Predicting the winners of the 2018 American Music Awards

Nominees: 

• Drake
• Imagine Dragons
• Post Malone
• Ed Sheeran
• Taylor Swift 

Prediction: Drake

There’s no doubt hip-hop has dominated 2018. Although Drake dropped an album back in the year prior, some fans were a bit skeptical about his success to a follow-up. Once he released "Scorpion" this past June, he dominated the charts and social media conversations. He's also headlining one of the year's most highly anticipated tour alongside Migos.

Nominees:

• Camila Cabello
• Cardi B
• Khalid
• Dua Lipa
• XXXTENTACION

Prediction: Cardi B

Cardi has made big money moves since 2017. With her singles like “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It,” along with major collaborations with artists like G-Eazy, DJ Khaled and Jennifer Lopez, Cardi is arguably one of the most successful artists to chart all year long.

Nominees: 

• Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug "Havana"
• Post Malone ft. 21 Savage "Rockstar"
• Bruno Mars & Cardi B "Finesse"
• Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line "Meant To Be"
• Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey "The Middle"

Prediction: Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug, “Havana”

Once Camila Cabello left girl group Fifth Harmony, there were many criticisms of her being able to succeed as a solo artist. Well, thanks to hit-making producer Pharrell, Camila’s single "Havana" with Young Thug became an instant hit, proving she could dominate outside of a group.

Nominees: 

• Beyonce & JAY-Z
• Bruno Mars
• Ed Sheeran
• Taylor Swift
• U2

Prediction: Beyonce and Jay Z

Once Beyonce released her most vulnerable album to date, "Lemonade," and Jay Z counteracted with "4:44," their projects were a huge display of their artistry and growth as a couple. Since they announced their second joint tour, On The Run 2, they’ve sold out arenas worldwide and everybody from Oprah to Leo DiCaprio to former First Lady Michelle Obama have been in attendance.

Nominees: 

• Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug, "Havana"
• Cardi B, "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)"
• Drake, "God’s Plan"
  

Prediction: Drake, "God's Plan"

"God’s Plan" is one of the simplest videos Drake ever released. However, he took his video budget of $1 million and donated the money to surprising hopefuls throughout the visual. Apparently, his plan from a higher being was to give back to a community in need.

Nominees: 

• BTS
• Cardi B
• Ariana Grande
• Demi Lovato
• Shawn Mendes

Prediction: BTS

The world of K-pop music is constantly growing as a worldwide phenomenon. A group that can attest to that is BTS, who is known for not only selling out shows, but also for breaking records on social media. They recently dethroned Taylor Swift's record for the most-viewed video debut in YouTube history, and Forbes crowned the group as the most retweeted artist on Twitter back in 2016. 

Nominees: 

• Drake
• Post Malone
• Ed Sheeran

Prediction: Ed Sheeran 

Ed Sheeran took a hiatus between the release of his sophomore and third albums. Once he came back onto the scene in 2017, he was named as Spotify's most streamed artist of the year. 

Nominees: 

• Camila Cabello
• Cardi B
• Taylor Swift

Prediction: Taylor Swift 

With six studio albums under her belt, Taylor Swift is known for being a master at selling music, but also of winning the hearts of her fans. She handpicked 100 fans and invited them to an exclusive listening party for her latest album, "Reputation." To top it off, the party was at Swift's home in London. 

Nominees: 

Imagine Dragons

Maroon 5

Migos

Prediction: 

Whether they're teaching fans to "Walk It Talk It" or how to be "Bad and Boujee," Migos knows their music can get a party started and boost one's confidence at the same time. Thanks to production from artists like Metro Boomin, Travis Scott and Pharrell, the group is sure to be a fan favorite. 

Nominees: 

• Drake "Scorpion"
• Ed Sheeran "÷ (Divide)"
• Taylor Swift "reputation"

Prediction: Ed Sheeran, "÷ (Divide)"

Pop singer Ed Sheeran released his highly anticipated third album, "÷ (Divide)" in March 2017. Thanks to singles such as "Shape of You" and "Castle on the Hill," the album became a multiplatinum hit worldwide. 

Nominees: 

• Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug, "Havana"
• Drake, "God’s Plan"
• Ed Sheeran, "Perfect

Prediction: Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug, “Havana”

Camila Cabello's "Havana" was initially released as a promotional single; however once her record label noticed the song gaining buzz on social media, it was released as her album's lead single. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was crowned as Spotify's most streamed song ever by a female artist. 

Nominees: 

• Kane Brown
• Luke Bryan
• Thomas Rhett

Prediction: Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan is no stranger to the American Music Awards. In fact, he's won this category multiple times. It's safe to say his latest album, "What Makes You Country," will help him earn the award again!

Nominees: 

• Kelsea Ballerini
• Maren Morris
• Carrie Underwood

Prediction: Carrie Underwood

Country singer Carrie Underwood has dominated this category consecutively since 2014 and holds a record of five wins. She recently released her sixth studio album, "Cry Pretty," with singles such as the album title track and "Love Wins."

Nominees: 

• Dan + Shay
• Florida Georgia Line
• LANCO

Prediction: Florida Georgia Line

Florida Georgia Line is known for mixing a number of genres into their country sound. With hit singles like "H.O.L.Y." and their Tim McGraw duet, "May We All," the group has become a favorite among country music lovers. They can look forward to taking this AMA home for the third time. 

Nominees: 

• Kane Brown, "Kane Brown"
• Luke Combs, "This One’s For You"
• Thomas Rhett, "Life Changes"

Prediction: Kane Brown, "Kane Brown"

Kane Brown may be a newcomer in the country music world, but the success of his self-titled debut album shows signs of a promising career. He became the first artist in music history to land an album and its singles reached No. 1 simultaneously on all five of the Billboard country charts. 

Nominees: 

• Kane Brown, "Heaven"
• Dan + Shay, "Tequila"
• Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, "Meant To Be"

Prediction: Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, “Meant To Be”

Bebe Rexha recruited Florida Georgia Line on their hit single "Meant To Be." Not only did the song reach No. 1 on the country charts, but it became Rexha's first top 10 hit as a solo artist. 

Nominees: 

• Cardi B
• Drake
• Post Malone

Prediction: Cardi B

Cardi B's name is constantly in the news, mostly for the milestones she continues to achieve. As a newcomer in the hip-hop game, she has broken records once held by artists like Lauryn Hill and Beyonce, and she's showing no signs of slowing down. Although her debut album, "Invasion of Privacy," is still in rotation among listeners, Cardi has told her fans she's already recording for her next project. 

Nominees: 

• Drake, "Scorpion"
• Lil Uzi Vert, "Luv Is Rage 2"
• Post Malone, “beerbongs & bentleys”

Prediction: Drake, "Scorpion"

There are still artists who drop double albums, and Drake decided to join the ranks of Tupac, E-40 and other hip-hop veterans. With one side on "Scorpion" being his rap side and the other as his R&B persona, Drake is a master at showcasing his duality as an artist. "Scorpion" features collaborations with Jay Z, Ty Dolla $ign and Michael Jackson. 

Nominees: 

• Cardi B, "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)"
• Drake, "God’s Plan"
• Post Malone ft. 21 Savage, "Rockstar"

Prediction: Post Malone ft. 21 Savage, “Rockstar”

In the hip-hop world, Post Malone and 21 Savage are a match made in heaven. Their hit single "Rockstar" peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 and in its fourth week pushed Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow" to the second spot. 

Nominees: 

• Khalid
• Bruno Mars
• The Weeknd

Prediction: Bruno Mars

“Pop pop it’s showtime!” as Bruno says in his 2017 hit “24K Magic." Not only is Bruno a master at elevating his sound on each album, but he has showmanship that is unmatched. He's currently touring alongside Ella Mai, Ciara, Charlie Wilson and Boyz II Men. 

Nominees: 

• Ella Mai
• Rihanna
• SZA

Prediction: Ella Mai 

London’s newest R&B princess, Ella Mai, got quite the surprise when her single “Boo’d Up” started gaining a lot of radio airplay. As DJ Mustard’s first female signee, she's making a name for herself as she elevates a new R&B sound with a '90s twist. 

Nominees: 

• Khalid, "American Teen"
• SZA, "CTRL"
• XXXTENTACION,"17"

Prediction: SZA, "CTRL"

After releasing a number of EPs and writing for artists like Beyonce and Rihanna, SZA excited fans with the news of she was dropping her debut album, "CRTL." With singles such as "Drew Barrymore," "The Weekend" and "Broken Clocks," SZA has shown how much she has progressed since her early days. 

Nominees: 

• Khalid, "Young Dumb & Broke"
• Ella Mai, "Boo’d Up"
• Bruno Mars & Cardi B, "Finesse"

Prediction: Ella Mai "Boo'd Up"

Although Ella Mai released her third EP, "Ready," in early 2017, it wasn’t until the following year when she dropped the video for her single “Boo'd Up” that she quickly climbed the charts. The single even became a fave among other artists like T-Pain and Plies, who started posting their own covers. 

Nominees: 

• Imagine Dragons
• Panic! At The Disco
• Portugal. The Man

Prediction: Imagine Dragons

Three-time AMA winners Imagine Dragons may be just thriving on their third studio album, but they have become a popular rock group over the past few years. With hit singles such as "Believer" and "Thunder," the group is aiming to take home another AMA trophy. 

Nominees: 

• Shawn Mendes
• P!NK
• Ed Sheeran

Prediction: Shawn Mendes

Pop singer Shawn Mendes has been winning the hearts of fans for the past few years. On his self-titled third album, he worked with artists such as John Mayer, Ed Sheeran and Khalid to help push his sound a little more. As the artist who won this AMA category last year, he may just be in the running to come out on top again. 

Nominees: 

• J Balvin
• Daddy Yankee
• Ozuna

Prediction: J Balvin

Reggaeton artist J Balvin is known for mixing genres such as house, hip-hop and R&B. Last year, his single "Mi Gente" became an international hit while earning his first top 10 single in America. In 2018, Cardi B recruited Balvin and Bad Bunny for her hit single "I Like It," earning Balvin his first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Nominees: 

• Lauren Daigle
• MercyMe
• Zach Williams

Prediction: Lauren Daigle

Contemporary Christian singer Lauren Daigle is still a newcomer on the music scene but is continuing to gain new fans thanks to her singles like "O' Lord" and "You Say." Coming off the heels of her second studio album, she's hoping to win this AMA category for the second year in a row. 

Nominees: 

• The Chainsmokers
• Marshmello
• Zedd

Prediction: The Chainsmokers

There's no doubt that EDM is one of the most popular genres in music today. EDM-pop duo The Chainsmokers know this fact all too well with their DJ residency in Las Vegas and being crowned third place on the Forbes list of the World's Highest Paid DJs last year. Throughout 2018, they've released singles such as "You Owe Me" and "Side Effects" with anticipation for their second studio album. 

Nominees: 

• "Black Panther: The Album, Music From And Inspired By"
• "The Greatest Showman"
• "The Fate of the Furious: The Album"

Prediction: "Black Panther"

Marvel's "Black Panther" was a big hit at the box office; however, thanks to rapper Kendrick Lamar, the film's soundtrack gained major success as well. As the album's producer, Lamar recruited artists such as Schoolboy Q, Vince Staples, Anderson .Paak and Jorja Smith to help give meaningful sound to the film.