Usher, Victoria Monét Score in 2024 NAACP Image Awards Nods: Here Are All Music Nominees

Victoria Monét and Usher received the most nominations in the music/recording categories for the 2024 NAACP Image Awards, earning six and five nods, respectively. RCA Records received 20 nominations, the most across record labels.

Winners will be revealed during a two–hour live TV special, airing Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS.

Usher is nominated for entertainer of the year, where he is competing with Colman Domingo, Fantasia Barrino, Halle Bailey and Keke Palmer.

Usher is also nominated for outstanding male artist, where he is squaring off against Burna Boy, Chris Brown, Davido and Jon Batiste.

Monét is competing for outstanding female artist with Ari Lennox, H.E.R., Janelle Monáe and Tems.

The awards recognize excellence across a broad range of categories. Here, we focus on the nominees in 15 recording categories, as well as two general categories, but the full list also includes 30 TV/streaming categories, 16 in motion pictures, nine in literary, six in podcasts, five in directing, four in writing, three in documentaries, three in costume design/make-up/hairstyling, one in stunt work.

Nominees for outstanding motion picture are American Fiction, Origin, Rustin, The Color Purple and They Cloned Tyrone. Of these five films, only American Fiction was nominated for an Academy Award for best picture.

Domingo leads the nominations across the motion picture categories with three nominations: outstanding actor in a motion picture for Rustin and two nods for his work in The Color Purple — supporting actor in a motion picture and outstanding ensemble cast in a motion picture.

Ayo Edebiri received the most nominations in the television and streaming categories with two for Abbott Elementary and The Bear.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of this year’s nominees, whose outstanding contributions across film, television and streaming, music, literature, podcasts, and more have inspired us all,” Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement.

“As we reflect on the rich legacy of the NAACP, we take pride in honoring the artistic brilliance of this year’s nominees. We are excited to illuminate and celebrate the extraordinary talent within our community,” said Scott Mills, President and CEO, BET Media Group.

By visiting NAACPImageAwards.net, the public can vote to determine the winners of the 55th NAACP Image Awards in select categories. Voting closes Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. Winners will be revealed during the 55th NAACP Image Awards telecast on March 16, on BET and CBS. NAACP will also recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories March 11–14, which will stream via NAACPImageAwards.net.

Here are all the nominees in the 15 recording categories, preceded by the nominees in two general categories.

General categories

Entertainer of the year

Colman Domingo

Fantasia Barrino

Halle Bailey

Keke Palmer

Usher

Outstanding social media personality of the year

Angel Laketa Moore

Druski

Keith Lee

Lynae Vanee

Terrell Grice

Recording categories

Outstanding album

Clear 2: Soft Life – Summer Walker (LVRN/Interscope Records)

For All the Dogs – Drake (OVO/Republic Records)

I Told Them… – Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)

Jaguar II – Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)

The Age of Pleasure – Janelle Monáe (Atlantic Records/Bad Boy/Wondaland)

Outstanding soul/R&B song

“Back to Your Place” – October London

“Good Good” – Usher feat. 21 Savage x Summer Walker

“ICU Remix” – Coco Jones feat. Justin Timberlake

“On My Mama” – Victoria Monét

“Lipstick Lover” – Janelle Monáe

Outstanding hip hop/rap song

“All My Life” – Lil Durk feat. J. Cole (Alamo Records)

“Blue Eyes” – Vic Mensa (Roc Nation Records, LLC)

“Cobra” – Megan Thee Stallion (Atlantic/Warner Bros/Mattel and 10K Projects/Capitol Records)

“Palisades, CA” – Larry June & The Alchemist (The Freeminded Records/ALC/EMPIRE)

“Sittin’ on Top of the World” – Burna Boy & 21 Savage (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding male artist

Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)

Chris Brown (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

Davido (RCA Records/Sony Music UK)

Jon Batiste (Verve Records)

Usher (Mega/Gamma)

Outstanding female artist

Ari Lennox (Dreamville/Interscope Records)

H.E.R. (RCA Records)

Janelle Monáe (Atlantic Records/Bad Boy/Wondaland)

Tems (RCA Records/Since ’93)

Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)

Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (contemporary)

Burna Boy & 21 Savage – “Sittin’ on Top of the World” (Atlantic Records)

Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay – “Sensational” (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

Lil Durk & J. Cole – “All My Life” (Alamo Records)

Usher, 21 Savage, Summer Walker – “Good Good” (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

Victoria Monét feat. Lucky Day – “Smoke” (RCA Records/Lovett Music)

Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (traditional)

Ciara feat. Chris Brown – “How We Roll” (Beauty Marks Entertainment

Coco Jones feat. Justin Timberlake – “ICU Remix” (Def Jam Recordings)

Dreamville, Bas & Black Sherif feat. Kel–P – “Creed III: Soundtrack” (Dreamville/Interscope Records)

Karen Clark Sheard, Hezekiah Walker, Kierra Sheard – “God Is Good” (Timeless Music Group/Roc Nation Records, LLC)

Voices of Fire – “Joy (Unspeakable)” (Columbia Records)

Outstanding new artist

FLO (Uptown Records / Republic Records)

Jordan Ward (Artium/Interscope Records)

Leon Thomas (EZMNY Records/Motown Records)

October London (Death Row Records)

Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)

Outstanding gospel/Christian album

All Yours – Kierra Sheard (RCA Inspiration / Karew Entertainment)

Father’s Day – Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Records)

Impossible – Pastor Mike, Jr. (Rock City/Black Smoke)

My Truth – Jonathan McReynolds (MNRK Music Group)

The Maverick Way Complete – Maverick City Music (Insignia & TRIBL Records)

Outstanding international song

“Amapiano” – Asake feat. Olamide (YBNL Nation / EMPIRE)

“City Boys” – Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)

“Me & U” – Tems (RCA Records/Since ’93)

“People” – Libianca feat. Ayra Starr & Omah Lay (RCA Records/Sony Music UK/5K Records)

“Unavailable” – Davido (RCA Records/Sony Music UK)

Outstanding music video/visual album

“Boyfriend” – Usher (Mega/Gamma)

“Cobra” – Megan Thee Stallion (Hot Girl Productions)

“How We Roll” – Ciara (Beauty Marks Entertainment)

“On My Mama” – Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)

“Sensational” – Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

Outstanding soundtrack/compilation album

Creed III: The Soundtrack – Michael B. Jordan, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis, Frank Brim (Dreamville / Interscope Records)

Godfather of Harlem: Season 3 (Original Series Soundtrack) – Swizz Beatz & Avery Chambliss (Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment)

Metro Boomin Presents Spider–Man: Across the Spider–Verse (Soundtrack From and Inspired by the Motion Picture/Deluxe Edition) – Metro Boomin (Republic Records)

The Color Purple–Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Various Producers (WaterTower Music/Gamma)

The Little Mermaid Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Alan Menken, Mike Higham and Lin–Manuel Miranda (Walt Disney Records)

Outstanding gospel/Christian song

“All Things” – Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Records)

“All Yours” – Kierra Sheard feat. Anthony Brown (RCA Inspiration / Karew Entertainment)

“In The Room” – Maverick City Music (TRIBL Records)

“It’s Working” – Todd Dulaney (DulaneyLand / MNRK)

“JOY (Unspeakable) –  Voices of Fire feat. Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records)

Outstanding jazz album

Brand New Life – Brandee Younger (Impulse! Records)

Melusine  – Cécile McLorin Salvant (Nonesuch Records)

Who Are You When No One is Watching? – Braxton Cook (Nettwerk Music Group)

Phoenix – Lakecia Benjamin (Whirlwind Recordings)

Truth Be Told – Angie Wells (Cafe Pacific Records)

Outstanding original score for TV/film

American Fiction – Laura Karpman (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)

Rustin – Branford Marsalis (Netflix)

The Color Purple – Kris Bowers (Warner Bros. Pictures)

The Other Black Girl – EmmoLei Sankofa (Hulu)

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Jongnic Bontemps (Paramount+)