Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars Dominate 2025 MTV VMA Nominations
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards are shaping up to be one of the most competitive and star-studded yet. With pop icons like Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars leading the nominations, and megastars such as Kendrick Lamar, Sabrina Carpenter, and Ariana Grande close behind, this year’s show promises unforgettable moments and fierce competition.
Who’s Leading the Pack in 2025?
Lady Gaga tops the leaderboard with 12 nominations, marking the third time in her career that she’s led the VMA pack. Her nominations span major categories such as:
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Artist of the Year
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Best Album for Mayhem
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Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best Pop, and Video of the Year for Die With a Smile, her duet with Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars follows closely with 11 nods, including two nominations for Video of the Year — one for Die With a Smile and another for APT., his collaboration with K-pop star ROSÉ.
Top Nominees Breakdown
| Artist | Nominations |
|---|---|
| Lady Gaga | 12 |
| Bruno Mars | 11 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 10 |
| Sabrina Carpenter | 8 |
| ROSÉ | 8 |
| Ariana Grande | 7 |
| The Weeknd | 7 |
| Billie Eilish | 6 |
Taylor Swift & Beyoncé: Legends Still in the Game
Despite not releasing new albums in the past year, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé each received a single nomination in the Artist of the Year category. Both icons are tied for the most VMA wins of all time, with 30 Moonman trophies apiece.
While Swift holds the record for most wins by a solo artist, Beyoncé’s total includes work with Destiny’s Child and collaborative projects. Swift was the biggest winner at the 2024 VMAs, taking home seven awards, including Artist of the Year and Video of the Year.
Kendrick Lamar Eyes Another VMA Milestone
With 10 nominations, Kendrick Lamar could make history. His hit Not Like Us — fresh off five Grammy wins, including Best Music Video — is up for Video of the Year. Lamar has already won this category twice and is currently tied for second place in career VOTY wins with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Missy Elliott, and Eminem. If he wins this year, he’ll break that tie and trail only Swift, who’s won it five times — including three years in a row.
New Categories & Historic Firsts
This year’s VMAs introduce two new categories:
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Best Country Artist
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Best Pop Artist
Additionally, ROSÉ has become the first K-pop artist to ever receive a Video of the Year nomination, signaling further global expansion for the awards.
Event Details
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Date: September 7, 2025
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Location: UBS Arena, New York
The MTV Europe Music Awards are reportedly on pause for this year, with no official announcement regarding their return.