This year’s MTV Video Music Awards are revving up to be a landmark night. Lady Gaga leads the pack with 12 nominations, reclaiming the spotlight after Taylor Swift’s prior dominance. Gill-covered favorites Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar also shine, earning 11 and 10 nods, respectively.
The VMAs introduced two exciting new categories in 2025—Best Pop Artist and Best Country—expanding the awards to reflect today’s genre-blended musical landscape.
This year’s nominees span genres and stages, including top contenders like Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, ROSÉ, and Sabrina Carpenter, alongside heavy hitters Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Morgan Wallen, and Kendrick Lamar in the Artist of the Year race.
The show will air live from UBS Arena on Long Island on September 7, marking its first broadcast on CBS, in addition to MTV and streaming via Paramount+.
LL Cool J will serve as solo host, returning to the VMAs with his standout presence and a fresh nomination for Best Hip‑Hop.
Fans can vote across 19 categories until September 5, with Best New Artist open through the live show itself.
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