MTV announced two more slates of Video Music Awards nominations today, and while the nominees for Best Rock Video have a few OK contenders among them (Fall Out Boy’s “Beat It” cover, Paramore’s “crushcrushcrush”), a couple of the contenders for Video Of The Year–you know, the big prize–are worthy of a head-scratch or two. Sure, I can buy the idea of Britney Spears’ road to redemption culminating with her winning a moonman for her self-mocking “Piece Of Me” clip. And the Jonas Brothers’ “Burnin’ Up” isn’t groundbreaking, but those kids sure do know how to mobilize their fanbase. But the other three videos in the category would surely be considered also-rans in any other year. You’ve got Chris Brown’s stealth gum ad “Forever”; the Ting Tings’ “Shut Up And Let Me Go,” which looks like a film-school synthesis between the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” and that Justice clip that got nominated last year; and the Pussycat Dolls’ “When I Grow Up,” which is such a steaming piece of all-around garbage that I have to think there was some sort of coordinated street-team effort by Interscope to fool people into thinking that Nicole Scherzinger was still worthy of attention. All five clips are after the jump, so you can judge for yourself. MORE »