LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – The finalists were announced today (April 8) for the 2022 Billboard Music Awards (BBMA), which honor the year’s most successful artists in 62 categories encompassing all genres of music. The awards will also present the prestigious Billboard Icon Award, which honors record-breaking artists and their impact on the music industry, along with the Billboard Change Maker Award, which honors an artist or group that speaks truth to power through their music, platform, and community.
- The Weeknd leads as a finalist in 17 categories, the most of any artist for 2022, including Top Artist, Top Male Artist, and more. His Ariana Grande collaboration “Save Your Tears (Remix)” is up for six awards.
- Doja Cat leads the females as a finalist in 14 categories, including Top Artist, Top Female Artist, and more. Her album Planet Her is up for two awards.
- Justin Bieber, with 21 previous wins, lands among the top finalist as he’s up for 13 categories, including Top Male Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, and Top Billboard Global 200 Artist.
- Taylor Swift, the most decorated BBMA artist of all time, is a finalist in 7 categories. She could surpass Drake for most wins if she wins at least five for 2022. She’s up for Top Artist and Top Female Artist, Top Country Album for Fearless (Taylor’s Version), and Red (Taylor’s Version).
- Newbie Olivia Rodrigo ends up landing in 13 categories, including Top Artist, Top New Artist, Top Female Artist, and Top Hot 100 Artist.
This year, five new categories were announced, with four based on Billboard’s first authoritative global charts and one measuring viral songs. The Billboard global charts rank songs based on streams and download sales worldwide and excluding the US. The new global categories are Top Billboard Global 200 Artist and Top Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Artist, Top Billboard Global 200 Song, and Top Billboard Global Excl U.S. Song.
The BBMA finalists are based on fundamental fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring, and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Luminate. The awards are based on the chart period of April 10, 2021, through March 26, 2022. The BBMA’s will air live on NBC from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 15th, and will stream live on Peacock.
