The Complete List of 2018 Shorty Awards Nominees: Celebrating Social Media’s Best and How to Cast Your Vote!

The Shorty Awards are back, and 2018 marks a special milestone: their 10th anniversary! This prestigious event, dedicated to honoring the most influential and innovative content creators across social media platforms, is set to light up New York City on April 15. The highly anticipated list of nominees has finally been unveiled, showcasing an incredible array of talent from the digital world. From breakout sensations like Tiffany Haddish and music powerhouses like Cardi B, to beloved viral personalities and groundbreaking brands, this year’s lineup truly reflects the dynamic landscape of online influence.

Known for recognizing excellence in short-form content on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, and beyond, the Shorty Awards celebrate individuals and organizations who master the art of engaging their audiences. In past years, the awards have celebrated prominent figures like Chrissy Teigen, Shay Mitchell, and global music phenomenon BTS, underscoring the growing importance of digital presence and fan interaction. This unique awards ceremony puts the power directly into your hands, the fans! Your votes will determine who takes home the coveted trophies. So, after you explore the impressive roster of nominees below, be sure to click HERE to cast your vote and support your favorites!

Below is the comprehensive list of nominees for the 2018 Shorty Awards, carefully curated to highlight the best of the best in social media creativity and impact. Dive in and discover who made the cut!

ACTOR

This category celebrates actors who have effectively leveraged social media to connect with fans, share their lives, and extend their personal brands beyond traditional roles, showcasing their authentic personalities.

Ansel Elgort
Busy Phillips
Constance Wu
Elisabeth Moss
Ethan Wacker
Gal Gadot
James Van Der Beek
Lil Rel Howery
Riz Ahmed
Terry Crews
Tiffany Haddish
Tracee Ellis Ross

CELEBRITY

Recognizing major public figures who demonstrate exceptional engagement and influence across various social media platforms, this category highlights celebrities who truly understand how to captivate a digital audience.

Amber Rose
Andy Cohen
Donald Glover
Erykah Badu
Jimmy Kimmel
Jordan Peele
Kris Jenner
Mia Farrow
Miley Cyrus
Rihanna
RuPaul
Snoop Dogg

COMEDY

This award honors comedians and comedic content creators who excel at delivering humor in short-form, shareable formats across social media, bringing laughter to millions.

Billy Eichner
Carl Reiner
Demetri Martin
Eric Andre
Hasan Minhaj
Julio Torres
Kristen Schaal
Lena Waithe
Liza Treyger
Margaret Cho
Michelle Wolf
Vir Das

DANCE

Celebrating dancers, choreographers, and dance groups who utilize social media platforms to showcase their talent, inspire others, and share the joy of movement with a global audience.

Backpack Kid
Brown Girls Do Ballet
Gaurav N Chandni
Isabella Boylston
Jabbawockeez
Kyle Hanagami
Les Twins
Lil’ Buck
Merrick Hanna
Taylor Sieve
Tessa Brooks
Werk for Peace

MUSIC

This category recognizes musicians and musical artists who have significantly impacted social media with their music, videos, and fan interactions, connecting with listeners in innovative ways.

Amine
Cardi B
Chloe x Halle
Dua Lipa
John Mayer
Kesha
Khalid
Lil Dicky
Logic
Phish
Schoolboy Q
SZA

TV SHOW

Honoring television series that have built strong online communities, generated significant social buzz, and effectively engaged viewers through their social media presence and unique digital content.

13 Reasons Why
American Vandal
Big Mouth
Blackish
Handmaid’s Tale
Insecure
Rick & Morty
Riverdale
Shark Tank
The Good Place
The Simpsons
This is Us

EMOJI

Recognizing the most popular, impactful, or culturally significant emojis of the year, celebrating their role in modern digital communication and expression.

Avocado
Bowie
Clown Face
Eyes
Facepalm
Gotcha
Meh
Rainbow
Puerto Rican Flag
Starry Eyed
Unicorn
Up to no good

GIF

This category highlights the most memorable and widely shared GIFs that captured the internet’s attention, becoming integral parts of online conversations and reactions.

A Clap for the Ages
Blinking White Man
Chance at the Grammys
Get Out
Help Me
I’m Pickle Rick!
Johnson/Hanks 2020
Kris Bryant’s World Series Smile
Lavar Ball Enters First Take
Salt Bae
Winona Ryder’s Grammy Face
YAS MERYL

INSTAGRAM

Celebrating individual Instagram posts that went viral, sparked conversations, or achieved iconic status due to their creativity, impact, or sheer popularity.

Beyonce’s Birth Announcement
Blacktip Reef Shark
Boss Baby
Caption this…
Flower Power
I can’t believe I still…
Ok we’re ready
#PuberMe
Solar Eclipse
The New Guard
Vegas Strong
Who’s that in the mirror

MEME

Honoring the most influential and pervasive internet memes that defined online culture and humor, spreading rapidly across platforms and becoming global phenomena.

Distracted Boyfriend
Eating Tide Pods
Expanding brain
Finally Whippin BowWow Challenge
I love my curvy wife
Law and Order Spotify Playlists
Retire bitch
Right in front of my salad
Roll Safe
Snapchat hotdog
The Floor is…
Tiny Trump

ANIMAL

This category recognizes pets and wildlife accounts that have captured hearts and garnered massive followings on social media, showcasing the adorable, fascinating, and often hilarious world of animals.

Albert (albertonwheels)
Black Jaguar-White Tiger
bubalahpoochie
Cash Cats
Cincinnati Zoo
Esther the Wonder Pig
Louboutina (Loubie)
Manny The Selfie Cat
Mike Coots
NORBERT
The Look of Lal

ART

Celebrating artists and art accounts that creatively use social media platforms to display their work, engage with art enthusiasts, and inspire new perspectives through visual content.

Alexa Meade
Blake Kathryn
Charlotte Love
Chris Hong
Dan Hogman
Hanksy NYC
Jon Burgerman
Nick Misani
Penelope Gazin
Toyin Ojih Odutola
Vashti Harrison
Web Comic Name

BEAUTY

Honoring beauty influencers, makeup artists, and brands that have made a significant impact on social media, sharing tips, tutorials, and trends that inspire and educate their vast audiences.

Alex Faction
Arshia Moorjani
Jake Warden
Jazmina Daniel
Jordan Hanz
Nià the Light
Nyma Tang
Patricia Bright
Raw Beauty Kristi
Simply Nailogical
Sydney Szramowski
Thomas Halbert

FASHION

This award recognizes fashion influencers, stylists, and brands who define trends, inspire personal style, and engage a global audience through their distinctive presence on social media.

Accidental Icon
Benjamin Kicks
Danielle Prescod
Derek Blasberg
Lainy Hedaya
Luka Sabbat
Mickey Boardman
Nikki Ogunnaike
Pia Arrobio
Rochelle Johnson
Victoria Beckham
What Fran Wore

FOOD

Celebrating chefs, food bloggers, and culinary personalities who captivate audiences with their delicious creations, recipes, and unique gastronomic content on social media.

Binging with Babish
Candice Kumai
Daym Drops
Desserted in Paris
First We Feast
FoodBabyNY
Holly Fox
Joy The Baker
Matt Stonie
Nusret (SaltBae) Gökçe
Rachael Ray
Rosanna Pansino

HEALTH & WELLNESS

This category honors individuals and organizations dedicated to promoting health, fitness, and mental well-being through informative and inspiring content on social media platforms.

Akin Akman
DJ Townsel
Dr. Mike
Elyse Fox
Emily Skye
Joe Holder
Katie Willcox
Koya Webb
Luis Badillo Jr.
Remi Ishizuka
Sophia Gall
Valerie Sagun

HOUSE & HOME

Recognizing interior designers, DIY enthusiasts, and home decor experts who share their creativity and expertise, inspiring others to transform their living spaces through engaging social media content.

Andy & Candis Meredith
Brady Tolbert
Château de Gudanes
Dabito
Emily Henderson
I Have This Thing With Floors
Kelly Wearstler
LaurDIY
Mandi Gubler
Sherry & John Petersik
Tessa Neustadt
The Sorry Girls

JOURNALIST

Honoring journalists and reporters who utilize social media as a powerful tool for news dissemination, insightful commentary, and connecting with a wider audience on important current events.

Amina Khan
Annie Karni
April D. Ryan
Chris Geidner
Elle Reeve
Ellen McGirt
Felipe Dana
Jason Concepcion
Jodi Kantor
Joshua Topolsky
Michelle Ye Hee Lee
Ronan Farrow

LGBTQ+

This award celebrates LGBTQ+ voices and allies who use social media to foster community, advocate for equality, share personal stories, and promote understanding and acceptance.

Alok V Menon
Amy Ordman
Arlo Sullivan
Aydian Dowling
Ethan Hethcote
Lateef Thynative
Miles McKenna
Raymond Braun
Stephanie Frosch
Trace Lysette
Trixie Mattel
V Squared

LIFESTYLE

Recognizing influencers and creators who inspire their audiences with their everyday lives, offering insights into fashion, travel, well-being, and personal development through engaging social media content.

Ariella Noa Charnas
Christine Mai Nguyen
Freddy Rodriguez
Jason Cheung
Katie Sturino
LaTonya Yvette
Lauren Elizabeth
Mackenzie Horan
Mick Batyske
Nabela Noor
Paloma Elsesser
Sai De Silva

LITERATURE

Celebrating authors, poets, and literary accounts that engage readers, discuss books, and promote the love of reading and storytelling through their presence on social media.

Atul Gawande
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Cleo Wade
Colson Whitehead
Curtis Sittenfeld
Darcie Wilder
Dwight Garner
Jonny Sun
Jon Ronson
Kevin Kwan
Owen King
Rebecca Traister

MEME/PARODY ACCOUNT

Honoring accounts that specialize in creating, curating, or satirizing internet culture through memes and parody content, often going viral and shaping online humor.

_diplo_
Adam The Creator
beigecardigan
Bros Being Basic
Comment Awards
daddyissues_
Fake Science
FuckJerry
hilariousbabies
Kim Kierkegaardashian
NotSportsCenter
Unspirational

PARENTING/FAMILY

This category recognizes parents and families who share their experiences, offer advice, and entertain audiences with heartwarming and relatable content about family life on social media.

Action Movie Kid
Cute Girls Hairstyles
Elsie Larson
Fathering Autism
Laura Izumikawa
Live Sweet
MAZELEE
Pam Stepnick
Ryan Toys Reviews
Sarah Grace Club
Sholom Ber Solomon
Two Gay Papas

SPORTS

Celebrating athletes, sports journalists, and commentators who use social media to engage fans, share insights, and provide a unique perspective on the world of sports.

Brooke Ence
JJ Watt
Jemele Hill
Donald De La Haye
Hillary Knight
Katie Ledecky
Kevin Durant
Kristaps Porzingis
Laila Ali
Lolo Jones
Richard Sherman
Serena Williams

WEB SERIES

Honoring original web series that captivate audiences with their storytelling, production quality, and innovative use of online platforms to deliver episodic content.

Buddy System
Escape the Night
Guidance
Hot Ones
Jay Versace is Stuck in the 90s
Mr. Student Body President
OMG We’re Coming Over
Real Bros of Simi Valley
Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television
Speechless with Carly Fleischmann
The Breakdown
Worth It

WEIRD

This unique category recognizes individuals and accounts that create wonderfully bizarre, unconventional, or delightfully strange content that stands out and goes viral on social media.

dubstep4dads
Adam Ellis
Animated Text
da share z0ne
If you high
James Fridman
Krang T. Nelson
NOT A WOLF
Poppy
Shavaunna
slimeysugar
The Report of the Week

BREAKOUT YOUTUBER

Celebrating emerging YouTube creators who have seen a rapid rise to prominence, captivating audiences with their fresh content and unique online personalities.

Austin McConnell
Beau Brown
Elle Mills
Emma Chamberlain
Julius Dein
Karina Garcia
Kraig Adams
Luke Korns
Michael Dapaah
Molly Burke
Olivia Jade
Teala Dunn

CREATOR OF THE DECADE

A special recognition for creators who have maintained exceptional influence, innovation, and relevance throughout the past decade, shaping the landscape of online content creation.

Casey Neistat
Dude Perfect
Gigi Gorgeous
Hannah Hart
Jenna Marbles
Lilly Singh
Liza Koshy
Markiplier
MKBHD
Philip DeFranco
Rhett & Link
Tyler Oakley

INSTAGRAMMER

Honoring individuals and accounts that consistently produce outstanding and highly engaging content on Instagram, mastering the platform’s visual storytelling capabilities.

Betches
Boop My Nose
But Like Maybe
Coco Pink Princess
Eva Chen
Howard Lee
Lil Mayo
My Day With Leo
Pete Souza
The New Yorker Cartoons
Topher Brophy
TSA

LIVE STREAMER

Recognizing personalities who excel in real-time broadcasting, captivating audiences with their live performances, interactions, and spontaneous content across various streaming platforms.

Antonio Brown
Ariel Viera
Brent Morgan
Bryce Xavier
Dick Vitale
Emma McGann
Liz Cook
Ron Waxman
Scott Rogowsky
Tasmin Lucia-Khan
Thomas Kuc
Vin Diesel

MUSER

This category celebrates top creators on Musical.ly (now TikTok), who master short-form video content, lip-syncs, and creative performances to entertain and engage their massive fanbases.

Adam Jernberg
Alicja Mocek
Anna Catify
Annie LeBlanc
Case Walker
Chuch the Cavalier
Felipe Farias
Isaiah Xavier
Jayden Bartles
Lucas and Marcus
Lucki Starr
Rebecca Zamolo

SNAPCHATTER

Honoring individuals who master the ephemeral art of Snapchat storytelling, creating engaging, humorous, and authentic content that resonates with their audience.

Amanda Cerny
Andy Burgess
Chris D’Elia
Chrissy Teigen
Eva Longoria
Geeohsnap
Kelly Oxford
Laura Perlongo
Giorgio Copter
Phil the Culture
Ross Smith
Spencer Pratt

TWITCH STREAMER

Recognizing professional gamers and entertainers who have built thriving communities and deliver top-tier live content on Twitch, captivating viewers with their skills and personalities.

Aphromoo
Deadmau5
Faker
Grimmmz
Jenna & Julien
KayPeaLoL
Kitty Plays
LoserFruit
nl_Kripp
Pokimane
ProfessorBroman
Shroud

VLOGGER OF THE YEAR

Celebrating the most compelling and influential video bloggers who consistently produce engaging daily or weekly vlogs, offering a window into their lives and experiences on YouTube and other platforms.

Alex Wassabi
Aspyn and Parker
Scotty Sire
CatCreature
iJustine
Jason Nash
Kade Speiser
Margot Lee
Meghan Rienks
Negin Mirsalehi
Todd Smith
Wil Dasovich

YOUTUBE COMEDIAN

Honoring YouTube creators who excel in comedic skits, parodies, and stand-up performances, making audiences laugh with their unique brand of humor delivered through video content.

Abdulaziz Baz
Anwar Jibawi
Brandon Rogers
Candace Lowry
Chris Klemens
dangmattsmith
Danny Gonzalez
F0XY
Hannah Stocking
Miel Bredouw
Rudy Mancuso
Tana Mongeau

YOUTUBE ENSEMBLE

Recognizing groups of creators or collaborative channels that produce high-quality, entertaining content together, showcasing teamwork and collective creativity on YouTube.

@Pack
dareUS
De’arra & Ken
Dolan Twins
Dude Perfect
Funk Bros
Legendary Shots
Niki and Gabi
Sugar Pine 7
Team 10
Walk Off The Earth
Vlog Squad

YOUTUBE MUSICIAN

Celebrating musicians and musical groups who leverage YouTube to share their original music, covers, and creative performances, building a dedicated fanbase through their video content.

80 Fitz
Brooklyn & Bailey
Desmond Dennis
DeStorm Power
Fresh Big Mouf
Kurt Hugo Schneider
Leslie Wai
MattyBRaps
Our Last Night
PostmodernJukebox
The Filharmonic
Vidya Vox

YOUTUBE OF THE YEAR

The top honor for a YouTube creator who has demonstrated exceptional impact, influence, and consistent quality across all aspects of their channel throughout the year.

Andrea Russett
Cody Ko
Coyote Peterson
David Dobrik
Eva Gutowski
Gabbie Hanna
Jack Douglass
Jake Paul
Juanpa Zurita
Lele Pons
Safiya Nygaard
Yuya

ACTIVISM

This category honors individuals and groups who effectively use social media platforms to champion social causes, raise awareness, and mobilize communities for positive change.

Amber Tamblyn
American Ferrera
Cameron Russell
Dan Savage
Deray McKesson
Eileen Kelly
Erica Garner
Kailash Satyarthi
Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Laurie David
Tarana Burke
Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez

EDUCATION

Recognizing educators and channels that deliver insightful, engaging, and accessible learning content across social media, making knowledge fun and widely available.

Angela Duckworth
CrashCourse
Joe Hanson
Leland Melvin
Meet Arnold
Henry Reich
Physics Fun
Primitive Technology
The Financial Diet
The School of Life
Tom Scott
Upulie Divisekera

GAMING

Celebrating gamers, streamers, and content creators who dominate the gaming world on social media, entertaining and informing audiences with their gameplay, commentary, and reviews.

Airforceproud95
Chad Wild Clay
cybernova games
DashieGames
Fangs
iMAV3RIQ
ItsFunneh
MangoTango
Gaming Historian
PushingUpRoses
runJDrun
Sylvibot

PODCAST

Honoring podcasts that have captured listeners’ imaginations, delivered compelling audio content, and built strong communities around their discussions and storytelling.

Another Round
Bodega Boys
How Did This Get Made
Lady Lovin
Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations
Pardon My Take
Pod Save America
Politically Re-Active
S Town
The Daily
The Joe Rogan Experience
VIEWS

TRAVEL

This category recognizes travel influencers, bloggers, and adventurers who inspire wanderlust and share breathtaking journeys, tips, and cultural insights through their captivating social media content.

Bon Traveler
Céline Bossart
Damon and Jo
Exploring with Josh
Fly with Stella
Juan-Peter Schulze
Kara and Nate
Adventurous Kate
She is Not Lost
The Place I Was Telling You About
The Points Guy
Travel Babbo

The 2018 Shorty Awards are not just a celebration of talent; they are a testament to the incredible power of social media to connect, entertain, and inspire millions worldwide. From groundbreaking activism to hilarious comedy, and from stunning visual art to the pulse of popular music, these nominees represent the pinnacle of digital creativity. Now that you’ve reviewed the full list of these inspiring creators and innovators, it’s time for you to make your voice heard! Head over to the official Shorty Awards website and cast your votes before it’s too late.

Who do you believe has truly made the most significant impact on social media this past year? Which nominee’s content consistently brightens your feed or sparks important conversations? We want to hear from you! Share your predictions and tell us who you’ll be voting for in the comments section below. Let’s celebrate the best of digital content and look forward to another decade of incredible social media innovation!