Queen of Pop in Madonna's absence, but "Hold It Against Me" shot straight to the top of the charts when it was released. Britney is at the top of her form.

But: The video wasn't well received, even among her massive supporters

.

 

Rihanna featuring Drake

"What's My Name?"

2 Noms/0 Wins

In Her Favor: Now that her dark, "uncommercial" Rated R era is over, expect the VMAs to embrace her once again. And how else to reward Rihanna's "return" than by honoring her most commercial song since Good Girl Gone Bad.

But: Like "Firework," "What's My Name?" will have been out for nearly a year by the time of the VMAs. Plus, could the much louder "S&M" video make an appearance?

Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull

"On the Floor"

3 Noms/0 Wins

In Her Favor: J. Lo, thanks in part to her new gig on American Idol, has once again reclaimed her throne as America's Sweetheart.

But: Her last nomination was in 2003. As she sings in the beginning of "On the Floor," "it's a new generation." Can this diva still compete with the kiddies?

In the Running:

Nicki Minaj

"Super Bass"

0 Noms

In Her Favor: She the year's hottest artist, crafting her own unique image in the male-dominated rap industry with a fanbase as diverse and strange as she is.

But: Nicki is incredibly famous but it doesn't really feel like she's had her own massive hit to match the hype, does it?

Adele

"Rolling in the Deep"

0 Noms

In Her Favor: Adele's 21 just spent her fifteenth non-consecutive week at #1 in the UK while hitting #1 with both her album and this song here in America. This line-up feels like it is missing a real critical darling/vocal powerhouse.

But: Can't you just imagine 15 year olds giving a collective shrug or, even worse, a "Who?" when someone mentions Adele? Sad but it has been known to happen.

Taylor Swift

"Back to December"

2 Noms/1 Win

In Her Favor: Kanyegate got her a second nomination last year. Do they still feel bad for that incident? "Back to December" is her most recent offering and it's a much more memorable jam than what got her nominated last time ("Fifteen").

But: Not that it truly matters, even though it should, the "Back to December" video is horrendous. Besides, how long can MTV make amends for The Incident before we're all ready to move on?

P!nk

"Raise Your Glass"

1 Nom/1 Win

In Her Favor: Another massive "It Gets Better" anthem. P!nk proved once again that can she still rock out in an era of Ke$has and Katy Perrys.

But: Doesn't it feel like P!nk should have a lot more than one nomination? Maybe they're just not that into her.

Ke$ha

"Blow"

1 Nom/0 Wins

In Her Favor: A wonderful James Van Der Beek cameo made this the first Ke$ha video to truly encapsulate her strange persona in visual form.

But: The song wasn't as big as "We R Who We R" or her other hits from the first album. Will people care enough about this song in a couple months?

Never Say Never:

Beyoncé

"Run the World (Girls)"

5 Noms/2 Wins

In Her Favor: The video hasn't premiered yet, but B is always a threat in this category. She amassed her 5 noms in an eight year span; only Madonna did it quicker.

But: The song FLOPPED. Will a second single materialize before the eligibility field is closed?

Jessie J featuring B.O.B.

"Price Tag"

0 Noms

In Her Favor: She'd be the critical darling of the category.

But: Who? Was "Price Tag" big enough to earn her a spot with such megastars as Gaga and Britney?

Keri Hilson

"Pretty Girl Rock"

0 Noms

In Her Favor: The category is severely lacking in some R&B divas.

But: "Pretty Girl Rock" hasn't exactly been burning up the charts, has it? And if she couldn't get in for "Knock You Down," chances are she won't for this.

Selena Gomez & The Scene

"Who Says"

0 Noms

In Her Favor: While Miley has gone and pissed on the pop community, Selena has embraced it. Britney is contributing to her next album.

But: "Who Says" isn't a major hit. There are still a lot of people who don't know her at all or just know her as Justin Bieber's girlfriend.

Britney's Videography: The 'Overprotected' Videos

Britney Spears 'Overprotected' # # # # #

Britney Spears 'Overprotected [Darkchild Remix]' # # # # #

For the fourth single from the Britney album, released two different music videos: one for the album version and one for the Darkchild remix, which proved to be the more popular of the two. In fact, the Darkchild remix has become so ingrained in me, I don't even remember seeing the original version's video until starting this project. Apparently I just have a really bad memory, but I think it's quite telling that the first 'Overprotected' video is utterly forgettable. The video begins by establishing the main theme of the song--Britney is grown up and ready to escape constant scrutiny and live her own life--as she leaves for an abandoned warehouse wearing quite possibly the coolest pair of blue sunglasses ever. The outfit is a stunner, but everything that follows becomes a mish-mash of random ideas and visuals that never quite come together. At one point, I thought the video was going to become Britney's 'Pleasure Principle,' an opportunity for her to show her worth as a solo dancer after the highs of 'Stronger'. Unfortunately, she only gets a couple of half-ass moves in before some background dancers invade her abandoned warehouse to perform a half-ass routine. And that's the major problem with the original video: everything is done half-ass, banking on Britney's star appeal to do all of the heavy lifting. Any positives that video has can be attributed to either her or the wardrobe, but she can't save a nothing video from being anything more than that.

The Darkchild remix of 'Overprotected' doesn't offer much more in terms of narrative than the original--it's Britney off having fun with her girlfriends--but its execution only highlights everything the first video did so poorly. The video starts with a parody newscast chastising Britney for what she was infamous for doing back in 2002: dressing provocatively. Britney, watching it with her girls, shrugs off the criticisms and prepares for her night on the town, wearing whatever the hell she wants. By framing the video in this way, the silly dancing and partying Britney and her girls partake in makes total sense. They don't want to be so damn protected so they are going out and celebrating their freedom, haters be damned. It is not a revolutionary idea, but it makes perfect sense for the video. Plus, the video looks about a hundred times better than the original. Since this is the "Darkchild" remix, I like that this video takes place at night and has a darker, more interesting look than the bland, tan-ness of the original. And I absolutely adore the limo set piece that transforms into a lighted disco dancefloor. It is because of sparks of imagination like this that the Darkchild video of 'Overprotected' stands heads above the original video.





Britney Spears - Overprotected (Darkchild Remix) by Schutzengerl1205

Previous installments: ...Baby One More Time | Sometimes | (You Drive Me) Crazy (The Stop Remix!) | From the Bottom of My Broken Heart | Born To Make You Happy | Oops!...I Did It Again | Lucky | Stronger | Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know | I'm a Slave 4 U | I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman | Boys

Britney's Videography: 'Boys'

Britney Spears 'Boys' # # # # #

Last time, I admitted that Britney's previous single, 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman,' was the first single of hers that I fell out of love with after the initial glow wore off. 'Boys' was the first single of hers I outwardly didn't like from the first time I heard it and onwards. Even today, I'm still turned off by this draggy, monotonous, uninspired dreck to the point that I consider it easily Britney's worst single. The video doesn't add much to the song, but at least it's a tad more interesting to look at than Britney wandering around a canyon, contemplating her future. 'Boys' is Britney back in ho mode, ready to take on fourteen boys at the same time, have her fun with them and then toss them aside. And the 'Boys' video could have been a lot of fun--think 'I'm a Slave 4 U' but even skankier--except for the fact that the director forgot one important element: the boys. Besides Pharrell, who features on this song, and a cameo from Mike Myers as Austin Powers (the song was on the soundtrack for Austin Powers in Goldmember), there's only one other guy in the video and he's totally the kind of skanky, unattractive guy Britney put in all of her videos around this time. What is the use of having a video for a song about fucking boys and then not putting any boys in the video? It really baffles me sometimes how these music video directors come up with these lame concepts that completely fail to capture the spirit of the song. Did anyone listen to the song beforehand?

Britney and Pharrell interact for a few seconds, although you'd be forgiven if you forget it mere seconds later since Britney couldn't give two shits about him. During the interaction, he's a mere prop, a stripper pole of sorts, for Britney to dance around. Pharrell tries his best to make it look they are connecting but Britney is just looking away from him, never once looking like a believable duo. What saves this video from damnation is the final 15 seconds or so when Britney does her obligatory routine with Mike Myers/Austin Powers. It's nothing special, but Britney looks so happy and full of life being silly with Austin Powers that it makes the preceding 3.5 minutes worth it. Believe it or not, silly Britney is not a side of her we get all that often so we must relish it every chance we get.



Previous installments: ...Baby One More Time | Sometimes | (You Drive Me) Crazy (The Stop Remix!) | From the Bottom of My Broken Heart | Born To Make You Happy | Oops!...I Did It Again | Lucky | Stronger | Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know | I'm a Slave 4 U | I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman

Britney's Videography: 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman'

Britney Spears 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman' # # # # #

Confession time: I've never seen the film Crossroads, Britney's acting debut and the inspiration for this second single from the Britney album. This appears to be sacrilegious for a Britney fan like myself, yet I have no real explanation for why it has never happened. I didn't go to the movies that often back then--if it had come out in 2007, I would have been at the midnight screening--and I'm guessing that by the time it came out on VHS (this was before DVDs!), I had already entered my dark years where Britney didn't matter anymore. Another possible explanation was that even to my untrained, nearly 14 year old eye, Crossroads looked like a shitty movie. Yes, I loved Britney but, my God, who could get excited over that movie? And when the song used to promote the movie is this soppy ballad, my interest has gone down considerably. Don't get me wrong; I'm sure I loved this song when it came out, just as I had all of Brit's previous singles. But it was obviously a quick fade, as Brit's moping about her journey into womanhood is one of her few singles that I rarely think about these days. It's not as if the video offers a reason to remember 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman.' I seriously thought there were at least clips of Crossroads intertwined with the images of Britney, not a girl, not a woman, staring across the horizon, figuring out what lies ahead of her in the future but, alas, nothing. Not even an image of Britney approaching a fork in the road, debating which path to take. Come on, people! With a song as clichéd as 'I'm Not a Girl,' you need to throw in every music video cliché in the book. Instead, Britney stands on the edge of a canyon, wearing an outfit that is decidedly more woman than girl, and walks around the inside of a canyon that looks eerily similar to the canyon James Franco is climbing in the trailer for 127 Hours. Hm, maybe Britney cutting off her own arm would have made this video watchable and would have gotten me to a theatre to see Britney do her thing on-screen.



Previous installments: ...Baby One More Time | Sometimes | (You Drive Me) Crazy (The Stop Remix!) | From the Bottom of My Broken Heart | Born To Make You Happy | Oops!...I Did It Again | Lucky | Stronger | Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know | I'm a Slave 4 U

Britney's Videography: 'I'm a Slave 4 U'

Britney Spears 'I'm a Slave 4 U' # # # # #

New album, new Britney. If there's one thing I've noticed while reevaluating Britney's videos these past months, it's that she was the master at minor reinvention. Madonna has always been cited as a major influence on Britney's career, and it's easy to see how both of their careers parallel each others. Whereas Madonna gets (much deserved) credit for drastically molding herself into something new with each album, Britney hasn't received any credit for how she has changed her image album to album, video to video. The Britney you see in '...Baby One More Time,' is not the Britney you see in 'I'm a Slave 4 U,' the first single from her third album. In this video, Britney has all but abandoned the innocent, schoolgirl charm of just a few years ago. She's not yet a woman, but she's clearly graduated from parochial school. The idea behind the 'I'm a Slave 4 U' video--Britney, in an unnamed exotic, extremely humid city, parties with a group of friends who plan on beating the heat by bumping and grinding and having an orgy--is far better than the execution. Not that the video reaches 'Born to Make You Happy' levels of awfulness, mind you, but you know a lot more naughtiness could have come about from Britney romping around with shirtless boys, panting in time to the beat. Britney, though, tries her best to make the video work, and any positives can be solely attributed to her. She's sultry, slinking around the maze of a hallway or leaning against a mirror, checking out her hot reflection. Britney looks great as well, making perspiration sexy and not like someone has dumped a bucket of stinky water all over her body, as perspiration tends to do to us mere mortals. She can't save the video, however, and with such a middling video, it makes you wonder why no one thought to bring in the infamous yellow boa constrictor.



Previous installments: ...Baby One More Time | Sometimes | (You Drive Me) Crazy (The Stop Remix!) | From the Bottom of My Broken Heart | Born To Make You Happy | Oops!...I Did It Again | Lucky | Stronger | Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know

2010 VMA Wrap Up (via Twitter)

There are two reasons why I'm not doing a "proper" write up of last night's VMA's: (1) I'm lazy and (2) The show was so incredibly dull. I was bored during the first part of the awards, so I got drunk and started tweeting like a mad man. So, here is everything you need to know about last night's show courtesy of my Twitter.










And here are some of my favorite tweets from some other awesome twatters out there.