MTV VMAs 2025 Nominations: Who's Leading This Year's Awards?
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Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and Kendrick Lamar dominate the nominations as MTV adds new categories and fresh faces to the mix.Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and Kendrick Lamar dominate the nominations as MTV adds new categories and fresh faces to the mix.The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards are officially gearing up to be a blockbuster show this fall. With nominations just revealed on August 5, the buzz is already building around who’s topping the list. Lady Gaga leads the way with a whopping 12 nods, while Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar aren’t far behind.
New categories, such as Best Pop Artist and Best Country, debut this year, adding fresh twists to the lineup. From established titans to first-time nominees, this year’s field spans pop, hip-hop, K-pop, R&B, alternative, and more. And when you ask yourself who’s leading this year’s VMA awards, the numbers don’t lie: Lady Gaga is back at the top. Let’s dive into the nominees and what this year’s race looks like.
Who’s leading this year’s VMA awards
Lady Gaga is the clear heavyweight in the 2025 VMA race, topping the list with 12 nominations across major categories such as Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Album for Mayhem, plus technical nods for Direction, Visual Effects, Editing, and Choreography on “Abracadabra”. It’s her third time leading all artists in nominations, following 2010 and 2020.
Not far behind, Bruno Mars racked up 11 noms, thanks largely to his duets with Gaga (“Die With a Smile”) and Rosé (“APT.”) in Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, and Best Pop. In third place, Kendrick Lamar earns 10 nods for his GNX project—tracks like “Not Like Us” and “Luther” cover Best Hip-Hop, Direction, Art Direction, Cinematography, and more.
Breaking records, Rosé becomes the first K-pop soloist with eight noms, matching Sabrina Carpenter; both land in top pop and technical slots for “APT.” and “Manchild,” respectively. Ariana Grande and The Weeknd each snag seven noms for Video of the Year, Best Pop Artist, and technical categories like cinematography and visual effects.
Notable contenders and category highlights
Just behind the leaders, Billie Eilish has six noms, while Charli XCX follows with five. A cluster of artists, including Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus, and Tate McRae, earn four nods.
This year’s VMAs also welcome 33 first-time nominees, notably the late Mac Miller, who’s recognized posthumously for Balloonerism. The rollout of gender-neutral categories alongside the debut of Best Pop Artist and Best Country broadens the competitive landscape, ensuring fresh faces in the spotlight.
In the marquee Artist of the Year category, Gaga faces off against Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd. A win would push either Beyoncé or Swift past 30 career VMA trophies, who are both currently tied at that milestone.
Video of the Year remains the crown jewel, with Gaga & Mars’ “Die With a Smile” squaring off against Grande’s “Brighter Days Ahead,” Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Rosé & Mars’ “APT.,” Carpenter’s “Manchild,” and The Weeknd & Playboi Carti’s “Timeless”.
Fan voting is open now via vote.mtv.com until September 5, with bonus rounds on Instagram hashtags and “Power Hour” interludes. The live broadcast airs Sunday, September 7, from Long Island’s UBS Arena on CBS, simulcast on MTV, and streaming on Paramount+.