2017 People’s Choice Awards Preview

The 2017 awards season continues to be in full swing with the People’s Choice Awards, which celebrates the best in movies, TV, music, and social media through over 60 total award categories. Check out our predictions for the winners in the music field of the 2017 People’s Choice Awards below. 

Favorite Male Artist

Should win: Drake

Will win: Justin Timberlake

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Justin Timberlake has proven for years that he is the ultimate showman. His bouncy, feel-good single “Cant Stop the Feeling” signaled his triumphant return to music and had the world dancing any time it played. Despite consistent success all year from his album Views, we predict Drake will fall short to Timberlake in this category, which also recognizes Blake Shelton, Shawn Mendes, and The Weeknd as nominees.

Favorite Female Artist

Should win: Adele

Will win: Beyonce

Adele and Beyonce have much in common: they both dominate charts, sell out worldwide tours, and have reached legendary status as two of the greatest female singers of all time. They are the top two contenders for this honor, which also nominates Britney Spears, Ariana Grande and Rihanna. Adele’s music may have had a bigger impact on the radio, but Beyonce’s legion of fans will no doubt vote her through to victory here.

Favorite Group

Should win: Twenty One Pilots

Will win: Fifth Harmony

Though they are now without Camila Cabello, the fierce ladies of Fifth Harmony have the best chance of winning for Favorite Group, going up against Panic! at the Disco, Coldplay, Twenty One Pilots and The Chainsmokers. They had plenty of competition for time on the airwaves, especially from hit-makers Twenty One Pilots and The Chainsmokers, however, their fan base is much larger, which is a good indication that they will be victorious in the end.

Favorite Breakout Artist

Should win: The Chainsmokers

Will win: Niall Horan or Zayn

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The DJ duo of Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall, a.k.a. The Chainsmokers, had a tremendous breakout  year with a string of Top 40 hits including “Roses,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” “Closer,” and “All We Know.” However, it is unlikely they will beat out either Niall Horan or Zayn, the former One Direction bandmates who are now topping charts as solo artists. Given the hordes of dedicated 1D fans out there, we can count on them voting either of the ex-boy banders through, it’s just a matter of which one. Alessia Cara and DNCE are also nominated.

Favorite Male Country Artist

Should win: Luke Bryan

Will win: Blake Shelton

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Luke Bryan has become one of country music’s most successful men in recent years. He is up against an impressive group of nominees, including Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Sam Hunt and Tim McGraw, and is the most deserving thanks to the monumental success of his latest album Kill the Lights. However, Shelton will likely take home this award for a second consecutive year, largely in part to his popularity as a reality TV star. He notched his fifth coaching victory on The Voice last month.

Favorite Female Country Artist

Should & will win: Carrie Underwood

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Reigning country queen Carrie Underwood will take home this award after a whirlwind year on tour supporting her fifth no. 1 album Storyteller. Having beat out fellow nominees Miranda Lambert and Kelsea Ballerini for the Female Vocalist of the Year prize at the CMA Awards, Underwood is on track to come out on top again in this category, which also recognizes country greats Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire as nominees.

Favorite Country Group

Should win: Florida Georgia Line

Will win: Little Big Town

Florida Georgia Line had listeners fall in love with them all over again with their sentimental ballad, “H.O.L.Y.,” which became their tenth no. 1 hit. If they were put in a category for duos only, they would be the runaway winner. However, FGL has some stiff competition in the group category, going up against Zac Brown Band, Lonestar, Little Big Town and The Band Perry. Given their hot streak in categories like this, it’s likely that Little Big Town will be the People’s Choice here.

Favorite Pop Artist

Should win: Adele

Will win: Ariana Grande

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Nominees Justin Timberlake, Adele, Ariana Grande, Britney Spears and Sia have all proven their worth as pop royalty, however, only one can win. It is hard to surpass Adele in overall musical success, but Ariana Grande has quickly risen to the top of pop music, and was crowned Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards, giving her an edge to be voted to victory in this category as well.

Favorite Hip-Hop Artist

Should win: Kendrick Lamar

Will win: DJ Khaled

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Out of nominees G-Eazy, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa and DJ Khaled, Lamar has established himself as one of rap and hip-hop’s most successful artists, with his latest album To Pimp a Butterfly topping the Billboard Hot 200 chart and achieving Platinum certification. By this measure, he is the most qualified to take home this award. However, DJ Khaled has become an unlikely social media legend thanks to his colorful Snapchat account. It’s likely his popularity through this platform will be enough for him to be voted as the People’s Choice.

Favorite R&B Artist

Should win: Beyonce

Will win: Drake

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Beyonce, Drake, Rihanna, Usher and The Weeknd are the contenders for this award, but something tells us it will come down to Drake and Beyonce. She continuously wows fans with her musical creativity, and had one of the biggest albums of the year with Lemonade (see below). He impressed and gained plenty of hits on his album Views. We’d be happy to see either one of them victorious, but Drake may have a slight edge on this one.

Favorite Album

Should & will win: Lemonade – Beyonce

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If there is one album that defined the year, it’s Lemonade, the creative effort that landed Beyonce her fifth consecutive no. 1 album and became a cultural phenomenon in itself. Count this category as just another award on Queen Bey’s impressive resume. Lemonade is up against Anti (Rihanna), Dangerous Woman (Ariana Grande), Views (Drake), and If I’m Honest (Blake Shelton).

Favorite Song

Should & will win: “One Dance” – Drake ft. Wizkid & Kyla

“One Dance” was the undisputed song of 2016 and is the clear winner of this category. Drake’s catchy tune was his first no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and became the most-streamed song on Spotify, finding its way onto everyone’s playlists. Other nominated songs “Work” (Rihanna ft. Drake), “Can’t Stop the Feeling” (Justin Timberlake), “No” (Meghan Trainor) and “Pillowtalk” (Zayn) were all chart successes, but unfortunately can’t hold a candle in comparison to “One Dance.”

The 2017 People’s Choice Awards airs tonight at 8 p.m. EST on CBS. Actor/comedian Joel McHale serves as the host.

 

 

 

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