The complete list of nominees was announced today, featuring two new categories.
Key Points
- Lady Gaga tops the nominations for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, closely followed by Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar.
- The VMAs will broadcast live on CBS, simulcast on MTV, and stream on Paramount+ on September 7 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
- This year introduces two additional categories: Best Country Artist and Best Pop Artist.
- Voting by fans is now open at vote.mtv.com and will be available until September 5 at 6 p.m. ET.
CBS and MTV have officially revealed the complete list of nominees for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards today, with Lady Gaga once again in the lead. Her album Mayhem has garnered twelve nominations, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Best Album. Gaga is set to enhance her remarkable legacy at the VMAs, where she currently boasts 18 wins. This is the third instance she has led in nominations, having done so previously in 2010 and 2020.
Kevin Mazur//Getty ImagesLady Gaga (R) on stage at The Mayhem Ball Tour in Inglewood, CA.
Following closely behind Gaga is Bruno Mars with eleven nominations, while Kendrick Lamar ranks third with ten. Emerging global sensations ROSÉ and Sabrina Carpenter are tied with eight nominations each, and both Ariana Grande and The Weeknd have seven nominations. Billie Eilish has received six, with Charli XCX trailing with five. Other prominent artists with multiple nominations include Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus, and Tate McRae, each recognized with four nominations. Additionally, for the first time, the VMAs will feature two new genre-focused categories: Best Country Artist and Best Pop Artist. All 19 categories maintain a gender-neutral format.
The spotlight will also be on the most significant category of the evening, Artist of the Year. The competition for the highest number of VMAs wins continues between Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, both of whom are nominated in this category once again. Both artists are among the most celebrated in VMA history and have the chance to increase their totals this September.
Continue reading for all the details regarding this year’s VMAs.