Taylor Swift Leads the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards Nominations, Followed by Post Malone

US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift arrives for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. (AFP)
US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift arrives for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. (AFP)
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Taylor Swift Leads the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards Nominations, Followed by Post Malone

US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift arrives for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. (AFP)
US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift arrives for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. (AFP)

It’s Taylor Swift’s world, and the MTV Video Music Award nominations are the latest proof.

“The Tortured Poets Department” singer once again tops the VMA noms with 10 — eight for her “Fortnight” music video and nods in the artist of the year and best pop categories. She’s followed by her “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone, who is nominated along with Swift eight times and earned his ninth nom for his country hit “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen.

Rounding out the artist of the year category nominees announced Tuesday are Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Eminem, Sabrina Carpenter and SZA.

Swift took home nine VMAs last year, bringing her total to an impressive 23. That places her just behind Beyoncé, who has 28 (two with Destiny’s Child) and just ahead of Madonna, who has 20 awards, and Lady Gaga, who has 19.

The 2024 MTV VMAs will air live on Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Grande, Carpenter and Eminem are tied with six nods; Megan Thee Stallion and SZA have five each. Blackpink's LISA, Olivia Rodrigo and Teddy Swims follow with four nominations.

This year marks 29 first-time nominees, which include Wallen, Carpenter and Swims as well as Benson Boone and Tyla — the latter boast three nominations each.

Also nominated for the first time in 2024 are Chappell Roan, Coco Jones, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Jessie Murph, LE SSERAFIM, Morgan Wallen, Rauw Alejandro, RAYE, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey, Tyla, Tyler Childers, Victoria Monet and more.

The VMAs will be held at the UBS Arena on New York's Long Island. Fan voting begins online Tuesday across 15 categories and ends Aug. 30.

Voting in the best new artist category will remain active throughout the show.



Japan Hails 100M Champ Lyles as ‘World’s Fastest Anime Fan’ 

Noah Lyles of the USA celebrates after winning the Men 100m final of the Athletics competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the Stade de France stadium in Saint Denis, France, 04 August 2024. (EPA)
Noah Lyles of the USA celebrates after winning the Men 100m final of the Athletics competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the Stade de France stadium in Saint Denis, France, 04 August 2024. (EPA)
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Japan Hails 100M Champ Lyles as ‘World’s Fastest Anime Fan’ 

Noah Lyles of the USA celebrates after winning the Men 100m final of the Athletics competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the Stade de France stadium in Saint Denis, France, 04 August 2024. (EPA)
Noah Lyles of the USA celebrates after winning the Men 100m final of the Athletics competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the Stade de France stadium in Saint Denis, France, 04 August 2024. (EPA)

Japanese media hailed Olympic 100m gold medalist Noah Lyles as the world's fastest anime fan after the American celebrated his win by miming an attack from "Dragon Ball".

Just five thousandths of a second separated the American champion from Jamaica's Kishane Thompson -- a thrilling finish that was the event's closest in modern history.

Wrapped in a US flag after the race, an over-the-moon Lyles thrust his hands forward, fingers splayed, imitating the "kamehamaha" attack used to unleash a powerful burst of energy in the Japanese manga and anime franchise.

The 27-year-old Lyles has made no secret of his love for Japanese pop culture, including comics and cartoons such as the global 1990s megahit "Dragon Ball".

At the Olympic trials in June, he delighted fellow anime enthusiasts by whipping out his "Yu-Gi-Oh" cards and showing them off to the cameras.

"Yu-Gi-Oh!" ran in the Japanese weekly comic magazine Shonen Jump between 1996 and 2004 and gave rise to a media franchise including a trading card game.

"Mankind's fastest otaku", blared a headline in Japanese sports newspaper Daily Sports -- using the term for hardcore superfans in a new nickname also used by other outlets.

Anime fans on social media also recalled how Lyles had paid tribute to "Dragon Ball" creator Akira Toriyama after his death aged 68 earlier this year.

"So sad to lose a legend Akira Toriyama... his work has forever affected my life," Lyles wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, in March.

"I'm sure this kamehameha didn't go unnoticed by Toriyama-sensei," one fan said on X in response to his victory on Sunday.

The French men's fencing team also paid homage to "Dragon Ball" when they made "kamehameha" gestures in unison after winning bronze.

But it isn't the only anime that has inspired Olympians.

Brazilian volleyball player Darlan Ferreira Souza was seen in Paris with a tattoo on his arm featuring a slogan from "Haikyu!!", a series about high-school volleyball clubs.

The tattoo, saying "omoide nanka iran (We don't need memories)", elated "Haikyu!!" fans in Japan who saw the ink as proof of the anime's reach and impact.

"So happy to know 'Haikyu!' is travelling worldwide. Hope it will continue to inspire volleyball players across the world", one X post said.