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New York - Taylor Swift on Tuesday topped the nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards with a pair of elaborate videos from her blockbuster album 1989.
The pop superstar will be in the running for nine awards at the 30 August gala, topping English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, who was tapped for six.
The host of the Los Angeles gala will be singer Miley Cyrus, who at the 2013 awards stripped down to a flesh-coloured bikini and twerked with Robin Thicke - adding to her notoriety but also bringing the bottom-thrusting dance move into the mainstream.
Swift is in the running for Video of the Year for Bad Blood, which features the 25-year-old as a feminist action hero with appearances by a bevy of stars including actress Jessica Alba and rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Also in the running in two categories - Best Female Video and Best Pop Video - is Blank Space, which depicts Swift as a romantic villain feuding with a lover at a mansion.
Blank Space is the fourth most-viewed video ever on YouTube, with more than one billion views.
Success at the MTV Video Music Awards would be the latest triumph for Swift, whose 1989 was the fastest-selling album in the United States in 12 years.
Sheeran was also nominated for Video of the Year for Thinking Out Loud, which shows him ballroom dancing.
Beyoncé was nominated in five categories including Video of the Year for 7/11, in which the pop diva dances in a variety of locations including a hotel balcony, a bathroom and in front of a Christmas tree.
Cyrus announced her participation with a picture on social media that showed her disguised as an amphibian-like alien, with a sign that read "MTV Won't Let Me Perform."
It was followed up by an unmasked Cyrus with a second placard: "So I'm hosting this year's VMAs."
Full list of nominees:
Video of the Year:
Beyoncé - 7/11
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
Kendrick Lamar - Alright
Best Male Video:
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
Kendrick Lamar - Alright
The Weeknd - Earned It
Nick Jonas - Chains
Best Female Video:
Beyoncé - 7/11
Taylor Swift - Blank Space
Nicki Minaj - Anaconda
Sia - Elastic Heart
Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do
Best Hip Hop Video:
Fetty Wap - Trap Queen
Nicki Minaj - Anaconda
Kendrick Lamar - Alright
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth - See You Again
Big Sean ft. E-40 – IDFWU
Best Pop Video:
Beyoncé - 7/11
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
Taylor Swift - Blank Space
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
Maroon 5 – Sugar
Best Rock Video:
Hozier – Take Me To Church
Fall Out Boy - Uma Thurman
Florence + the Machine - Ship To Wreck
Walk the Moon - Shut Up and Dance
Arctic Monkeys - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?
Artist to Watch:
Fetty Wap - Trap Queen
Vance Joy - Riptide
George Ezra - Budapest
James Bay - Hold Back The River
FKA Twigs – Pendulum
Best Collaboration:
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth - See You Again
Ariana Grande & The Weeknd - Love Me Harder
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj - Bang Bang
Video With a Social Message:
Jennifer Hudson - I Still Love You
Colbie Caillat - Try
Big Sean ft. Kanye West and John Legend - One Man Can Change the World
Rihanna - American Oxygen
Wale - The White Shoes
Professional categories:
Best Art Direction:
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood (Charles Infante)
Snoop Dogg - So Many Pros (Jason Fijal)
Jack White - Would You Fight For My Love (Jeff Peterson)
The Chemical Brothers - Go (Michel Gondry)
Skrillex & Diplo - Where Are U Now with Justin Bieber (Brewer)
Best Choreography:
Beyoncé - 7/11 (Beyoncé, Chris Grant, Additional choreography: Gabriel Valenciano)
OK Go - I Won't Let You Down (OK Go, air:man and Mori Harano)
Chet Faker - Gold (Ryan Heffington)
Ed Sheeran - Don't (Nappy Tabs)
Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar - Never Catch Me (Keone and Mari Madrid)
Best Cinematography:
Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar - Never Catch Me (Larkin Sieple)
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud (Daniel Pearl)
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood (Christopher Probst)
FKA Twigs - Two Weeks (Justin Brown)
Alt-J - Left Hand Free (Mike Simpson)
Best Direction:
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood (Joseph Kahn)
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk (Bruno Mars and Cameron Duddy)
Kendrick Lamar - Alright (Colin Tilley & The Little Homies)
Hozier - Take Me To Church (Brendan Canty, Conal Thomson)
Childish Gambino - Sober (Hiro Murai)
Best Editing:
Beyoncé - 7/11 (Beyoncé, Ed Burke, Jonathan Wing)
Ed Sheeran - Don't (Jacquelyn London)
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood (Chancler Haynes at Cosmo Street)
A$AP Rocky - L$D (Dexter Navy)
Skrillex & Diplo - Where Are U Now with Justin Bieber (Brewer)
Best Visual Effects:
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood (Ingenuity Studios)
FKA Twigs - Two Weeks (Gloria FX, Tomash Kuzmytskyi, and Max Chyzhevskyy)
Childish Gambino - Telegraph Ave. (Gloria FX)
Skrillex & Diplo - Where Are U Now with Justin Bieber (Brewer)
Tyler, The Creator - F****** Young/Death Camp (Gloria FX)
