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MTV VMAs 2025: Lady Gaga Leads with 12 Noms; Fan Voting Now Open

Here's a rundown of the MTV VMAs 2025 nominees, with Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar, Sabrina Carpenter, and more scoring big.


The 2025 MTV VMAs are going even bigger this year, airing live on both CBS and MTV (and streaming on Paramount+) from New York's UBS Arena on Sunday, Sept. 7th at 8 PM ET (5 PM PT). But what good is an awards show if we don't have awards? Of course, to do that, we need nominees – and that's exactly what was announced earlier today. 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).

While additional details (like performers, honorees, social categories, and more) will be released as the event inches closer, fan voting is now open for 19 gender-neutral categories and will run online through September 5th at 6 PM ET (except Best New Artist, which runs into the show). Song of the Year nominees will narrow to six nominees on August 18th at 12 PM ET, with voting continuing until September 5th, along with the other categories.

In addition, fans will get additional votes for Video of the Year presented by Burger King, Artist of the Year, and Best New Artist by commenting under the pinned posts on @VMAs Instagram using the artist-specific hashtags through August 8th at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT. Also, fans get double the votes per category every day during Power Hour presented by Bacardi Rum, running daily 1-2 PM ET from August 7th through September 4th.

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2025 VMAs Categories & Nominations

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

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

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

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

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

Lorde – "What Was That" – Republic Records

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

Tate McRae – "Sports Car" – RCA Records

The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – "Timeless" – XO/Republic 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)" – AtlanticRecords/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


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Ray FlookAbout Ray Flook

Serving as Television Editor since 2018, Ray began five years earlier as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought onto the core BC team in 2017.
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