TORONTO - Drake has nabbed a leading seven nods for next month's MuchMusic Video Awards, where the 23-year-old will just be one of many first-time nominees.
The June 20 awards show will be held only a few days after the Toronto rapper drops his long-awaited debut, "Thank Me Later," June 15.
Sixteen-year-old pop sensation Justin Bieber is also nominated for the first time. The mop-topped Stratford, Ont., native -- who's also set to perform -- earned four nominations.
Other first-timers included Stereos (who earned three nominations), Down With Webster, the Arkells and Deadmau5.
Vancouver's Hedley, meanwhile, took in six nominations while Classified, Alexisonfire, Belly and Billy Talent nabbed three each.
American nominees include Adam Lambert, Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus, who will host the streetside bash with a team of Much VJs. Cyrus and Perry also will perform.
While Drake leads in total nominations, he was shut out of the show's biggest category: video of the year. Hedley will compete for that trophy against Stereos, Billy Talent, Danny Fernandes and Nickelback, which had two nominations.
Avril Lavigne -- who laid claim to one of the award show's most memorable moments in 2003 when she wrote "MMVA" on her backside and then mooned the cameras -- has two nods, for international video by a Canadian and the fan's choice award for best video.
