MTV EMAs 2016 nominees: Are awards dominated by the US and Britain?

Nominees for this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards include artists that are familiar to American listeners, such as Beyonce, Justin Bieber, and Drake. 

The MTV EMAs air on various international MTV networks. The location of the ceremony rotates each year, with the 2016 awards, which will take place on Nov. 6, being held in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. 

Nominees for best song this year are Adele’s track “Hello”; Justin Bieber’s song “Sorry”; the song “7 Years” by Lukas Graham; Mike Posner’s “I Took A Pill In Ibiza”; and Rihanna’s song “Work,” which features Drake. 

The nominees for best video are Coldplay for “Up&Up”; Kanye West for “Famous”; Beyonce for “Formation”; Tame Impala for “The Less I Know the Better”; and The Weeknd for “Starboy,” a song that features Daft Punk. 

Sia, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Adele are nominated for the best female act prize, while The Weeknd, Shawn Mendes, Justin Bieber, Drake, and Calvin Harris are nominated for the best male act award. 

The winners have at times been dominated by American musicians, as in 2008, wrote MTV writer Gil Kaufman. “It was a virtual shut-out at the MTV Europe Music Awards,” Mr. Kaufman wrote of that year's ceremony. “…With a handful of exceptions, actual European acts were left to watch from the audience as a parade of American artists took home awards.” 

And staff at the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle wrote last year that they felt the American and British acts were in the spotlight perhaps a bit too much.

Although Italian pop singer Marco Mengoni appeared at the Milan event to receive his award for Best European Act, many other European stars did not attend in person. "With the candidates at the national level all sending their greetings by video, the international effect of the awards show was limited," DW noted. "Otherwise, British and American artists were in command, making some wonder again just how European the MTV Europe Music Awards are, apart from the venue."