MTV VMA 2014 predictions: Iggy Azalea is hot favourite to win

THERE is one thing you can rely on when the MTV’s Video Music Awards roll around next week — parental outrage. The winners are tougher to guess, but here are the favourites.

THERE is one thing you can rely on when the MTV’s Video Music Awards roll around next week — parental outrage.

The winners are much tougher to guess.

But if VMA voters have tastes similar to the typical Spotify subscriber, then data from the music streamer could give insight into who will go home with the VMA hardware.

The New York Post asked Spotify to predict the likely category winners based on its treasure trove of streaming data, which not only compiles the most streamed songs but also the most viral songs — a big predictor of future success.

And Spotify’s data points to a lot of winners from Australia, New Zealand and the UK, according to Shanon Cook, Spotify’s trendspotter.

Pharrell Williams. Picture: Sony

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - MARCH 29: Singer Sia attends the Humane Society of The United States 60th Anniversary Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on March 29, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Humane Society)

Video of The Year is likely to go to Pharrell Williams’ dance-a-thon Happy, which notched 210 million streams since its release. But Cook says Australian Sia’s hit, Chandelier, could provide an upset even with its comparatively small 64 million streams. Also in the category is Drunk in Love from Beyonce/Jay Z.

Spotify’s statistics suggest Williams might also nab Best Male Video, but the most shared artist is British favourite Ed Sheeran, with Sing on just 69 million streams, another of Spotify’s “most viral” songs.

In the Best Female Video category, a Kiwi or an Aussie will win, if Spotify data are a predictor of success.

Iggy Azalea performs on stage during the Pandora Presents The 2014 Summer Party at The Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, August 09, 2014, in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Paul A. Hebert/Invision/AP)

Kiwi singer songwriter Lorde.

Lorde’s Royals video garnered 186 million streams — just topping Katy Perry’s Dark Horse with 184 million, a song that has also been nominated.

Iggy Azalea’s Fancy is the most viral tune, notching 107 million streams, and could have the momentum to snatch the award. The Aussie rapper is up for seven awards.

Spotify uses a formula to decipher shares and playlist adds to define most viral.

The VMAs are known for manufacturing outrageous moments, such as Miley Cyrus’ twerking Robin Thicke and Madonna pashing Britney Spears on stage.

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 25: Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke perform onstage during the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards at the Barclays Center on August 25, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for MTV)

Originally published as MTV VMA 2014 predictions: Iggy Azalea is hot favourite to win