Katy Perry is MTV’s First Artist of the Year
Katy Perry is MTV’s Artist of the Year for 2011. The announcement comes as part of the network’s first ever “Best of” series, and Perry’s choice was attributed in part to the pop superstar’s string of number one singles released from her most recent record, 2010’s Teenage Dream. Five singles released from the record reached number one, tying a record of number one singles from one album set by Michael Jackson’s 1987 album, Bad. The five singles are the record’s title track, “California Gurls,” “Firework,” “E.T.” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F).” Her current single, “The One That Got Away,” was released in October and currently is at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
An internal panel at MTV chose the “Best of” lists in an attempt to create a network consensus in a move executives hope will become an annual event. Panelists from different MTV departments debated each list in a discussion that was aired live on mtv.com. Nicki Minaj came in at number two on the Artist of the Year list, with the top five rounded out by Adele, The Throne (Jay-Z and Kanye West) and Lady Gaga. Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” was named Best Song of 2011. Other categories include Best Movie (“Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”), Best Electronic Dance Music Artist of the Year (Skrillex) and MTV Performance (Thirty Seconds to Mars). The latter category was chosen by MTV viewers.
Perry could cap off a remarkable year at the 54th Grammy Awards, a ceremony to be held next February. Though Teenage Dream was already nominated for Best Album and Best Pop Vocal album at the 53rd Grammy Awards this year, “Firework” is nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. The album did win Top Pop Album at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards, and also for International Album of the Year at Canada’s Juno Awards.