Lady Gaga leads the 2025 VMAs with 12 nominations, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Best Album. She previously led nominations in 2010 and 2020.
Bruno Mars follows with 11, Kendrick Lamar with 10, and both ROSÉ and Sabrina Carpenter have eight. Ariana Grande and The Weeknd each have seven, Billie Eilish has six, and Charli xcx is up for five. Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus, and Tate McRae each have four.
Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are both nominated for Artist of the Year, continuing their rivalry for most VMAs wins.
Two new categories debut: Best Country Artist and Best Pop Artist.
First-time nominees include ROSÉ, Alex Warren, Gigi Perez, Damiano David, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, sombr, The Marías, JENNIE, Jimin, JISOO, Bailey Zimmerman, Blake Shelton, Brent Faiyaz, Cody Johnson, Dasha, Ella Langley, Freddie Gibbs, Jordan Adetunji, KATSEYE, Lainey Wilson, Lay Bankz, Livingston, Mac Miller, Mark Ambor, Megan Moroney, MOLIY, PARTYNEXTDOOR, ROLE MODEL, Sasha Alex Sloan, Silent Addy, Skillibeng, and Zach Hood.
Key Nominees by Category
VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, Sabrina Carpenter, The Weeknd, Playboi Carti
ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd
SONG OF THE YEAR:
Alex Warren, Billie Eilish, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Gracie Abrams, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Lorde, ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, Tate McRae, The Weeknd, Playboi Carti
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:
Shaboozey, Ayra Starr, Mark Ambor, Lay Bankz, Dasha, KATSEYE, Jordan Adetunji, Leon Thomas, Livingston, Damiano David, Gigi Perez, ROLE MODEL
BEST COLLABORATION:
Bailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton, ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, Selena Gomez, benny blanco
BEST POP:
Alex Warren, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, Sabrina Carpenter
BEST HIP HOP:
Doechii, Drake, Eminem ft. Jelly Roll, GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red, Kendrick Lamar, LL COOL J ft. Eminem, Travis Scott
BEST R&B:
Chris Brown, Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs, Mariah Carey, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Summer Walker, SZA, The Weeknd, Playboi Carti
BEST ALTERNATIVE:
Gigi Perez, Imagine Dragons, Lola Young, mgk & Jelly Roll, sombr, The Marías
BEST ROCK:
Coldplay, Evanescence, Green Day, Lenny Kravitz, Linkin Park, twenty one pilots
BEST LATIN:
Bad Bunny, J Balvin, KAROL G, Peso Pluma, Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos, Shakira
BEST K-POP:
aespa, JENNIE, Jimin, JISOO, LISA ft. Doja Cat & RAYE, Stray Kids, ROSÉ
BEST AFROBEATS:
Asake & Travis Scott, Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott, MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea, Rema, Tems ft. Asake, Tyla, Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz
BEST COUNTRY:
Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wallen
BEST ALBUM:
Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, The Weeknd
BEST LONG FORM VIDEO:
Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Damiano David, Mac Miller, Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd
VIDEO FOR GOOD:
Burna Boy, Charli xcx, Doechii, Eminem ft. Jelly Roll, Selena Gomez, benny blanco, Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan
BEST DIRECTION, ART DIRECTION, CINEMATOGRAPHY, EDITING, CHOREOGRAPHY, VISUAL EFFECTS:
Nominees in these technical categories include major artists such as Ariana Grande, Charli xcx, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran, Tate McRae, Miley Cyrus, Doechii, FKA twigs, Tyla, and others.
