MTV VMAs 2025: From Lady Gaga to Bruno Mars, here are all the nominees

MTV VMAs 2025: From Lady Gaga to Bruno Mars, here are all the nominees

VMA 2025 Photograph: (WION Web Team)

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The full list of nominees for this year's MTV Video Music Awards is out. This year, Lady Gaga leads with a total of 12 nods, including Best Album, so let's take a look at the complete list of nominees. 

The MTV VMAs are one of the most iconic and prestigious awards in the music industry, and this year Lady Gaga leads with a whopping 12 nominations, including Best Album for Mayham, followed closely by Bruno Mars with 11 and Kendrick Lamar with 10 nods. This year, the VMAs added two new categories, Best Country and Best Pop Artist.

When and where to watch the MTV VMAs

This year's show will take place at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 7 and will broadcast on CBS and stream on Paramount+ for US audiences. You can also catch updates on the official VMA social media handles.

Here are all the nominees for the 2025 MTV VMAs

Video of the Year

Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’

Trending Stories

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

Best Pop Artist

Ariana Grande

Charli XCX

Justin Bieber

Lorde

Miley Cyrus

Sabrina Carpenter

Tate McRae

MTV Push Performance of the Year

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

Bailey Zimmerman & Luke Combs – ‘Backup Plan’ (Stagecoach Official Music Video)

Kendrick Lamar & SZA – ‘Luther’

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’

Post Malone ft. 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 Hip-Hop

Doechii – ‘Anxiety’

Drake – ‘Nokia’

Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – ‘Somebody Save Me’

Glorilla ft. Sexyy Red – ‘Whatchu Kno About Me’

Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’

LL Cool J ft. 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’

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 ft. Doja Cat & Raye – ‘Born Again’

Stray Kids – ‘Chk Chk Boom’

Rosé – ‘Toxic Till the End’

Best Afrobeats

Asake & Travis Scott – ‘Active’

Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott – ‘TaTaTa’

Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – ‘Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)’

Rema – ‘Baby (Is It A Crime)’

Tems ft. Asake – ‘Get It Right’

Tyla – ‘Push 2 Start’

Wizkid ft. 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’

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’ ft. Billie Eilish

Doechii – ‘Anxiety’

Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – ‘Somebody Save Me’

Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – ‘Younger and Hotter Than Me’

Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan – ‘Sleepwalking’

Best Direction

Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’

Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish

Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’

Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’

Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’

Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’

Best Art Direction

Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. 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 Editing

Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish

Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’

Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’

Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’

Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’

Tate McRae – ‘Just Keep Watching’

Best Choreography

Doechii – ‘Anxiety’

FKA twigs – ‘Eusexua’

Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’

Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’

Tyla – ‘Push 2 Start’

Zara Larsson – ‘Pretty Ugly’

Best Visual Effects

Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’

Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’

Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’

Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’

Tate McRae – ‘Just Keep Watching’

The Weeknd – ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’

About the Author

Achu Krishnan is an entertainment journalist with over six years of experience, currently working as a Sub-Editor at WION. He loves writing about films, television, and pop culture...Read More

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