MTV VMA 2025 nominations out: Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar lead the list

The nominations for MTV’s 2025 Video Music Awards (VMAs) have officially been announced, sparking excitement across the global music industry. This year's nominees reflect a wide range of genres and styles, with notable frontrunners including Kendrick Lamar, Rosé & Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, The Weeknd, and Sabrina Carpenter.

Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’, Rosé & Bruno Mars’ ‘Apt.’, and Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars’ ‘Die with a Smile are nominated across multiple categories, while Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and Ed Sheeran also feature prominently. 

Sabrina Carpenter’s ’Manchild' and The Weeknd’s collaborations continue to impress with multiple nods.

Here are the complete nominees for the 2025 MTV VMAs:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead

Billie Eilish – 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

August 2024 – Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)

September 2024 – Ayra Starr – Last Heartbreak Song

October 2024 – Mark Ambor – Belong Together

November 2024 – Lay Bankz – Graveyard

December 2024 – Dasha – Bye Bye Bye

January 2025 – Katseye – Touch

February 2025 – Jordan Adetunji – Kehlani

March 2025 – Leon Thomas – Yes It Is

April 2025 – Livingston – Shadow

May 2025 – Damiano David – Next Summer

June 2025 – Gigi Perez – Sailor Song

July 2025 – Role Model – Sally, When the Wine Runs Out

BEST COLLABORATION

Bailey Zimmerman with LuLke 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 – 4X4– Cactus Jack/Epic Records

BEST R&B

Chris Brown – Residuals

Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – Mutt (Remix)

Mariah Carey – Type Dangerous

Partynextdoor – N o C h i l l

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 (From the Netflix Series ‘Devil May Cry’)

Green Day – One Eyed Bastard

Lenny Kravitz – Honey – Roxie Records

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 with 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 (Short Film)

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 featuring 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 featuring Billie Eilish

Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.

Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

BEST ART DIRECTION

Charli xcx – Guess featuring 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 featuring Billie Eilish

Ed Sheeran – Sapphire

Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching (From ‘F1 The Movie’)

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 (From ‘F1 The Movie’)

The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow