VMAs 2022: Only a Few Song of the Summer Nominees Went No. 1
The MTV VMAs take place at the end of the summer every year, so it’s only natural for there to be a Song of the Summer category at the popular award show. But of the 16 songs nominated for the award at the 2022 VMAs, only five have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
2022 VMA Song of the Summer nominee: ‘First Class’ by Jack Harlow
Jack Harlow released “First Class” in April 2022 as a single from his sophomore album Come Home the Kids Miss You. The song famously samples Fergie’s 2006 hit “Glamorous” in the chorus.
The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart just a week after its release, and logged three weeks in the top spot overall.
2022 VMA Song of the Summer nominee: ‘Wait For U’ by Future, Drake, and Tems
“Wait For U” is taken from Future’s album I Never Liked You, released in April 2022. The song, which features guest appearances from Drake and Tems, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 2022. While Future and Drake have notched No. 1s before, it was the first No. 1 for popular Nigerian singer Tems.
2022 VMA Song of the Summer nominee: ‘About Damn Time’ by Lizzo
Lizzo first released “About Damn Time” in April 2022 as the lead single from her highly anticipated album Special. The song debuted at No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100, and continued to climb the chart for several weeks.
“About Damn Time” finally hit No. 1 on the chart in July 2022, three months after its release, thanks in part to a viral TikTok dance challenge. It became Lizzo’s second No. 1 Hot 100 hit after her breakout smash “Truth Hurts.”
2022 VMA Song of the Summer nominee: ‘Break My Soul’ by Beyoncé
Fans were thrilled to hear Beyoncé was coming back with new music in 2022, and she didn’t disappoint: her Renaissance album has gotten people around the world dancing. The album’s lead single, the Big Freedia-assisted “Break My Soul,” was released in June, a month before the album’s release on July 29. The track reached No. 1 in August after the album’s release.
2022 VMA Song of the Summer nominee: ‘Super Freaky Girl’ by Nicki Minaj
The most recent of the Song of the Summer nominees to go No. 1, Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” first made a splash on TikTok before making a bigger splash on the Hot 100 chart. The song debuted at No. 1, becoming Minaj’s first solo No. 1 hit of her career. She also made history as the first rapper to have a song debut at No. 1 since Lauryn Hill did it back in 1998 with her song “Doo Wop (That Thing).”
Other nominees for the 2022 VMA for Song of the Summer
Besides these chart-toppers, there are plenty of other tracks up for the Song of the Summer award. The other nominees are:
- “Me Porto Bonito” by Bad Bunny and Chencho Corleone
- “Left and Right” by Charlie Puth and Jung Kook from BTS
- “Vegas” by Doja Cat
- “Late Night Talking” by Harry Styles
- “Grand” by Kane Brown
- “Big Energy (Remix)” by Latto, Mariah Carey, and DJ Khaled
- “Numb” by Marshmello and Khalid
- “Sunroof” by Nicky Youre and Dazy
- “I Like You (A Happier Song)” by Post Malone and Doja Cat
- “BIZCOCHITO” by Rosalía
- “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy
