The American Music Awards are just a week away and here is the complete list of nominations together with my predictions.

Artist of the Year

Justin Bieber
Drake
Maroon 5
Katy Perry
Rihanna

My Prediction: Rihanna

Reason: While any of the five nominations could win it, I feel that Rihanna has done enough this year to deserve a win in this category. After releasing “Talk That Talk” she proved once again how good she actually is with several hit songs from the album like “We Found Love” and “Cockiness (Love It)”. She has only improved in the past year and that can be seen in her latest single “Diamonds” which showcases her artistry, voice and lyrics.

Odd one out: Katy Perry – While Katy Perry is a good artist I can not understand what she is doing in this category. The name of the award is “Artist of the Year” but how can someone be nominated when they have done very little this year and have not even released an album since 2010? Letting the fans vote for their favorite artist is all fine by me but Katy Perry does not deserve this nomination in my honest opinion. Having an album is not everything but if you have not released an album within years time your chances of winning should become smaller. Whatever the case may be, it is very odd for her to get this nomination over so many artists that have worked their asses off this year and did not get any recognition whatsoever.

New Artist of the Year

J. Cole
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Gotye
Carly Rae Jepsen
One Direction

My Prediction: Gotye

Reason: All of the artists/groups nominated deserve the nomination but Gotye should be taking this award home with him at the end of the night. While I have some doubts if he will be winning as it depends on the voters, I still see him winning just by the pure reason that he has a very unique sound and has taken the world by storm. Some may still be wondering who Gotye even is as even as popular as he has become he is still more well-known outside of the USA. The minute you listen to any of his songs, you will be immediately hypnotized by the sound, lyrics and style of Gotye´s music. “Somebody That I Used to Know” featuring Kimbra is the most well-known song from Gotye off of his latest album called “Making Mirrors”, an album where all songs are written and composed by him. Not only is it his most well-known song, it is the song that literally made him famous around the world as the song peaked at the number 1 spot in over 25 countries. If that does not prove that he is worthy of this award… nothing will.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Male Artist – Pop / Rock

Justin Bieber
Flo Rida
Pitbull
Usher

My Prediction: Justin Bieber

Reason: I don´t have to be a Bieber fan to admit that he is good at what he does. He sells albums and teenage girls around the world adore him. But even besides all that, Justin Bieber´s album “Believe” sold 374,000 copies the first week and say what you want about the kid, he can sell records and make hit songs. Those are reasons enough for him to deserve the award for Favorite Male Artist.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Female Artist – Pop / Rock

Kelly Clarkson
Nicki Minaj
Katy Perry
Rihanna

My Prediction: Kelly Clarkson

Reason: First of all I have to say that I’m stunned to see Nicki Minaj being nominated for a pop award as she is a rapper, I hardly doubt that a couple of pop songs make you a pop artist but now over to Kelly Clarkson. I think that she is a real pop artist as it can be seen in her latest album and recently released songs that she is pretty much the definition of pop music. While Kelly Clarkson is hardly the favorite with artists like Rihanna and Katy Perry being nominated I still see her taking this award.

Odd one out: Katy Perry – As the fans are picking the winners in all categories it is safe to say that some artists can pull off the unthinkable. Like I said in the “Artist of the Year” category, while she is a good artist, 2012 is not her year and to think that she is getting nominated in categories like these.

Favorite Band, Duo or Group – Pop / Rock

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Maroon 5
One Direction
The Wanted

My Prediction: One Direction

Reason: The fans are voting, which means that the group with the highest fan base will be winning this award and guess which group has the highest teenage fan base out of the 4 nominated groups? One Direction blew up this year and it made sense as some of their songs are actually really good. Not only are they a good boy-band but usually the artist/group that blows up and are the newcomers take these awards. I do not see this year being any different.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Album – Pop / Rock

Justin Bieber – “Believe”
Maroon 5 – “Overexposed”
Nicki Minaj – “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded”
One Direction – “Up All Night”

My Prediction: Justin Bieber – “Believe”

Reason: This is the main reason Justin Bieber was nominated for “Artist of the Year” as this album did not only do good in sales it is also very well produced. Sales are most definitely not the most important thing, the songs and the music on the album are. “As Long as You Love Me” featuring Big Sean, “Boyfriend” and “All Around The World” are perfect examples of the kind of good music Justin Bieber can make. Not only are those 3 songs great but they showcase Justin´s vocal capabilities and shows off the production level the songs have. He is also one hell of a dancer and his music videos showcase that. This album is solid from top to bottom with a few questionable songs from Bieber but overall it’s a hit.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Male Artist – Country

Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church

My Prediction: Jason Aldean

Reason: The 35-year-old country singer still has a voice and good amount of fans. Jason Aldean released an album earlier this year titled “Night Train” which sold a whopping 409,303 copies in the first week. While it might be a close call between Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan, I feel that if we are going after what they have produced in a years time and the amount of fans they each have, Jason Aldean should be the winner and deservingly so.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Female Artist – Country

Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

My Prediction: Taylor Swift

Reason: I feel that this award is pretty much just for show as Taylor Swift is head and shoulders above the two other artists nominated in this category. While Taylor does not have a specific country sound in all
of her songs, she definitely has enough to win this award over Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. While I hope and believe Taylor Swift is going to win this award, It might be a close call as Taylor Swift´s recently released album “Red” is too new so it might not be taken into consideration. But if the fans are voting and if Taylor´s new album sales are of any indication, Taylor Swift will be bringing this award home with her.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Band, Duo or Group – Country

Zac Brown Band
Lady Antebellum
Rascal Flatts

My Prediction: Lady Antebellum

Reason: This category was beyond difficult to choose a winner from as all of the 3 groups could win it. Zac Brown Band and Rascal Flatts could win it purely because of the fact that they have done more than Lady Antebellum this year. Both bands released an album but so did Lady Antebellum, a Christmas album though. While I find it difficult to see Lady Antebellum losing just because of their enormous fan base, I think that it will be a close call between them and Zac Brown Band. I´m definetly going out on a limb on this one.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Album – Country

Luke Bryan – “Tailgates & Tanlines”
Lionel Richie – “Tuskegee”
Carrie Underwood – “Blown Away”

My Prediction: Carrie Underwood – “Blow Away”

Reason: ”Blown Away” debuted at number 1, selling 267,000 copies in the first week. Carrie Underwood´s voice is as powerful as ever on this new album. Even though “Blown Away” is a bit different from Underwood´s earlier works it is still very solid and the track order is just beautiful. While the album is a bit more experimental with different music it still holds a special country/pop/rock feel that is something Carrie Underwood is known for. I do not see “Tuskegee” and “Tailgates & Tanlines” taking this award purely because they seem good compared to “Blown Away” which was more than good, it was pretty great actually. Carrie Underwood can be proud of herself after she takes the award for Favorite Album (Country) home with her.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Artist – Rap / Hip-hop

Drake
Nicki Minaj
Tyga

My Prediction: Nicki Minaj

Reason: Why not already send the award to Young Money headquarters and be done with it? While I find it very peculiar that all of the nominees are from Young Money, I indeed think that Nicki being nominated makes sense and with the people she is up against, I see her winning this award as well. Nicki Minaj has released a large number of music videos, hit songs and we can´t forget about the album she released earlier this year. Nicki Minaj has done more than enough this year to win this award but I do have to admit that it will be a close one between her and Drake.

Odd one out: Tyga – While Drake and Nicki being nominated makes sense, nominating Tyga is questionable. While Tyga did drop a fantastic album earlier this year, there are so many rappers that deserve this nomination more than him, rappers such as Rick Ross, Wale and lets not forget the rapper that could be winning this award if he would be nominated, Kanye West. All in all it´s great for Tyga but it´s most definitely a questionable artist to have as a nominee in this stacked category.

Favorite Album – Rap – Hip-hop

J. Cole – “Cole World: The Sideline Story”
Drake – “Take Care”
Nicki Minaj – “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded”

My Prediction: Drake – “Take Care”

Reason: While many have compared “Cole World: The Sideline Story” with “Take Care”, I feel that when it comes to the production and track order, “Take Care” edges out J. Cole´s album. Drake´s album also showcases his phenomenal lyricism, storytelling and how he can go from a mellow and calm beat to a more energetic one without the lyrics suffering from it. While J. Cole´s album is great and has a number of good songs, we can not forget that “Take Care” has great songs as well, not only a few but the album is packed to the brim with them. “Take Care” also released 6 singles off of the album while “Cole World: The Sideline Story” released but 3.

Odd one out: None -  but yet again the nominees are questionable as albums more deserving of a spot did not make the cut.

Favorite Male Artist – Soul / R&B

Chris Brown
Trey Songz
Usher

My Prediction: Usher

Reason: Usher has been doing his thing the past year and after releasing another solid album, it is time to take another victory in a category like this. Usher has won it the past two years and I don´t see this year being so much different from 2010 or 2011 as Usher dropped a great album which did very well in sales with several singles off the album which became hits. Usher has done enough to secure a win in this category.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Female Artist – Soul / R&B

Beyonce
Mary J. Blige
Rihanna

My Prediction: Rihanna

Reason: Both Beyonce and Mary J. Blige are more Soul than Rihanna, but the amount of quality R&B songs Rihanna has created this past year makes her easily the favorite to win. Rihanna was featured on Drake´s hit song “Take Care”, she created several phenomenal songs, most of which went platinum and lets not forget the excellent album she released titled “Talk That Talk”. Rihanna is very similar to Beyonce in a way that they are both very good at creating hit R&B songs but Rih-Rih has done a lot of great things this year for R&B but even that is an understatement. Bey and Blige will be tough to beat but if we are going after the amount of hit songs, quality and the production of the album there is no doubt that Rihanna should be winning in this category.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Album – Soul / R&B

Chris Brown – “Fortune”
Rihanna – “Talk That Talk”
Usher – “Looking 4 Myself”

My Prediction: Rihanna – “Talk That Talk”

Reason: While all albums are worthy of being nominated I just do not see “Talk That Talk” losing in a category like this. Rihanna has once again pulled out all stops to secure the fact that another one of her albums has become a phenomenal hit among the fans. One of the albums hit songs “We Found Love” featuring Calvin Harris peaked at the number 1 spot in nearly 30 countries which is already very impressive on its own. “You da one”, “Talk That Talk” and “Where Have You Been” are only a few of the great songs on the album that were well received by the fans and critics alike. While an argument could be made for Usher´s “Looking 4 Myself” I feel that “Talk That Talk” has a better set of songs and a better track order but even in those cases the albums are pretty neck-and-neck.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Artist – Alternative Rock

The Black Keys
Gotye
Linkin Park

My Prediction: Linkin Park

Reason: When it comes to Alternative Rock or Rock in general, Linkin Park has proven over the years to be one of the most relevant and greatest rock bands out there. This year Linkin Park released another solid album titled “Living Things” which sold 230,000 copies the first week. The album was not the bands best work but still had enough decent songs on it to be considered a good album. “Burn It Down” and “Lost in The Echo” are two phenomenal singles off the album “Living Things”. While Linkin Park has changed their sound a bit, they still hold that special Alternative Rock feel that you can´t figure out even if you tried. They have the sound and singles to prove that they are still as hot as they once were so going up against The Black Keys and Gotye should not hinder them from taking the award home with them.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Artist – Adult Contemporary

Adele
Kelly Clarkson
Train

My Prediction: Adele

Reason: While Adele has not released an album within the past year, she is still my pick over Kelly Clarkson and Train. I see Adele winning this award purely because she is far more Adult Contemporary in her style than Kelly Clarkson and Train, both are more pop than anything else. Adele has not done that much this year which could have her losing this award but then again the fans are voting which could make Adele the favorite to win.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Artist – Latin

Don Omar
Pitbull
Shakira

My Prediction: Pitbull

Reason: Shakira would be my prediction if she would have done a bit more this year but at the same time I can not turn a blind eye on Pitbull who has been very impressive the past year. Whether it be electronic dance, hip-hop or pop, Pitbull does it well. He has his own style and his own unique way of creating music which can be heard on songs like “Back in Time” and “Get It Started” (featuring Shakira). Don Omar and Shakira both had a rather good year but at the same time Pitbull did more and had more quality songs released which gives him a bigger chance of winning the award. Whichever way you look at it, Pitbull deserves to win the award for Favorite Latin Artist this year.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Artist – Contemporary Inspirational

Jeremy Camp
Newsboys
tobyMac

My Prediction: tobyMac

Reason: Contemporary Inspirational is a difficult category to predict a winner from if you are not familiar with the artists but that can be said about any category. tobyMac has been a very inspiring person over the past few years and he keeps creating good music year after year. While I know about tobyMac and Jeremy Camp I had to do my research regarding Newsboys before picking a winner. Even after everything I found out I see tobyMac still taking this award home with him.

Odd one out: None

Favorite Artist – Electronic Dance Music (EDM)

David Guetta
Calvin Harris
Skrillex

My Prediction: David Guetta

Reason: This is what David Guetta does best and it is hard for anyone to beat him when you are playing his game but it isn´t totally impossible for Calvin Harris to take this award home either. Even if it might become a tight race I still believe that David Guetta will be winning this award.

Odd one out: None

(Information & Nominees via ABC)
(Justin Bieber Screen capture from “As Long As You Love Me” Music Video / ©2012 The Island Def Jam Music Group)
(Rihanna Screen capture from “Diamonds” Music Video / ©2012 The Island Def Jam Music Group)
(Nicki Minaj Screen capture from “Va Va Voom” Music Video / ©2012 Cash Money Records, Inc.)