iHeart Radio announced the nominees for the 2019 Music Awards, and if you’ve been listening to the radio at all this past year, none of these nominees should be surprising.  Since radio tends to be very mainstream and mostly plays popular music, I was familiar with most of the people in the genres I listen to. My overall takeaway these nominees is that Ella Mai needs to win basically everything she is nominated for. She had a huge year in radio this year with all her singles, and I hope that is reflected in the awards.

Check out my picks below. I greyed out the categories I didn’t feel knowledgeable enough to vote it.

Song of the Year:

“Better Now” – Post Malone

“Girls Like You” – Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B

“God’s Plan” – Drake

“Perfect” – Ed Sheeran

“The Middle” – Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey

Female Artist of the Year: 

Ariana Grande

Camila Cabello

Cardi B

Dua Lipa

Halsey

Male Artist of the Year:  

Drake

Ed Sheeran

Kendrick Lamar

Post Malone

Shawn Mendes

Best Duo/Group of the Year: 

5 Seconds Of Summer

Imagine Dragons

Maroon 5

Panic! At The Disco

twenty one pilots

Best Collaboration:

“Finesse (Remix)” Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B

“Girls Like You” – Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B

“I Like It” – Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin

“Meant To Be” – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line

“The Middle” – Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey

Best New Pop Artist:

Bazzi

Lauv

Marshmello

MAX

NF

Alternative Rock Song of the Year:

“Africa” – Weezer

“Broken” – lovelytheband

“Happier” – Marshmello featuring Bastille

“High Hopes” – Panic! At the Disco

“Natural” – Imagine Dragons

Alternative Rock Artist of the Year:

Imagine Dragons

lovelytheband

Panic! At The Disco

Portugal. The Man

Thirty Seconds To Mars

Best New Rock/Alternative Rock Artist:

AJR

Badflower

Billie Eilish 

lovelytheband

Two Feet

Rock Song of the Year:

“Are You Ready” – Disturbed

“Bulletproof” – Godsmack

“Devil” – Shinedown

“Safari Song” – Greta Van Fleet

“Zombie” – Bad Wolves

Rock Artist of the Year:

Five Finger Death Punch

Godsmack

Greta Van Fleet 

Shinedown

Three Days Grace

Country Song of the Year:

“Heaven” – Kane Brown

“Meant To Be” – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line

“Most People Are Good” – Luke Bryan

“Rich” – Maren Morris

“Tequila” – Dan + Shay

Country Artist of the Year:

Carrie Underwood 

Jason Aldean

Luke Bryan

Luke Combs

Thomas Rhett

Best New Country Artist:

Carly Pearce

Dylan Scott

Jordan Davis

LANCO 

Russell Dickerson

Dance Song of the Year:

“Friends” – Marshmello and Anne-Marie

“Happier” – Marshmello featuring Bastille

“One Kiss” – Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa

“Remind Me To Forget” – Kygo featuring Miguel

“The Middle” – Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey

Dance Artist of the Year: 

Calvin Harris

Kygo

Marshmello

The Chainsmokers

Zedd

Hip-Hop Song of the Year: 

“God’s Plan” – Drake

“I Like It” Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin

“In My Feelings” – Drake

“Nice For What” – Drake

“Psycho” – Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:

Cardi B

Drake

Kendrick Lamar

Post Malone

Travis Scott

Best New Hip-Hop Artist:

BlocBoy JB

Juice WRLD

Lil Baby

Lil Pump

XXXTENTACION

R&B Song of the Year:

“Boo’d Up” – Ella Mai

“Finesse (Remix)” – Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B

“Medicine” – Queen Naija

“Sky Walker” – Miguel featuring Travis Scott

“When We” – Tank

R&B Artist of the Year: 

Daniel Caesar

Ella Mai

H.E.R.

Miguel

SZA

Best New R&B Artist:

Brent Faiyaz

Ella Mai

H.E.R.

Queen Naija

TK Kravitz

Latin Song of the Year: 

“Clandestino” – Shakira featuring Maluma

“Dura” – Daddy Yankee

“Échame La Culpa” – Luis Fonsi and Demi Lovato

“Me Niego” – Reik featuring Ozuna and Wisin

“X” – Nicky Jam and J Balvin

Latin Artist of the Year: 

Bad Bunny

Daddy Yankee

J Balvin

Maluma

Ozuna

Best New Latin Artist: 

Lele Pons

Manuel Turizo

Mau y Ricky

Nio Garcia

Raymix

Regional Mexican Song of the Year:

“Entre Beso y Beso” – La Arrolladora Banda El Limón

“Me Dejé Llevar” – Christian Nodal

“Mejor Me Alejo” – Banda MS

“Mi Sorpresa Fuiste Tú” – Calibre 50

“Mitad Y Mitad” – Calibre 50

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year: 

Banda Carnaval

Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga

Calibre 50

Christian Nodal

Gerardo Ortiz

Producer of the Year: 

David Garcia

Frank Dukes

Louis Bell

Marshmello

Noah “40” Shebib

Best Lyrics: *Socially Voted Category

“Consequences” – Camila Cabello

“Girls Like You” – Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B

“God’s Plan” – Drake

“In My Blood” – Shawn Mendes

“thank u, next” – Ariana Grande

“Without Me” – Halsey

Best Cover Song: *Socially Voted Category

“A Million Dreams” – P!nk and Willow Sage Hart

“Africa” – Weezer

“Crying in the Club” – Niall Horan

“Fast Car” – Khalid

“In My Blood” – Charlie Puth

“Lucid Dreams” – Halsey

“Me, Myself & I” – Zayn

“Natural Woman” – Ariana Grande

“Rewrite the Stars” – Anne-Marie and James Arthur

“You’re Still The One” – Harry Styles and Kacey Musgraves

“Under Pressure” – Shawn Mendes and Teddy Geiger

“Your Song” – Lady Gaga

Best Music Video: *Socially Voted Category

“Delicate” – Taylor Swift

“Dura” – Daddy Yankee

“Finesse (Remix)” – Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B

“Freaky Friday” – Lil Dicky and Chris Brown

“Girls Like You” – Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B

“God’s Plan” – Drake

“I Like It” – Cardi B featuring J Balvin and Bad Bunny

“One Kiss” – Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa

“Psycho” – Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

“Taki Taki” – DJ Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna and Cardi B

“thank u, next” – Ariana Grande

“This Is America” – Childish Gambino

Social Star Award: *Socially Voted Category

Agnez Mo

Bhad Bhabie

Dylan Minnette

Joji

Lele Pons

Loren Gray 

Mason Ramsey

Queen Naija

Tana Mongeau

Trixie Mattel

Cutest Musician’s Pet: *Socially Voted Category

Asia – Lady Gaga

Edgar – Brett Eldredge

Goodwin – Sabrina Carpenter

Gracie – Lauren Jauregui

Hatchi – Perrie Edwards

Mooshu – Alex Pall from The Chainsmokers

Piggy Smallz – Ariana Grande

Best Solo Breakout: *Socially Voted Category

Ally Brooke

Dinah Jane

Lauren Jauregui

Normani

Tiffany Young

Song That Left Us Shook: (New Category) *Socially Voted Category

“Here Comes The Change” – Kesha

“I’ll Never Love Again” – Lady Gaga

“One Day” – Logic featuring Ryan Tedder

“thank u, next” – Ariana Grande

“This Is America” – Childish Gambino

“Youth” – Shawn Mendes and Khalid

Favorite Tour Photographer: (New Category) *Socially Voted Category

Andy DeLuca (5SOS)

Christian Tierney (Niall Horan)

Helene Pambrun (Harry Styles)

Josiah Van Dien (Shawn Mendes)

Pixie Levinson (Dua Lipa)

Rahul B (Camila Cabello)

Ravie B (Beyoncé)

Zack Caspary (Why Don’t We)