Jay-Z, Beyonce, No Doubt, Outkast lead VMA Nominees

27 Jul 2004 12:07:00 EDT

Usher, Kanye West, Hoobstank to perform at August 29 ceremony.
By Robert Mancini

Jay-Z and Beyoncé (file)
Photo: Newscom

The first Moonman won't be handed out for another month, but Jay-Z and Beyoncé are already looking like the king and queen of the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards: The two led the pack when nominations were announced Tuesday morning.

Usher, Kanye West, Jessica Simpson, Hoobastank, Yellowcard and Jet were also unveiled as the show's first performers at Tuesday's announcement in Miami, where the show will be held August 29, marking the VMAs' first staging outside of New York or Los Angeles.

Jay's gritty "99 Problems" clip grabbed the most nominations with six, including nods for Best Video of the Year, Best Male Video and Best Rap Video.

Beyoncé, No Doubt, Usher and Outkast are close behind with five nominations each. Beyoncé's "Naughty Girl" garnered four noms (including Best Female Video), while her "Me, Myself and I" landed in the Best R&B Video category. Usher also spread his five nominations over two different videos, earning four for "Yeah!" and one for "Burn." No Doubt's five nominations came courtesy of the "It's My Life" clip, while Outkast landed their five nods for "Hey Ya!"

Britney Spears, Kanye West, Steriogram, the White Stripes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs all notched four nominations, while Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys, D12, Jet and Modest Mouse scored three noms. Christina Aguilera, Franz Ferdinand, Hoobastank, Jessica Simpson, Maroon 5, Missy Elliott, the Darkness and Yellowcard also head into the show with multiple nominations.

Jay's "99 Problems" will battle Outkast's "Hey Ya!," Usher's "Yeah!," Britney's "Toxic," and D12's "My Band" for Video of the Year, while Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out," Modest Mouse's "Float On," Kanye West's "All Falls Down," New Found Glory's "All Downhill From Here," the White Stripes' "The Hardest Button to Button" and Steriogram's "Walkie Talkie Man" will vie for Breakthrough Video.

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