Your 2012 VMA Nominees: Drake, Rihanna, Frank Ocean, Carly Rae Jepsen …

The nominees for the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards are out, and along with the usual Top 40 teen picks — One Direction, Maroon 5, Coldplay — are a surprising number of people and things you might have actually liked this year. Such as: Frank Ocean! (Nominated for Best New Artist, Best Male Video, and Best Direction.) And Drake’s “HYFR� bar mitzvah video! (That’s one of five nods for the Sweater Lord.) M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls� video! Carly Rae! The poor guy who had to put all the extra Kanyes in that “Mercy� video even got a nomination. It’s not a perfect list, obviously (where is Beyoncé’s Countdown nod, for instance? How will she announce pregnancy No. 2 if she’s even not even at the ceremony?!), but overall: not bad, MTV.  The awards go down September 8; full list of nominees is below.

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�
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 & Men, “Little Talks�

Best Choreography
Chris Brown, “Turn Up the Music�
Rihanna, “Where Have You Been�
Beyoncé, “Countdown�
Avicii, “Le7els�
Jennifer Lopez f/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�
The Throne, “Otis�

Best Editing
Beyoncé, “Countdown�
A$AP Rocky, “Goldie�
Gotye, “Somebody That I Used to Know�
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�