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2025 MTV VMAs Viewing Guide: Nominees, Performers/Presenters & More

Here's what you need to know about tonight's LL Cool J-hosted 2025 MTV VMAs, kicking off at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+.

Tonight's the night! But the 2025 MTV VMAs are so big that they can't just be contained to MTV. That's why tonight's LL Cool J-hosted musical extravaganza is also airing on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. To make sure you have everything you need to know about the big show, Bleeding Cool has the only 2025 MTV VMAs preview/viewers' guide that you're going to need. We're talking about a rundown of when, where, and how to watch; what you need to know about the pre-show, who's presenting, who's performing, special awards/honors, an updated look at the categories and nominees, and much more.

When and Where Can I Watch the MTV VMAs 2025? The 2025 MTV VMAs are going live from New York's UBS Arena on Sunday, September 7th, beginning at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT. It's set to air on CBS and MTV and stream on Paramount+ (though you can also check out Philo, Fubo, DirecTV, and Sling TV).

2025 VMAs Pre-Show: Kicking off live at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT on MTV and BET, BET Her, Comedy Central, CMT, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, and VH1, the pre-show event is hosted by Nessa and Kevan Kenney and will include special performers Kasteye. The global girl group and first-time nominees will make their VMAs debut live during the pre-show, performing "Gnarley" and "Gabriela" from their new EP Beautiful Chaos.

MTV VMAs 2025 Presenters: Ashlee Simpson Ross, Brittany Snow, Ciara, KPop Demon Hunters' EJAE, REI AMI + Audrey Nuna (Huntr/x), Ice Spice, Jessica Simpson, Latto, Livvy Dunne, Malin Ackerman, Meg Stalter, Nikki Glaser, Paris Hilton, Alix Earle, Lenny Kravitz, Luke Grimes, and ROSÉ are set to present.

MTV VMAs 2025 Performers: Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Alex Warren, Busta Rhymes, J Balvin ft. DJ Snake, Ricky Martin, Sabrina Carpenter, sombr, Conan Gray, Doja Cat, Jelly Roll, Post Malone, and Tate McRae are set to perform. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, YUNGBLUD, and Nuno Bettencourt will are set to offer a musical tribute honoring the late Ozzy Osbourne.

MTV VMAs 2025 Special Awards & Honors: Grammy Award-winning singer Mariah Carey will receive the MTV VMAs' Video Vanguard Award. Busta Rhymes will receive the MTV VMA "Rock The Bells" Visionary Award. Ricky Martin will be honored with the Latin Icon Award.

VMAs Extended Play Stage: The spotlight will shine on a trio of VMAs first-time nominees. Bailey Zimmerman ft. the Kid LAROI: Multiplatinum country sensation makes his VMAs debut and competes for his first Moon Person, nominated for Best Collaboration and Song of the Summer. He's joined by multiplatinum chart-topping global superstar and five-time VMA nominee the Kid LAROI, also taking the stage for the first time. Lola Young: British pop-soul singer-songwriter Lola Young will mark her first VMAs with a performance of her chart-topper "Messy" and compete for her first-ever Moon Person, nominated for Best New Artist and Best Alternative. Megan Moroney: The multiplatinum hitmaker will celebrate her first VMAs with a performance of "6 Months Later" and compete in the inaugural Best Country category for #1 hit "Am I Okay?"

2025 VMAs Categories & Nominations

Lady Gaga leads this year's nominees with 12 noms, looking to add to her 18 VMAs wins with nominations in Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Best Album, and more. Other artists who could walk away with some serious hardware are Bruno Mars (11 noms), Kendrick Lamar (10 noms), ROSÉ and Sabrina Carpenter (eight noms each), Ariana Grande and The Weeknd (seven noms each), Billie Eilish (6 noms), Charli xcx (5 noms), Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus, and Tate McRae (four noms each). Nominees in each category are listed in alphabetical order by first name, with "**" denoting a new category:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR, presented by Burger King

Ariana Grande – "brighter days ahead" – Republic Records

Billie Eilish – "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" – Darkroom/Interscope Records

Kendrick Lamar – "Not Like Us" – pgLang/Interscope Records

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – "Die with a Smile" – Interscope Records

ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – "APT." – Atlantic Records

Sabrina Carpenter – "Manchild" – Island

The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – "Timeless" – XO/Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment

Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records

Kendrick Lamar – pgLang/Interscope Records

Lady Gaga – Interscope Records

Morgan Wallen – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records

Taylor Swift – Republic Records

The Weeknd – XO/Republic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR

Alex Warren – "Ordinary" – Atlantic Records

Billie Eilish – "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" – Darkroom/Interscope Records

Gracie Abrams – "I Love You, I'm Sorry" – Interscope Records

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – "Die with a Smile" – Interscope Records

ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – "APT." – Atlantic Records

Tate McRae – "Sports Car" – RCA Records

BEST NEW ARTIST

Alex Warren – Atlantic Records

Ella Langley – SAWGOD/Columbia Records

Gigi Perez – Island

Lola Young – Island

sombr – SMB Music/Warner Records

The Marías – Nice Life/Atlantic Records

BEST POP ARTIST **

Ariana Grande – Republic Records

Charli xcx – Atlantic Records

Justin Bieber – Def Jam Recordings

Lorde – Republic Records

Miley Cyrus – Columbia Records

Sabrina Carpenter – Island

Tate McRae – RCA Records

MTV PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR, presented by BACARDÍ® Rum

Aug. 2024 – Shaboozey – "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" – American Dogwood/EMPIRE

Sept. 2024 – Ayra Starr – "Last Heartbreak Song" – Mavin Records/Republic Records

Oct. 2024 – Mark Ambor – "Belong Together" – Hundred Days Records/Virgin Music

Nov. 2024 – Lay Bankz – "Graveyard" – Artist Partner Group Inc.

Dec. 2024 – Dasha – "Bye Bye Bye" – Warner Records

Jan. 2025 – KATSEYE – "Touch" – HYBE/Geffen Records

Feb. 2025 – Jordan Adetunji – "KEHLANI" – 300 Entertainment

March 2025 – Leon Thomas – "YES IT IS" – EZMNY Records/Motown Records

April 2025 – Livingston – "Shadow" – Republic Records

May 2025 – Damiano David – "Next Summer" – Sony Italy/Arista Records 

June 2025 – Gigi Perez – "Sailor Song" – Island

July 2025 – ROLE MODEL – "Sally, When the Wine Runs Out" – Interscope Records

BEST COLLABORATION, presented by Under Armour

Bailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs – "Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video)" – Atlantic Records/Warner Music Nashville

Kendrick Lamar & SZA – "luther" – pgLang/Interscope Records

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – "Die with a Smile" – Interscope Records

Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton – "Pour Me a Drink" – Mercury Records

ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – "APT." – Atlantic Records

Selena Gomez, benny blanco – "Sunset Blvd" – SMG Music/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records

BEST POP

Alex Warren – "Ordinary" – Atlantic Records

Ariana Grande – "brighter days ahead" – Republic Record

Ed Sheeran – "Sapphire" – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – "Die with a Smile" – Interscope Records

ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – "APT." – Atlantic Records

Sabrina Carpenter – "Manchild" – Island

BEST HIP HOP

Doechii – "Anxiety" – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records

Drake – "NOKIA" – OVO/Santa Anna/Republic

Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – "Somebody Save Me" – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records

GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red – "WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME" – CMG/Interscope Records

Kendrick Lamar – "Not Like Us" – pgLang/Interscope Records

LL COOL J ft. Eminem – "Murdergram Deux" – Def Jam Recordings

Travis Scott – "4X4" – Cactus Jack/Epic Records

BEST R&B

Chris Brown – "Residuals" – Chris Brown Entertainment/RCA Records

Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – "MUTT (REMIX)" – EZMNY Records/Motown Records

Mariah Carey – "Type Dangerous" – gamma.

PARTYNEXTDOOR – "N o C h i l l" – OVO Sound

Summer Walker – "Heart of a Woman" – LVRN/Interscope Records

SZA – "Drive" – Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records

The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – "Timeless" – XO/Republic Records

BEST ALTERNATIVE

Gigi Perez – "Sailor Song" – Island

Imagine Dragons – "Wake Up" – KIDinaKorner/Interscope Records

Lola Young – "Messy" – Island

mgk & Jelly Roll – "Lonely Road" – EST 19XX/Interscope Records

sombr – "back to friends" – SMB Music/Warner Records

The Marías – "Back to Me" – Nice Life/Atlantic Records

BEST ROCK

Coldplay – "ALL MY LOVE" – Atlantic Records

Evanescence – "Afterlife (From the Netflix Series 'Devil May Cry')" – Netflix Music

Green Day – "One Eyed Bastard" – Reprise Records/Warner Records

Lenny Kravitz – "Honey" – ℗© 2024 Roxie Records Inc. under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management GmbH

Linkin Park – "The Emptiness Machine" – Warner Records

twenty one pilots – "The Contract" – Fueled By Ramen

BEST LATIN

Bad Bunny – "BAILE INoLVIDABLE" – Rimas Entertainment

J Balvin – "Rio" – Capitol Records

KAROL G – "Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido" – Bichota Records/Interscope Records

Peso Pluma – "LA PATRULLA" – Double P Records

Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – "Khé?" – Sony Music US Latin

Shakira – "Soltera" – Sony Music US Latin

BEST K-POP

aespa – "Whiplash" – SM Entertainment/Virgin Music Group

JENNIE – "like JENNIE" – OA Entertainment/Columbia Records

Jimin – "Who" – BIGHIT MUSIC

JISOO – "earthquake" – Warner Records

LISA ft. Doja Cat & RAYE – "Born Again" – Lloud Co./RCA Records

Stray Kids – "Chk Chk Boom" – JYP/IMPERIAL/Republic

ROSÉ – "toxic till the end" – Atlantic Records

BEST AFROBEATS

Asake & Travis Scott – "Active" – YBNL Nation/EMPIRE

Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott – "TaTaTa" – Spaceship/Bad Habit/Atlantic Records

MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – "Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)" – gamma.

Rema – "Baby (Is It a Crime)" – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / Interscope Records

Tems ft. Asake – "Get It Right" – RCA Records/Since '93

Tyla – "PUSH 2 START" – FAX Records/Epic Records

Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz – "Piece of My Heart" – Starboy/RCA Records

BEST COUNTRY **

Chris Stapleton – "Think I'm in Love with You" – Mercury Nashville

Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood – "I'm Gonna Love You" – CoJo Music / Warner Music Nashville

Jelly Roll – "Liar" – BBR Music Group/BMG/Republic Records

Lainey Wilson – "4x4xU" – Broken Bow Records

Megan Moroney – "Am I Okay?" – Columbia Records

Morgan Wallen – "Smile" – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records

BEST ALBUM

Bad Bunny –DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – Rimas Entertainment

Kendrick Lamar –GNX – pgLang/Interscope Records

Lady Gaga –Mayhem – Interscope Records

Morgan Wallen –I'm the Problem – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records

Sabrina Carpenter –Short n' Sweet – Island

The Weeknd –Hurry Up Tomorrow – XO/Republic Records

BEST LONG FORM VIDEO 

Ariana Grande – "brighter days ahead" – Republic Records

Bad Bunny – "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (Short Film)" – Rimas Entertainment

Damiano David – "FUNNY little STORIES" – Sony Italy/Arista Records

Mac Miller – "Balloonerism" – Warner Records

Miley Cyrus – "Something Beautiful" – Columbia Records

The Weeknd – "Hurry Up Tomorrow" – XO/Republic Records

VIDEO FOR GOOD

Burna Boy – "Higher" – Spaceship/Bad Habit/Atlantic Records

Charli xcx – "Guess featuring Billie Eilish" – Atlantic Records

Doechii – "Anxiety" – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records

Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – "Somebody Save Me" – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records

Selena Gomez, benny blanco – "Younger and Hotter Than Me" – SMG Music/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records

Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan – "Sleepwalking" – Arista Records

BEST DIRECTION

Ariana Grande – "brighter days ahead" – Republic Records

Charli xcx – "Guess featuring Billie Eilish" – Atlantic Records

Kendrick Lamar – "Not Like Us" – pgLang/Interscope Records

Lady Gaga – "Abracadabra" – Interscope Records

ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – "APT." – Atlantic Records

Sabrina Carpenter – "Manchild" – Island

BEST ART DIRECTION

Charli xcx – "Guess featuring Billie Eilish" – Atlantic Records

Kendrick Lamar – "Not Like Us" – pgLang/Interscope Records

Lady Gaga – "Abracadabra" – Interscope Records

Lorde – "Man of the Year" – Republic Records

Miley Cyrus – "End of the World" – Columbia Records

ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – "APT." – Atlantic Records

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Ariana Grande – "brighter days ahead" – Republic Records

Ed Sheeran – "Sapphire" – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records

Kendrick Lamar – "Not Like Us" – pgLang/Interscope Records

Lady Gaga – "Abracadabra" – Interscope Records

Miley Cyrus – "Easy Lover" – Columbia Records

Sabrina Carpenter – "Manchild" – Island

BEST EDITING

Charli xcx – "Guess featuring Billie Eilish" – Atlantic Records

Ed Sheeran – "Sapphire" – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records

Kendrick Lamar – "Not Like Us" – pgLang/Interscope Records

Lady Gaga – "Abracadabra" – Interscope Records

Sabrina Carpenter – "Manchild" – Island

Tate McRae – "Just Keep Watching (from 'F1® The Movie')" – Atlantic Records

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Doechii – "Anxiety" – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records

FKA twigs – "Eusexua" – Atlantic Records

Kendrick Lamar – "Not Like Us" – pgLang/Interscope Records

Lady Gaga – "Abracadabra" – Interscope Records

Tyla – "PUSH 2 START" – FAX Records/Epic Records

Zara Larsson – "Pretty Ugly" – Epic Records

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Ariana Grande – "brighter days ahead" – Republic Records

Lady Gaga – "Abracadabra" – Interscope Records

ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – "APT." – Atlantic Records

Sabrina Carpenter – "Manchild" – Island

Tate McRae – "Just Keep Watching (from 'F1® The Movie')" – Atlantic Records

The Weeknd – "Hurry Up Tomorrow" – XO/Republic Records

In addition, the nominations for two social categories were announced: Best Group and Song of the Summer. All voting will be hosted on @MTV Instagram Story until Sunday, Sept. 7th at 11:00 am ET. Here's a look at what you need to know to vote and who the nominees are:

BEST GROUP – Fan voting for favorite group across all genres will begin Tuesday, Sept. 2nd at 11:00 am ET on @MTV Instagram Story (three rounds, bracket-style face-off, final round tap to vote); closes Saturday, Sept. 6th at 11:00 am ET:

BLACKPINK

Stray Kids

SONG OF THE SUMMER – Fan voting for all-around favorite Summer 2025 hit will launch Saturday, Sept. 6th at 11:00 am ET on @MTV Instagram Story (one round tap to vote); closes Sunday, Sept. 7th at 11:00 am ET:

Addison Rae* – "Headphones On" – Columbia Records

Alex Warren – "Ordinary" – Atlantic Records

Benson Boone – "Mystical Magical" – Night Street Records/Warner Records

BigXthaPlug** ft. Bailey Zimmerman – "All the Way" – UnitedMasters

Chappell Roan – "The Subway" – Island

Demi Lovato – "Fast" – Island

Doja Cat – "Jealous Type" – Kemosabe/RCA Records

HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI** – "Golden" – Republic Records/Visva Records

Jessie Murph – "Blue Strips" – Columbia Records

Justin Bieber – "Daisies" – Def Jam Recordings

MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – "Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)" – gamma.

Morgan Wallen ft. Tate McRae – "What I Want" – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records

Ravyn Lenae ft. Rex Orange County – "Love Me Not" – Atlantic Records

Sabrina Carpenter – "Manchild" – Island

sombr – "12 to 12" – SMB Music/Warner Records

Tate McRae – "Just Keep Watching (From F1® The Movie)" – Atlantic Records

Gunpowder & Sky produces the 2025 MTV VMAs. Bruce Gillmer, Den of Thieves co-founder Jesse Ignjatovic, and Barb Bialkowski are executive producers. Alicia Portugal is co-executive producer. Jackie Barba is the executive in charge of production. Wendy Plaut is the executive in charge of celebrity talent. Lisa Lauricella is the executive in charge of music talent for the MTV VMAs 2025.

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