All eyes will be on Lady Gaga at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. The pop diva’s “Abracadabra” spell seemed to have successfully worked its charm on the fan-favourite American awards ceremony well in advance, as she came out on top with the most nominations (12). Her “Die With a Smile” duet partner Bruno Mars came in next with 11 nods, while Kendrick Lamar registered 10 nominations across the board.
The “Poker Face” hit-maker especially made waves with her Artist of the Year nomination, competing against fellow big-shot artists like Beyonce and Taylor Swift. Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen and The Weeknd also made the cut. Additionally, she got her flowers in the following categories: Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best Pop, Best Album, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and Best Visual Effects.
Unfortunately for Taylor, the “Love Story” songstress earned just the one nod at the MTV VMAs 2025, much like Beyonce. Despite staying at the bottom of the nominations leaderboard this year, both Swift and Queen Bey remain tied for most VMA wins – 30 each.
K-pop nominees: MTV VMAs 2025
On the K-pop side of the conversation, BLACKPINK members undeniably surpassed BTS by taking over the Best K-pop category. All four members – Jisoo, Rose, Jennie and Lisa made the cut. Meanwhile, only Jimin from BTS earned a mention in the list.
In her own right, Rose soared as a K-pop leader with 8 nominations in the bag, thanks to her dream collaboration “APT” with Bruno Mars, and her solo single “Toxic Till the End.”
Other K-pop artists in the running for the title are aespa and Stray Kids. KATSEYE, a global girls group backed by K-pop influence and roots, also secured a nomination as a Push Performance of the Year.
MTV VMAs 2025 nominees: Full list
Best New Artist
Lola Young
sombr
Gigi Perez
Ella Langley
Alex Warren
The Marias
Artist of the Year
Lady Gaga
Beyonce
Taylor Swift
Bad Bunny
Kendrick Lamar
Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd
Song of the Year
“Anxiety” by Doechii
“Sapphire” By Ed Sheeran
“Ordinary” by Morgan Wallen
“Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish
“Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
“Sports Car” by Tate McRae
“Timeless” by The Weeknd, Playboi Carti
“I Love You, I’m Sorry” by Gracie Abrams
“What Was That” by Lorde
Video of the Year
“Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish
“Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
“APT” by Rose and Bruno Mars
“Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter
“Timeless” by The Weeknd, Playboi Carti
“brighter days ahead” by Ariana Grande
“Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar
Best Album
“GNX” by Kendrick Lamar
“Mayhem” by Lady Gaga
“I’m the Problem” by Morgan Wallen
“DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” by Bad Bunny
“Short n Sweet” by Sabrina Carpenter
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” by The Weeknd
Best Pop Artist
Ariana Grande
Justin Bieber
Lorde
Miley Cyrus
Sabrina Carpenter
Tate McRae
Charli xcx
Best Pop
“Sapphire” – Ed Sheeran
“Ordinary” – Alex Warren
“Die With a Smile” – Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars
“APT” – Rose, Bruno Mars
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
“brighter days ahead” – Ariana Grande
Best Hip-Hop
“Anxiety” – Doechii
“Somebody Save Me” – Eminem ft Jelly Roll
“WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – GloRilla feat. Sexyy Red
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
“Murdergram Deux” – LL COOL J ft Eminem
“4×4” – Travis Scott
Best K-pop
“Whiplash” by aespa
“Who” by Jimin
“earthquake” by Jisoo
“like JENNIE” by Jennie
“Born Again” by Lisa feat. Doja Cat & RAYE
“toxic till the end” by Rose
“Chk Chk Boom” by Stray Kids
Best R&B
“Heart of a Woman” – Summer Walker
“Residuals” – Chris Brown
“MUTT (REMIX)” – Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs
“No Chill” – PARTYNEXTDOOR
“Drive” – SZA
“Timeless” – The Weeknd, Playboi Carti
“Type Dangerous” – Mariah Carey
Best Rock
“Afterlife” – Evanescence
“Honey” – Lenny Kravitz
“All My Love” – Coldplay
“The Emptiness Machine” – Linkin Park
“The Contract” – twenty one pilots
“One Eyed Bastard” – Green Day
Best Alternative
“Wake Up” – Imagine Dragons
“Messy” – Lola Young
“Sailor Song” – Gigi Perez
“back to friends” – Sombr
“Lonely Road” – mgk, Jelly Roll
“Back to Me” – The Marias
Best Latin
“Soltera” – Shakira
“LA PATRULLA” – Peso Pluma
“Rio” – J Balvin
“BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Bad Bunny
“Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” – KAROL G
“Khe?” – Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos
Best Afrobeats
“TaTaTa” – Burna Boy ft Travis Scott
“Baby (Is It a Crime)” – Rema
“Shake It To the Max (FLY)” – MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea
“Get It Right” – Tems ft Asake
“Piece of My Heart” – Wizkid ft Brent Faiyaz
“PUSH 2 START” – Tyla
“Active” – Asake, Travis Scott
Best Country
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood
“Think I’m In Love With You” – Chris Stapleton
“4x4xU” – Lainey Wilson
“Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney
“Smile” – Morgan Wallen
“Liar” – Jelly Roll
Best Collaboration
“Die With a Smile”: Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
“APT”: Rose and Bruno Mars
“Sunset Blvd”: Selena Gomez, benny blanco
“Pour Me a Drink”: Post Malone feat. Blake Shelton
“luther”: Kendrick Lamar & SZA
“Backup Plan”: Bailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs
Best Long Form Video
“DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (Short Film)” by Bad Bunny
“FUNNY little STORIES” by Damiano David
“Balloonerism” by Mac Miller
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” by The Weeknd
“brighter days ahead” by Ariana Grande
“Something Beautiful” by Miley Cyrus
Video for Good
“Anxiety” by Doechii
“Somebody Save Me” by Eminem ft Jelly Roll
“Younger and Hotter Than Me” by Selena Gomez, benny blanco
“Guess” by Charli xcx
“Higher” Burna Boy
“Sleepwalking” by Zach Hood ft Sasha Alex Sloan
MTV Push Performance of the Year
August 2024 – Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Sept 2024 – Ayra Starr’s “Last Heartbreak Song”
Oct 2024 – Mark Ambor’s “Belong Together”
Nov 2024 – Lay Bankz’s “Graveyard”
Dec 2024 – Dasha’s “Bye Bye Bye”
Jan 2025 – KATSEYE’s “Touch”
Feb 2025 – Jordan Adetunji’s “KEHLANI”
March 2025 – Leon Thomas’ “YES IT IS”
April 2025 – Livingston’s “Shadow”
May 2025 – Damiano David’s “Next Summer”
June 2025 – Gigi Perez’s “Sailor Song”
July 2025 – ROLE MODEL’s “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out”
Best Choreography
“Eusexua” – FKA Twigs
“Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
“Pretty Ugly” – Zara Larsson
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
“Anxiety” – Doechii
“PUSH 2 START” – Tyla
Best Editing
“Sapphire” – Ed Sheeran
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
“Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
“Guess” – Charli xcx
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Just Keep Watching” – Tate McRae
Best Cinematography
“brighter days ahead” – Ariana Grande
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
“Easy Lover” – Miley Cyrus
“Sapphire” – Ed Sheeran
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
Best Visual Effects
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” – The Weeknd
“Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
“APT” – Rose, Bruno Mars
“brighter days ahead” – Ariana Grande
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Just Keep Watching” – Tate McRae
Best Art Direction
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
“Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
“Man of the Year” – Lorde
“APT” – Rose, Bruno Mars
“Guess” – Charli xcx
“End of the World” – Miley Cyrus
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards are slated to be held at the UBS Arena in New York on September 7. For the first time ever, CBS will be airing the live broadcast alongside MTV. US viewers may also stream the ceremony via Paramount+.