The Thirtieth Anniversary of WMC was a grand affair. Held on the pool deck of the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, the Music Gods protected the event from the torrential rains that fell twenty-four hours later. Lighting was superb – the stage was framed by upright rectangular LED panels. DJ Lee Dagger opened up the awards, and everything was smooth sailing from then on. (The volume for the MC was a tad loud, however.) There was also a VIP area, but many of EDM’s hottest stars chose to sit with the crowd rather than be sequestered in the back.
Best of all, acceptance speeches were mercifully short.
Chiuku Humanitarian Award
The recipient of the MTV Chiuku Award for humanitarian work was DJ Steve Aoki for his support of peta2, PETA’s youth division. Aoki was beautiful in his humility when he accepted the honor.
Honoring the Godfather
The event began with a tribute to Frankie Knuckles, Godfather of House. When Frankie moved from Manhattan to Chicago in the late ‘70s, he took the most sophisticated DJ and remix technologies of the time with him to his new residency, the Warehouse. His NYC-to-Chi-Town sound (as well as his own fondness for beautiful sounds matched with hot beats) attracted national, then international attention. Originally called the Warehouse sound, club kids simplified it to “house music.” Click here for more information about Frankie Knuckles.
Here is a list of nominees and winners of 57 categories, courtesy of the WMC website. Congratulations to the WMC staff for a job well done.
Lifetime Achievement: Frankie Knuckles
1. Best Underground Dance Track
Conjure Superstar – Maceo Plex
Crossfade – GusGus
Forget – Patrick Topping
Ghost In The System – Pleasure State
Okay – Shiba San
Talk To You (Groove Armada Remix) – Drew Hill
Walking With Elephants – Ten Walls
2. Best Alternative/Indie Rock Dance Track
Ain't It Fun – Paramore
Can't Do Without You (Tale Of Us Remix) – Caribou
Dangerous – Big Data
Digital Witness – St. Vincent
Get Away – CHVRCHES
Sleeping With A Friend – Neon Trees
Stolen Dance – Milky Chance
3. Best Indie Dance Track
Apart Feat. Sísý Ey – Kasper Bjørke
Bugatti – TIGA
Do It Again – Röyksopp & Robyn
Do You Feel The Same – Hercules & Love Affair
High Feat. Nicole Miller – Peking Duk
Holding You Tight – Sure Thing
Not This Time – The 2 Bears
4. Best Latin Dance Track
Adiós – Ricky Martin
Bailando Feat. Descemer Bueno- Enrique Iglesias
Can't Get Enough Feat. Pitbull – Becky G
Fireball – Pitbull Feat. John Ryan
La La La (Brazil 2014) – Shakira Feat. Carlinhos Brown
La Luz – Juanes
Pura Vita – Don Omar
5. Best House/Garage/Deep House Track
F For You – Disclosure Feat. Mary J Blige
Gecko – Oliver Heldens
Go All Night Feat. Jennifer Hudson – Gorgon City
Hey Now (Sasha Remix) – London Grammar
Hideaway – Kiesza
Pushing On – Oliver $ & Jimi Jules
Talk To You (Groove Armada Remix) – Drew Hill
6. Best R&B/Urban Dance Track
Aerosol Can Feat. Pharrell Williams – Major Lazer
Don't Tell 'Em Feat. YG – Jeremih
Flawless – Beyoncé Feat. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
It's Your World – Jennifer Hudson Feat. R. Kelly
La La La – Naughty Boy Feat. Sam Smith
Loyal – Chris Brown Feat. Lil Wayne & Tyga
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson Feat. Bruno Mars
7. Best Electro/Progressive House Track
Arcadia – Hardwell & Joey Dale Feat. Luciana
Bad Feat. Vassy – David Guetta & Showtek
Five Hours – Deorro
Gold Skies Feat. Aleesia – Sander van Doorn, Martin Garrix, DVBBS
Heroes (We Can Be) – Alesso Feat. Tove Lo
Virus (How About Now) – Martin Garrix & MOTI
We Were Young – DVBBS
8. Best Rap/Hip Hop/Trap Dance Track
Anaconda – Nicki Minaj
Fancy Feat. Charli XCX – Iggy Azalea
Get Low – Dillon Francis & DJ Snake
Heavy Metal & Reflective – Azealia Banks
Studio Feat. BJ The Chicago Kid – Schoolboy Q
Take You There Feat. Kiesza – Jack Ü
Turn Down For What – DJ Snake & Lil Jon
9. Best Trance Track
Dark Warrior – Andrew Rayel
Dynamite – Gareth Emery Feat. Christina Novelli
Hystereo – Armin van Buuren
Letting Go – BT, Fractal & JES
On Fire – Luke Bond Feat. Roxanne Emery
Remember This – Markus Schulz
Together (In a State Of Trance)- Armin van Buuren
10. Best Dubstep/Drum & Bass Track
All Is Fair In Love and Brostep – Skrillex
Changing – Sigma Feat. Paloma Faith
Dirty Love Feat. Talay Riley – Wilkinson
Dirty Vibe – Skrillex, Diplo Feat. CL, G-Dragon
Give It Up – Knife Party
My Love (Sigma Remix) – Route 94 Feat. Jess Glynne
NRG (Skrillex, Kill The Noise, Milo & Otis Remix)- Duck Sauce
11. Best Tech House/Techno Track
Burnfire – UMEK Feat. Jay Colin
Conjure Balaeria – Maceo Plex
Crossfade (Maceo Plex Remix) – GusGus
Don't Stop No Sleep – Radio Slave
Exceeder (UMEK & Mike Vale Remix) – MASON
Eye I Eye – Claude VonStroke
Forget – Patrick Topping
12. Best Chillout/Lounge Track
Connected – Melosense
Love Sublime -Tensnake Feat. Nile Rodgers & Fiora
Only You Can Tell – Croquet Club
RedLight – Krono Feat. VanJess
Sordid Affair – Röyksopp
We Fall In Love – Lamb
13. Best Commercial/Pop Dance Track
#SELFIE – The Chainsmokers
Bang Bang – Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Niki Minaj
Blame – Calvin Harris Feat. John Newman
Booty Feat. Iggy Azalea – Jennifer Lopez
Break Free Feat. Zedd- Ariana Grande
Chandelier – Sia
Summer – Calvin Harris
14. Best Compilation or Full Length DJ Mix
A State of Trance 2014 – Armin van Buuren – Armada
A Town Called Paradise – Tiësto – Casablanca Records/ Republic Records/ Musical Freedom
Balance 025 – Danny Tenaglia – Balance
Balearica 2014 – Chus+Ceballos – Stereo Productions
dirtybird BBQ – dirtybird
Revealed Volume 5 – Hardwell – Revealed
Ultra Dance 15 – Ultra Records
15. Best Global DJ
Armin van Buuren
Calvin Harris
Carl Cox
David Guetta
Hardwell
Martin Garrix
Skrillex
Tiësto
16. Best North American DJ
Claude VonStroke
Danny Tenaglia
Deorro
Dillon Francis
Diplo
Kaskade
Porter Robinson
Steve Aoki
17. Best European DJ
Afrojack
Alesso
Avicii
Axwell
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
Nicky Romero
R3hab
Zedd
18. Best Break-Through DJ
Apollonia
Blasterjaxx
Dense & Pika
Duke Dumont
Oliver Heldens
Patrick Topping
Robin Schulz
Ummet Ozcan
19. Best EDM/Pop DJ
Afrojack
Avicii
Calvin Harris
Dash Berlin
David Guetta
Kaskade
Steve Aoki
Zedd
20. Best Trance DJ
Above & Beyond
Aly & Fila
Armin van Buuren
Dash Berlin
Ferry Corsten
Markus Schulz
Paul van Dyk
21. Best House/Garage/Deep House DJ
Dixon
Dusky
Hot Since 82
Justin Martin
Louie Vega
Marc 'MK' Kinchen
Mark Knight
Seth Troxler
22. Best Indie Dance/Underground DJ
Andy Butler – Hercules & Love Affair
Benoit & Sergio
Erol Alkan
Jamie Jones
Jamie XX
Madeon
The Juan MaClean
The 2 Bears
23. Best Progressive House/Electro DJ
Alesso
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
Eric Prydz
Fedde le Grand
Hardwell
Kryder
Laidback Luke
W&W
24. Best Techno/Tech House DJ
Adam Beyer
Ben Klock
Carl Cox
Loco Dice
Luciano
Maceo Plex
Richie Hawtin
UMEK
25. Best Dubstep/Drum & Bass DJ
Andy C
Bassnectar
Diplo
Jack Ü
Knife Party
Netsky
Skrillex
26. Best Hardstyle DJ
Angerfist
Brennan Heart
Coone
Frontliner
Headhunterz
Noisecontrollers
Radical Redemption
27. Best Podcast or Radio Mixshow DJ
A State of Trance – Armin van Buuren
Diplo and Friends – Diplo
Evolution – Pete Tong
Global DJ Broadcast – Markus Schulz
Global Radio – Carl Cox
Hardwell On Air – Hardwell
Club Life – Tiësto
28. Best Artist (Solo)
Avicii
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
Deadmau5
Hardwell
Kaskade
Martin Garrix
Sia
29. Best Artist (Group)
Art Department
Axwell /\ Ingrosso
Cash Cash
Daft Punk
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
Disclosure
Krewella
Röyksopp & Robyn
30. Best Break-Through Artist (Solo)
Ariana Grande
FKA Twigs
Kiesza
Kryder
Oliver Heldens
Robin Schulz
Sam Smith
ZHU
31. Best Break-Through Artist (Group)
Broods
Clean Bandit
Galantis
Gorgon City
Jack Ü
VINAI
Yellow Claw
32. Best Full Length Studio Recording
A Town Called Paradise – Tiësto
The Feast Of The Broken Heart – Hercules & Love Affair
Forget Me World – Afrojack
Sirens – Gorgon City
Syro – Aphex Twin
The Inevitable End – Röyksopp
While (1<2) – Deadmau5
Worlds – Porter Robinson
33. Best Featured Vocalist Performance – Title, Vocalist/Artist
Bad – Vassy – David Guetta & Showtek
Do It Again – Robyn – Röyksopp
F For You – Mary J Blige – Disclosure
Gecko (Overdrive) – Becky Hill – Oliver Heldens
Go All Night – Jennifer Hudson – Gorgon City
Heroes (We Could Be) – Tove Lo – Alesso
Rather Be – Jess Glynne – Clean Bandit
34. Best Music Video
Chandelier – Sia
Conjure Superstar – Maceo Plex
Hideaway – Kiesza
I Got U Feat. Jax Jones – Duke DuMont
My Love Feat. Jess Glynne – Route 94
Summer – Calvin Harris
Turn Down For What – Dj Snake & Lil Wayne
35. Best Producer
Avicii
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
Deadmau5
Diplo
Hardwell
Porter Robinson
Zedd
36. Best Remixer
Cash Cash
Dave Audé
Deetron
Hardwell
Kaskade
Maceo Plex
Marc 'MK' Kinchen
R3hab
37. Best US Club
Avalon – Hollywood, CA
Beta – Denver, CO
Hakkasaan – Las Vegas, NV
LIV – Miami, FL
Output – Brooklyn, NY
Pacha – New York, NY
Space – Miami, FL
38. Best Global Club
Amnesia – Ibiza, Spain
Berghain – Berlin, Germany
Fabric – London, England
Ministry Of Sound – London, England
Pacha – Ibiza, Spain
Space – Ibiza, Spain
Ushuaia – Ibiza, Spain
39. Best Music Event – Event, Location
BPM Festival – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Coachella – Indio, CA
Electric Daisy Carnival – Las Vegas, NV
Life In Color Festival – Miami, FL
Shambhala – Salmo, BC
Tomorrowland – Boom, Belgium
Ultra Music Festival – Miami, FL
40. Best Radio Station (Internet, Terrestrial, Satellite, App)
BBC Radio 1
BPM – SiriusXM
Digitally Imported
Fusion Radio
Ibiza Global Radio
iTunes Radio
Pandora
41. Best Music Media Resource (Online or Print)
Billboard
Dancing Astronaut
DJ Mag
DJ Times
EDM.com
MIXMAG
Resident Advisor
42. Best Music App
Digitally Imported
Hype Machine
Milk Music
Mixcloud
Shazam
Soundcloud
Spotify
43. Best EDM/Dance Music Retailer
Amazon.com
Audiojelly.com
Beatport.com
iTunes
Junodownload.com
Trackitdown.com
Traxsource.com
44. Best Global Music Label
Anjunabeats
Armada
Axtone
Defected
Revealed Recordings
Spinnin' Records
Toolroom Records
45. Best American Music Label
Astralwerks
Big Beat Records
Dim Mak
Interscope
Nervous/Nurvous
OWSLA
Ultra Music
46. Best Indie/Underground Music Label
dirtybird
Drumcode
Hot Creations
Innervision
Noir Music
Objektivity
Suara
47. Best Music Label Promoter Or Exec In-House
Ayelet Schiffman – Sony Music Columbia
Eelko van Kooten – Spinnin' Records
Gina Tucci – Big Beat
Glenn Mendlinger – Astralwerks
Maykel Piron – Armada Music
Phil Nieves – Ultra Music
Stacey Gamble – dirtybird
48. Best Independent Music Promotion/Marketing
Citrusonic – Orlando Puerta
Loren Chaidez Promotion – Loren Chaidez
Oracle Entertainment – Debra Eriksen
Pro Motion- Brad Lebeau
Promo Only Promotions – Cary Vance, John Suraci & John Parker
Your Army – James Pitt
Zero2Fifty Group – George Hess
49. Best Promo Subscription Service/Music Pool
DJcity
FATdrop
iDJPool
Masspool
Next Music Group
Promo Only
ZipDJ
50. Best New Product of the Year
Ableton Live 9
Native Instruments – Kontrol S8
Numark NS7II
Pioneer DDJ-SZ
Pioneer XDJ-1000
51. Best Manufacturer of the Year
Allen & Heath
Denon
Native Instruments
Pioneer
PK Sound
52. Best Studio Product of the Year
Apple Logic Pro X
KRK Rockit 8 G3
Native Instruments – Maschine Studio
Roland – TR-8
53. Best DJ Software
Ableton Live 9
Native Instruments – Traktor Pro 2
rekordbox
Serato DJ
Virtual DJ 8
54. Best Mixer
Allen & Heath – Xone:DB4
Pioneer – DJM900Nexus
Rane sixty four
Vestax
55. Best DJ Controller
Allen & Heath – Xone:4D
Denon – MC6000MK2
Numark NS7ii
Pioneer – DDJ-SZ
56. Best Media Player
Gemini CDJ-700
Numark Mixdeck Quad
Pioneer – CDJ2000Nexus
Pioneer – XDJ-1000
Denon – SC3900
57. Best Headphones
Philips A5-Pro DJ
Pioneer HDJ-2000
Senheiser HD-25
Sony MDR-7506
V-Moda Crossfade M-100