With seven nominations each, Justin Timberlake and Beyonce Knowles are the hot favorites at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. The nominations were announced on MTV's "Total Request Live" program in New York.

Timberlake, with his video "What Goes Around ... Comes Around", which co-starred Scarlett Johansson, will compete directly against Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable" for Video of the Year Award.

Beyonce was nominated also for her collaboration with Shakira on "Beautiful Liar."

The other video nominated in this category West's "Stronger" Rihanna's "Umbrella," Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" and French electro duo Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." are all in competition for the coveted video of the year award.

The rapper Kanye West and teenager Rihanna were nominated for five awards each.

West, Timberlake, hip hop artist Akon, rapper T.I. and R&B singer Robin Thicke are up for best male artist, while Amy Winehouse, Beyonce, Rihanna, Fergie and Nelly Furtado will compete for Best Female Artist.

Amy Winehouse, with her album “Back to Black”, the first released in US, was the real surprise of the nominations as she earned three nods.

Besides best female artist and best video, Winehouse was nominated in best new artist category, competing against will compete with Lily Allen, as well as Carrie Underwood, Gym Class Heroes and Peter Bjorn & John.

Up for best group are Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes, Linkin Park, Maroon 5 and the White Stripes.

The Monster Single Of the Year award offers the biggest competition, as Avril Lavigne "Girlfriend", Daughtry "Home", Fall Out Boy "Thnks Fr The Mmrs", Lil Mama "Lip Gloss", T-Pain "Buy U a Drank", Timbaland "The Way I Are", MIMS "This is Why I'm Hot", Plain White T's "Here There, Delilah", Rihanna "Umbrella" and Shop Boyz ("Party Like a Rock Star") are all up for the award.

Timberlake also snagged nominations for the Most Earthshattering Collaboration (for his duet with Timbaland) and the Quadruple Threat of the Year, which honours a combination of fashion, business, philanthropy, acting and dancing. Also competing in that category are U2's Bono, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Knowles.

In the most Earthshattering Collaboration, the nominations has gone, besides Beyonce and Timberlake to: Akon (featuring Eminem): "Smack That", Gwen Stefani (featuring Akon): "The Sweet Escape" and U2 (featuring Green Day): "The Saints Are Coming"

This year MTV Video Music Awards live will take place in Las Vegas on Sunday, September 9. The MTV Video Music Awards show will feature eight categories, including fan favorites, as well as four new slots: Male/female artist of the year, most earth-shattering collaboration, monster single of the year and quadruple threat award.

Performing in the two-hour show, to be broadcast live from The Palms Casino Resort, are Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Foo Fighters, Kanye West, Fall Out Boy Amy Winehouse, Rihanna, Lily Allen and Chris Brown.

"We may not own Las Vegas yet, but for one weekend the VMAs will rock this town," said Christina Norman, President, MTV. "From Justin to Rihanna to the Foo Fighters, the sheer amount of star power and talent is tremendous and will no doubt blow the roof off The Palms. And, seriously, this is just the beginning."  Timbaland has been brought on board as the show's "maestro."  "By me being maestro," said Timbaland, "I am the show."

Other categories and nominations are as follows:

Best Director

Beyonce and Shakira: "Beautiful Liar" (director: Jake Nava)
Christina Aguilera: "Candyman" (directors: Matthew Rolston and Christina Aguilera)
Justin Timberlake: "What Goes Around ... Comes Around" (director: Samuel Bayer)
Kanye West: "Stronger" (director: Hype Williams)
Linkin Park: "What I've Done" (director: Joseph Hahn)
Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z): "Umbrella" (director: Chris Applebaum)

Best Editing in a Video

Beyonce and Shakira: "Beautiful Liar" (editor: Jarett Figl)
Gnarls Barkley: "Smiley Faces" (editor: Ken Mowe)
Justin Timberlake: "What Goes Around ... Comes Around" (editor: Hollee Singer)
Kanye West: "Stronger" (editors: Peter Johnson and Corey Weisz)
Linkin Park: "What I've Done" (editor: Igor Kovalik)

Best Choreography in a Video

Beyonce and Shakira: "Beautiful Liar" (choreographer: Frank Gatson)
Chris Brown: "Wall to Wall" (choreographers: Rich & Tone and Flii Styles)
Ciara: "Like a Boy" (choreographer: Jamaica Craft)
Eve: "Tambourine" (choreographer: Tahesha Scott)
Justin Timberlake: "My Love" (choreographer: Marty Kudelka)