MTV VMAs 2025 Nominees Revealed: Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and More

MTV VMAs 2025 Nominees Revealed: Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and More
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The MTV VMAs are set to return on Sunday, September 7. This morning, the nominations list was revealed and, thanks to Mayhem, Lady Gaga leads the field with 12 noms. Her “Die With a Smile” singing partner Bruno Mars also nabbed 11 nominations, while Kendrick Lamar scored 10, continuing to ride the momentum of “Not Like Us” and GNX This year, the VMAs have also introduced two new categories: Best Pop Artist and Best Country. Among the nominees this year for all categories are your usual suspects, like Billie Eilish, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd, but let’s not overlook a pleasant but unexpected surprise: The Marías. This year’s VMAs ceremony will take place at UBS Arena in Long Island. The show will air live on CBS at 8 PM ET. See the full list of nominations below.

Video of the Year, Presented by Burger King®
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – Timeless

Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Song of the Year
Alex Warren – Ordinary
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Doechii – Anxiety
Ed Sheeran – Sapphire
Gracie Abrams – I Love You, I’m Sorry
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
Lorde – What Was That
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Tate McRae – Sports Car
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – Timeless

Best New Artist
Alex Warren
Ella Langley
Gigi Perez
Lola Young
Sombr
The Marías

MTV Push Performance of the Year, Presented by Bacardí® Rum
Ayra Starr – Last Heartbreak Song
Damiano David – Next Summer
Dasha – Bye Bye Bye
Gigi Perez – Sailor Song
Jordan Adetunji – Kehlani
Katseye – Touch
Lay Bankz – Graveyard
Leon Thomas – Yes It Is
Livingston – Shadow
Mark Ambor – Belong Together
Role Model – Sally, When the Wine Runs Out
Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)

Best Collaboration, Presented by Under Armour
Bailey Zimmerman & Luke Combs – Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video)
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – Luther
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
Post Malone Featuring Blake Shelton – Pour Me a Drink
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – Sunset Blvd

Best Pop
Alex Warren – Ordinary
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Ed Sheeran – Sapphire
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

Best Pop Artist
Ariana Grande
Charli XCX
Justin Bieber
Lorde
Miley Cyrus
Sabrina Carpenter
Tate McRae

Best Hip-Hop
Doechii – Anxiety
Drake – Nokia
Eminem Featuring Jelly Roll – Somebody Save Me
Glorilla Featuring Sexyy Red – Whatchu Kno About Me
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
LL Cool J Featuring Eminem – Murdergram Deux
Travis Scott – 4×4

Best R&B
Chris Brown – Residuals
Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – Mutt (Remix)
Mariah Carey – Type Dangerous
PartyNextDoor – No Chill
Summer Walker – Heart of a Woman
SZA – Drive
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – Timeless

Best Alternative
Gigi Perez – Sailor Song
Imagine Dragons – Wake Up
Lola Young – Messy
MGK & Jelly Roll – Lonely Road
Sombr – Back to Friends
The Marías – Back to Me

Best Rock
Coldplay – All My Love
Evanescence – Afterlife (From the Netflix Series “Devil May Cry”)
Green Day – One Eyed Bastard
Lenny Kravitz – Honey
Linkin Park – The Emptiness Machine
Twenty One Pilots – The Contract

Best Latin
Bad Bunny – Baile Inolvidable
J Balvin – Rio
Karol G – Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido
Peso Pluma – La Patrulla
Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – Khé?
Shakira – Soltera

Best K-Pop
Aespa – Whiplash
Jennie – Like Jennie
Jimin – Who
Jisoo – Earthquake
Lisa Featuring Doja Cat & Raye – Born Again
Stray Kids – Chk Chk Boom
Rosé – Toxic Till the End

Best Afrobeats
Asake & Travis Scott – Active
Burna Boy Featuring Travis Scott – TaTaTa
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)
Rema – Baby (Is It A Crime)
Tems Featuring Asake – Get It Right
Tyla – Push 2 Start
Wizkid Featuring Brent Faiyaz – Piece of My Heart

Best Country
Chris Stapleton – Think I’m in Love With You
Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood – I’m Gonna Love You
Jelly Roll – Liar
Lainey Wilson – 4x4xU
Megan Moroney – Am I Okay?
Morgan Wallen – Smile

Best Album
Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos
Kendrick Lamar – GNX
Lady Gaga – Mayhem
Morgan Wallen – I’m the Problem
Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet
The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow

Best Long Form Video
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos (Short Film)
Damiano David – Funny Little Stories
Mac Miller – Balloonerism
Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful
The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow

Video For Good
Burna Boy – Higher
Charli XCX – Guess Featuring Billie Eilish
Doechii – Anxiety
Eminem Featuring Jelly Roll – Somebody Save Me
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – Younger and Hotter Than Me
Zach Hood Featuring Sasha Alex Sloan – Sleepwalking

Best Direction
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Charli XCX – Guess Featuring Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

Best Art Direction
Charli XCX – Guess Featuring Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Lorde – Man of the Year
Miley Cyrus – End of the World
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.

Best Cinematography
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Ed Sheeran – Sapphire
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Miley Cyrus – Easy Lover
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching (From F1® the Movie)
The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow

Best Editing
Charli XCX – Guess Featuring Billie Eilish
Ed Sheeran – Sapphire
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching (From F1® the Movie)

Best Choreography
Doechii – Anxiety
FKA twigs – Eusexua
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Tyla – Push 2 Start
Zara Larsson – Pretty Ugly

 
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