Just say “abracadabra” and the 2025 MTV Video Music Award nominations are at your fingertips.
The highly anticipated award ceremony, scheduled for broadcast on September 7th at the UBS Arena in New York, is shaping up to be a classic event once more. Notably, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar, and Rosé are front-runners with their numerous nominations.
This year, Lady Gaga garnered the highest number of nominations, earning a Best Album nomination for her latest album titled “Mayhem” and being acknowledged in the Video of the Year category for “Die With a Smile,” alongside Bruno. The 18-time VMA awardee also secured nominations for Artist of the Year and Best Choreography for “Abracadabra.” This is the third time Gaga has amassed the most nominations, having done so previously in 2010 and 2020.
However, Bruno’s track “APT.” featuring Rosé was hot on the heels of his collaboration with Lady Gaga, both vying for the same accolades in the Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, and Best Pop categories.
2019 has been an incredible ride for me, being a die-hard fan of Kendrick Lamar. This year, he’s racking up the accolades, with a whopping 10 nominations! Among them are Video of the Year, Best Hip-Hop, and Best Direction nods, all for his mesmerizing masterpiece “Not Like Us.” I can hardly contain my excitement!
In the competition, Rosé earned a total of nine nominations. Sabrina Carpenter trailed closely with eight, while Ariana Grande and The Weeknd both received seven.
Additionally, 33 newcomers were nominated too, among them Alex Warren for Song of the Year with “Ordinary,” and Gigi Perez for the Best New Artist award. Interestingly, even though Blake Shelton is well-established in country music, he received his inaugural VMA nomination this year for Best Collaboration, teaming up with Post Malone for their hit song “Pour Me A Drink.
At this year’s VMAs, there’s a chance we could witness an unforgettable event if either Beyoncé or Taylor Swift is crowned Artist of the Year. These two exceptional artists hold the record for most VMA awards, having both won 30 trophies so far.
From today till September 5, 6 PM Eastern Time, you can cast your votes for all VMA categories except Best New Artist, which will continue to accept votes throughout the live broadcast.
To see who else might be walking home with their very own Moonman, keep reading.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR, presented by Burger King®
Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile” – Interscope Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless” – XO/Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
Kendrick Lamar – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – Interscope Records
Morgan Wallen – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
The Weeknd – XO/Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
Alex Warren – “Ordinary” – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Doechii – “Anxiety” – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records
Gracie Abrams – “I Love You, I’m Sorry” – Interscope Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile” – Interscope Records
Lorde – “What Was That” – Republic Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Tate McRae – “Sports Car” – RCA Records
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless” – XO/Republic Records
BEST NEW ARTIST
Alex Warren – Atlantic Records
Ella Langley – SAWGOD/Columbia Records
Gigi Perez – Island
Lola Young – Island
sombr – SMB Music/Warner Records
The Marías – Nice Life/Atlantic Records
BEST POP ARTIST **
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Charli xcx – Atlantic Records
Justin Bieber – Def Jam Recordings
Lorde – Republic Records
Miley Cyrus – Columbia Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
Tate McRae – RCA Records
MTV PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR, presented by BACARDÍ® Rum
Aug 2024 – Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
Sept 2024 – Ayra Starr – “Last Heartbreak Song” – Mavin Records/Republic Records
Oct 2024 – Mark Ambor – “Belong Together” – Hundred Days Records/Virgin Music
Nov 2024 – Lay Bankz – “Graveyard” – Artist Partner Group Inc.
Dec 2024 – Dasha – “Bye Bye Bye” – Warner Records
Jan 2025 – KATSEYE – “Touch” – HYBE/Geffen Records
Feb 2025 – Jordan Adetunji – “KEHLANI” – 300 Entertainment
Mar 2025 – Leon Thomas – “YES IT IS” – EZMNY Records/Motown Records
Apr 2025 – Livingston – “Shadow” – Republic Records
May 2025 – Damiano David – “Next Summer” – Sony Italy/Arista Records
June 2025 – Gigi Perez – “Sailor Song” – Island
July 2025 – ROLE MODEL – “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out” – Interscope Records
BEST COLLABORATION, presented by Under Armour
Video clip titled “Backup Plan” starring Bailey Zimmerman, featuring Luke Combs, under the labels Atlantic Records and Warner Music Nashville.
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “luther” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile” – Interscope Records
Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton – “Pour Me A Drink” – Mercury Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Selena Gomez, benny blanco – “Sunset Blvd” – SMG Music/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records
BEST POP
Alex Warren – “Ordinary” – Atlantic Records
Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Record
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile” – Interscope Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
BEST HIP-HOP
Doechii – “Anxiety” – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records
Drake – “NOKIA” – OVO/Santa Anna/Republic
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – “Somebody Save Me” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records
GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red – “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – CMG/Interscope Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
LL COOL J ft. Eminem – “Murdergram Deux” – Def Jam Recordings
Travis Scott – “4X4” – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
BEST R&B
Chris Brown – “Residuals” – Chris Brown Entertainment/RCA Records
Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – “MUTT (REMIX)” – EZMNY Records/Motown Records
Mariah Carey – “Type Dangerous” – gamma.
PARTYNEXTDOOR – “N o C h i l l” – OVO Sound
Summer Walker – “Heart Of A Woman” – LVRN/Interscope Records
SZA – “Drive” – Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless” – XO/Republic Records
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Gigi Perez – “Sailor Song” – Island
Imagine Dragons – “Wake Up” – KIDinaKorner/Interscope Records
Lola Young – “Messy” – Island
mgk & Jelly Roll – “Lonely Road” – EST 19XX/Interscope Records
sombr – “back to friends” – SMB Music/Warner Records
The Marías – “Back To Me” – Nice Life/Atlantic Records
BEST ROCK
Coldplay – “ALL MY LOVE” – Atlantic Records
Evanescence – “Afterlife (From the Netflix Series “Devil May Cry”)” – Netflix Music
Green Day – “One Eyed Bastard” – Reprise Records/Warner Records
Lenny Kravitz’s “Honey” (2024), released by Roxie Records Inc., is distributed exclusively through BMG Rights Management GmbH.
Linkin Park – “The Emptiness Machine” – Warner Records
twenty one pilots – “The Contract” – Fueled By Ramen
BEST LATIN
Bad Bunny – “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Rimas Entertainment
J Balvin – “Rio” – Capitol Records
KAROL G – “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
Peso Pluma – “LA PATRULLA” – Double P Records
Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – “Khé?” – Sony Music US Latin
Shakira – “Soltera“ – Sony Music US Latin
BEST K-POP
aespa – “Whiplash” – SM Entertainment/Virgin Music Group
JENNIE – “like JENNIE” – OA Entertainment/Columbia Records
Jimin – “Who” – BIGHIT MUSIC
JISOO – “earthquake” – Warner Records
LISA ft. Doja Cat & RAYE – “Born Again” – Lloud Co./RCA Records
Stray Kids – “Chk Chk Boom” – JYP/IMPERIAL/Republic
ROSÉ – “toxic till the end” – Atlantic Records
BEST AFROBEATS
Asake & Travis Scott – “Active” – YBNL Nation/EMPIRE
Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott – “TaTaTa” – Spaceship/Bad Habit/Atlantic Records
MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – “Shake It to the Fullest (FLY) (Remix)” – Gamma
This paraphrase maintains the original title structure but uses more common and easy-to-understand phrases. The word “Max” is replaced with “Fullest,” and “gamma” is left as it is, assuming it’s a reference to the song’s version or an artist’s alias.
Rema – ‘Baby (Is It Wrong)’ – Released by Mavin Global Holdings Ltd, Jonzing World Entertainment, and Interscope Records
Tems ft. Asake – “Get It Right” – RCA Records/Since ’93
Tyla – “PUSH 2 START” – FAX Records/Epic Records
Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz – “Piece Of My Heart” – Starboy/RCA Records
BEST COUNTRY **
Chris Stapleton – “Think I’m In Love With You” – Mercury Nashville
Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood – ‘I’ll Be Loving You’ – CoJo Music / Warner Music Nashville”
“Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood – ‘I Will Always Love You’ – CoJo Music / Warner Music Nashville
Jelly Roll – “Liar” – BBR Music Group/BMG/Republic Records
Lainey Wilson – “4x4xU” – Broken Bow Records
Megan Moroney – “Am I Okay?” – Columbia Records
Morgan Wallen – “Smile” – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
BEST ALBUM
Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – Rimas Entertainment
Kendrick Lamar – GNX – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – Mayhem – Interscope Records
Morgan Wallen – I’m The Problem – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet – Island
The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow – XO/Republic Records
BEST LONG FORM VIDEO
Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Bad Bunny – “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (Short Film)” – Rimas Entertainment
Damiano David – “FUNNY little STORIES” – Sony Italy/Arista Records
Mac Miller – “Balloonerism” – Warner Records
Miley Cyrus – “Something Beautiful” – Columbia Records
The Weeknd – “Hurry Up Tomorrow” – XO/Republic Records
VIDEO FOR GOOD
Burna Boy – “Higher” – Spaceship/Bad Habit/Atlantic Records
Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” – Atlantic Records
Doechii – “Anxiety” – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records
Eminem feat. Jelly Roll – “Someone, Rescue Me” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records
This paraphrase maintains the original meaning while making it more conversational and easier to read, using “Rescue” instead of “Save” for a slight variation in tone.
This song titled “Younger and Hotter Than Me” is by Selena Gomez, collaborating with benny blanco. It’s under the labels SMG Music, Friends Keep Secrets, and Interscope Records.
Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan – “Sleepwalking” – Arista Records
BEST DIRECTION
Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” – Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
BEST ART DIRECTION
Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” – Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
Lorde – “Man Of The Year” – Republic Records
Miley Cyrus – “End of the World” – Columbia Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
Miley Cyrus – “Easy Lover” – Columbia Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
BEST EDITING
Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” – Atlantic Records
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching (From F1® The Movie)” – Atlantic Records
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Doechii – “Anxiety” – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records
FKA twigs – “Eusexua” – Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
Tyla – “PUSH 2 START” – FAX Records/Epic Records
Zara Larsson – “Pretty Ugly” – Epic Records
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching (From F1® The Movie) “ – Atlantic Records
The Weeknd – “Hurry Up Tomorrow” – XO/Republic Records
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2025-08-05 19:18