Drake and Rihanna Lead MTV VMA Nominations With Five Each

Drake and Rihanna are tied for the most Moon Man nominations with five each for this year's MTV Video Music Awards, the network has announced.

Both are up for Video of The Year, with Rihanna snagging a nod for her "We Found Love" clip and Drake for "Take Care" – which just happens to feature Rihanna as well. Also up for the top prize are Katy Perry's "Wide Awake," Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" and M.I.A.'s "Bad Girls."

Rihanna's "We Found Love" is also up for Best Pop Video and Best Female Video, where she'll take on Katy Perry's "Part of Me," Beyoncé's "Love on Top," Nicki Minaj's "Starships" and Selena Gomez & the Scene's "Love You Like A Love Song." Rihanna's clip for "Where Have You Been" could take home Best Choreography or Best Visual Effects.

Toronto singer and rapper Drake will also have a handful of chances to win with his track "HYFR," featuring Lil Wayne, up for Best Hip-Hop Video, and "Take Care" nominated for Best Art Direction, Cinematography and Male Video. In the latter category Drake faces off against Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend," Frank Ocean's "Swim Good," Usher's "Climax" and "Turn Up the Music" from his alleged bar-brawl adversary Chris Brown.

Ocean's "Swim Good" is also up for Best New Artist, as is Fun. for their song with Janelle Monae, "We Are Young," along with Carly Rae Jepsen for "Call Me Maybe" and British boy-band sensations the Wanted and One Direction for their hits "Glad You Came" and "What Makes You Beautiful," respectively.

One Direction are also set to perform this year, as is Alicia Keys. 

"Debuting a new song at the VMAs is definitely special," Keys said in a statement. "I debuted 'No One' at the VMAs – it was the first time anyone in the world heard 'No One.' It's the perfect setting. It's the right energy. It's the right vibe. People are so excited about the night of music and hearing different styles that it just goes over really well."

Keeping in touch with the rise of electronic dance music over the past few years, the 2012 VMAs also includes a new category, Best Electronic Dance Music Video. Nominees for the first-time award are Duck Sauce's "Big Bad Wolf," Calvin Harris' "Feel So Close," Skrillex's "First of the Year (Equinox)," Martin Solveig's "The Night Out" and Avicii's "Le7els."

This year's VMAs ceremony airs live on September 6 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Viewers can vote on this year's nominees – full list below – by visiting vma.mtv.com.

Video of the Year

Katy Perry, "Wide Awake"

Gotye, "Somebody That I Used To Know"

Rihanna, "We Found Love"

Drake feat. Rihanna, "Take Care"

M.I.A., "Bad Girls"

Best New Artist

Fun. feat. Janelle Monae, "We Are Young"

Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe"

Frank Ocean, "Swim Good"

One Direction, "What Makes You Beautiful"

The Wanted, "Glad You Came"

Best Hip-Hop Video

Childish Gambino, "Heartbeat"

Drake feat. Lil Wayne, "HYFR"

Kanye West feat. Pusha T, Big Sean & 2 Chainz, "Mercy"

Watch the Throne, "Paris"

Nicki Minaj feat. 2 Chainz, "Beez in the Trap"

Best Male Video

Justin Bieber, "Boyfriend"

Frank Ocean, "Swim Good"

Drake feat. Rihanna, "Take Care"

Chris Brown, "Turn Up the Music"

Usher, "Climax"

Best Female Video

Rihanna, "We Found Love"

Katy Perry, "Part of Me"

Beyoncé, "Love on Top"

Nicki Minaj, "Starships"

Selena Gomez & The Scene, "Love You Like a Love Song"

Best Pop Video

One Direction, "What Makes You Beautiful"

Fun. feat. Janelle Monae, "We Are Young"

Rihanna, "We Found Love"

Justin Bieber, "Boyfriend"

Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa, "Payphone"

Best Rock Video

Coldplay, "Paradise"

The Black Keys, "Lonely Boy"

Linkin Park, "Burn It Down"

Jack White, "Sixteen Saltines"

Imagine Dragons, "It's Time"

Best Electronic Dance Music Video

Duck Sauce, "Big Bad Wolf"

Calvin Harris, "Feel So Close"

Skrillex, "First of the Year (Equinox)"

Martin Solveig, "The Night Out"

Avicii, "Le7els"

Best Video With a Message

Demi Lovato, "Skyscraper"

Rise Against, "Ballad of Hollis Brown"

Kelly Clarkson, "Dark Side"

Gym Class Heroes, "The Fighter"

K'Naan feat. Nelly Furtado, "Is Anybody Out There?"

Lil Wayne, "How to Love"

Best Art Direction

Katy Perry, "Wide Awake"

Drake feat. Rihanna, "Take Care"

Lana Del Rey, "Born to Die"

Regina Spektor, "All the Rowboats"

Of Monsters and Men, "Little Talks"

Best Choreography

Chris Brown, "Turn Up the Music"

Rihanna, "Where Have You Been"

Beyoncé, "Countdown"

Avicii, "Le7els"

Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull, "Dance Again"

Best Cinematography

M.I.A., "Bad Girls"

Adele, "Someone Like You"

Drake feat. Rihanna, "Take Care"

Coldplay feat. Rihanna, "Princess of China"

Lana Del Rey, "Born to Die"

Best Direction

M.I.A., "Bad Girls"

Duck Sauce, "Big Bad Wolf"

Coldplay feat. Rihanna, "Princess of China"

Frank Ocean, "Swim Good"

Watch the Throne, "Otis"

Best Editing

Beyoncé, "Countdown"

A$AP Rocky, "Goldie"

Gotye, "Somebody That I Used to Know"

Watch the Throne, "Paris"

Kanye West feat. Pusha T, Big Sean and 2 Chainz, "Mercy"

Best Visual Effects

Katy Perry, "Wide Awake"

Rihanna, "Where Have You Been"

David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj, "Turn Me On"

Linkin Park, "Burn It Down"

Source: Yahoo!