The 2009 nominees for the mtvU Woodie Awards have been announced, honoring artists that have defined the college music scene over the past year from Kings of Leon to Kid Cudi.
Kings of Leon is competing with Asher Roth, Drake, MGMT and Silversun Pickups for the awards’ top honor, Woodie of the Year.
The Performing Woodie is handed out to the artist who has proven they know how to work the stage and put on the best live show. This year’s nominees include Green Day, Phoenix, 3OH!3, Animal Collective and P.O.S.
Although MTV might not play as many music videos as it once did, the Best Video Woodie category has not been forgotten. Nominees include Matt and Kim for “Lessons Learned,” Dead Weather for “Treat Me Like Your Mother,” Death Cab for Cutie for “Grapevine Fires,”Anjulie for “Boom,” Yeah Yeah Yeahs for “Heads Will Roll” and Kid Cudi for “Day ‘N’ Nite.”
Emerging artists vying for the Breaking Woodie award include Grizzly Bear, Never Shout Never, Wale, La Roux, Friendly Fires and Passion Pit.
Artists up for the Left Field Woodie include Amanda Blank, Janelle Monáe, Major Lazer, Jay Reatard and Tech N9ne. MTV.com explains that these artists “are genre-busters. They resist classification. They came out of left field, and we're still not sure what section of the record store to find them in.”
The Good Woodie celebrates artists with the greatest social impact. Nominees include John Legend for his Show Me Campaign, Wyclef Jean for Yele Haiti and Kenna for PlayPumps. There’s also Jamie Tworkowski for To Write Love on Her Arms, Ra Ra Riot and the John Ryan Pike Memorial Foundation and Alicia Keys’ work with Keep a Child Alive/AIDS activism.
The nominees were chosen by college students and music fans – and now it’s your turn to vote for the artists you think made the biggest impact across U.S. college campuses and mtvU, the 24-hour college network broadcast to 750 campuses and over 7.5 million college students nationwide.
You can also vote for your favorite college radio station from the University of Wisconsin’s 90 FM to University of Southern California’s KSCR Los Angeles.
Voting began Monday at Woodies.MTV.com and runs through Nov. 16.
The 2009 mtvU Woodie Awards will be held Nov. 18 at New York's Roseland Ballroom. The show premiers Friday, Dec. 4, at 10 p.m. ET on mtvU, MTV, MTV2 and Palladia.
Click here to vote for the 2009 mtvU Woodie Awards.