MTV Video Music Awards are back: See who made the nominations list

The 2025 VMAs are shaping up to be a night of musical “Mayhem.”

MTV revealed the nominees for its annual Video Music Awards show, a poptastic spectacle that brings together the biggest artists of the year to celebrate the top songs and music videos chosen by fans. This year’s ceremony will air live from New York’s UBS Arena on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Pop icon Lady Gaga, who roared back to music this spring with her acclaimed album “Mayhem,” leads the nominations with 12 nods, including video of the year, artist of the year and best album. Gaga’s “Die with a Smile” collaborator Bruno Mars follows closely behind with 11 nominations.

Other top nominees include hip-hop juggernaut Kendrick Lamar, Blackpink singer Rosé, pop princess Sabrina Carpenter, “Wicked” star Ariana Grande, R&B crooner The Weeknd, alternative pop singer Billie Eilish and British pop star Charli XCX.

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Pop titan Taylor Swift, the most decorated solo artist in VMAs history, also nabbed a nomination for artist of the year, despite having not released a new music video this year. In 2024, Swift took home a slew of prizes including video of the year, artist of the year, best collaboration (“Fortnight” with Post Malone), best pop and best direction.

Last year’s VMAs were filled with career milestones and knockout performances. Electropop songstress Chappell Roan was crowned best new artist and dominated the stage with a medieval-themed number set to her breakout hit “Good Luck, Babe!” Meanwhile, Carpenter won her first moon person for song of the year (“Espresso”) and performed a cheeky medley number that saw her lock lips with an alien dancer.

Fans can vote in 19 gender-neutral categories by visiting vote.mtv.com through Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. ET. Voting for best new artist will remain active into the Sept. 7 ceremony. Nominations for social categories will be announced at a later date.

Here’s a look at the nominations for the 2025 MTV VMAs:

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Video of the year

• 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

• Beyoncé

• Kendrick Lamar

• Lady Gaga

• Morgan Wallen

• Taylor Swift

• The Weeknd

More: Taylor Swift gets VMA nomination for artist of the year. See her competition

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

• 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

• 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)

• Mar 2025 – Leon Thomas – “YES IT IS” (EZMNY Records/Motown Records)

• Apr 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

• 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 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 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 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 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)

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)

Contributing: Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: VMAs 2025 nominees: Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars lead MTV music awards