New York, August 7, 2025 – The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) nominations have been unveiled, and Lady Gaga is stealing the spotlight with a commanding 12 nods, cementing her status as a pop culture powerhouse. Announced on August 5, 2025, the nominations highlight Gaga’s work on her duet “Die With a Smile” with Bruno Mars and her solo track “Abracadabra” from the album Mayhem. With the VMAs set to air live on CBS and MTV from New York’s UBS Arena on September 7, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET, the stage is set for a star-studded celebration of music and visual artistry. Here’s the complete story behind Gaga’s dominance, the top nominees, and what to expect at this year’s VMAs.
Lady Gaga’s Record-Breaking Nominations
Lady Gaga, a global icon with 18 VMA wins already, leads the 2025 nominations with 12, marking her third time as the top nominee after leading with 13 nods in 2010 and nine in 2020. Her nominations span major categories, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Album, driven by two standout projects:
- “Die With a Smile” (with Bruno Mars): This chart-topping duet earned nominations in high-profile categories like Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, and Best Pop, showcasing its cultural and commercial impact. The track’s vibrant visuals and emotional depth have resonated widely, positioning it as a frontrunner.
- “Abracadabra” (from Mayhem): Gaga’s solo track swept all technical categories, including Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Choreography, Best Editing, and Best Visual Effects, highlighting her innovative approach to music videos.
Gaga’s 12 nominations put her within striking distance of surpassing Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, who are tied for the most VMA wins with 30 each. A strong showing on September 7 could see Gaga, already a VMA legend, climb closer to the top of the leaderboard. Her recent Mayhem Ball Tour, which kicked off in Las Vegas in July 2025, has further amplified her influence, blending theatrical performances with cutting-edge visuals.
Top Nominees and Fierce Competition
Following Gaga, Bruno Mars secures 11 nominations, largely for “Die With a Smile” and his collaboration with ROSÉ on “APT.,” which earned nods in Video of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Collaboration. Mars is notable for being only the fourth artist in VMA history to land two Video of the Year nods in the same year, joining David Lee Roth (1985), U2 (1988), and Gaga herself (2010). Kendrick Lamar follows with 10 nominations, primarily for his Grammy-winning “Not Like Us,” a contender for Video of the Year and Song of the Year, building on his two previous wins in the category.
Sabrina Carpenter and ROSÉ each score eight nominations, marking personal bests. Carpenter’s “Manchild” from her album Short n’ Sweet is nominated for Video of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop, while ROSÉ’s “APT.” (with Mars) and solo track “toxic till the end” dominate, making her the most-nominated K-pop soloist in VMA history. Ariana Grande and The Weeknd each earn seven nods, with Grande’s “brighter days ahead” competing in Video of the Year and Best Long Form Video, and The Weeknd’s “Timeless” (with Playboi Carti) vying for top honors. Billie Eilish secures six nominations for “Birds of a Feather,” and Charli XCX earns five for “Guess featuring Billie Eilish.”
Other notable nominees include Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus, and Tate McRae, each with four nominations. Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, despite their record-tying 30 VMA wins, are nominated only for Artist of the Year, setting up a thrilling showdown with Gaga, Lamar, Bad Bunny, Morgan Wallen, and The Weeknd.
New Categories and First-Time Nominees
The 2025 VMAs introduce two new categories—Best Country and Best Pop Artist—reflecting the awards’ evolution to embrace diverse genres. Best Pop Artist nominees include Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Justin Bieber, Lorde, Miley Cyrus, Sabrina Carpenter, and Tate McRae, while Best Country features rising stars like Shaboozey and Lainey Wilson. These additions highlight the VMAs’ commitment to recognizing the growing crossover appeal of pop and country music.
The nominations also spotlight 33 first-time nominees, including ROSÉ, Alex Warren, Gigi Perez, Lola Young, Sombr, The Marías, KATSEYE, and Blake Shelton. Notably, Mac Miller received a posthumous nomination for “Balloonerism” in Best Long Form Video, a historic first for the VMAs. K-pop continues its global rise, with BLACKPINK members ROSÉ, JENNIE (“Like Jennie”), JISOO (“Earthquake”), and LISA (“Born Again” with Doja Cat and RAYE) earning solo nods, alongside BTS’ Jimin for “Who” and groups like AESPA and Stray Kids.
Key Categories and Standout Tracks
The Video of the Year category is a star-studded battle, featuring:
- 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)
Song of the Year nominees include Gaga and Mars’ “Die With a Smile,” ROSÉ and Mars’ “APT.,” Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” and The Weeknd’s “Timeless,” among others. Best Collaboration highlights duets like Gaga and Mars, ROSÉ and Mars, Kendrick Lamar and SZA (“luther”), and Post Malone with Blake Shelton (“Pour Me a Drink”). Best New Artist contenders include Alex Warren, Ella Langley, Gigi Perez, Lola Young, Sombr, and The Marías, showcasing fresh talent.
The MTV Push Performance of the Year, presented by BACARDÍ Rum, features monthly winners like Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (August 2024), Dasha’s “Bye Bye Bye” (December 2024), and Gigi Perez’s “Sailor Song” (June 2025), reflecting the VMAs’ focus on emerging artists.
Event Details and Cultural Impact
The 2025 VMAs will be broadcast live on CBS and MTV, simulcast across all time zones, and streamed on Paramount+ for Premium subscribers, with on-demand access for standard subscribers the next day. Hosted at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, for the second consecutive year, the event is produced by Gunpowder & Sky CEO Van Toffler, alongside executive producers Bruce Gillmer, Barb Bialkowski, and Jesse Ignjatovic of Den of Thieves. The show promises high-energy performances, with hopes that nominees like Gaga, Mars, Lamar, and Carpenter will take the stage, following 2024’s memorable performances by Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Katy Perry.
Fan voting is open across 19 gender-neutral categories at vote.mtv.com until September 5, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET, with Best New Artist voting extending into the live broadcast. Fans can boost their votes by commenting on @VMAs Instagram posts with artist-specific hashtags until August 8 and during daily “Power Hour” windows from August 7 to September 4. The Song of the Year category will narrow to six finalists on August 18.
The 2024 VMAs saw a 25% year-over-year viewership increase and 66.7 million social interactions, making it the most socially active edition ever. The 2025 ceremony aims to build on this momentum, celebrating artists who have “revolutionized the music industry and sparked global conversations,” according to MTV.
Why It Matters
Lady Gaga’s 12 nominations underscore her enduring influence, blending bold visuals, genre-defying music, and cultural resonance. Her potential appearance in Wednesday Season 2, Part 2, as Rosaline Rotwood, set to premiere on September 3, 2025, adds to her 2025 dominance, bridging music and acting. The VMAs’ diverse nominee list, from K-pop stars like ROSÉ to hip-hop giants like Kendrick Lamar, reflects the globalized music landscape, while new categories and first-time nominees highlight emerging talent. For fans and the industry, the 2025 VMAs promise a night of celebration, competition, and unforgettable moments, with Gaga at the forefront.
Stay tuned to CBS, MTV, or Paramount+ on September 7, 2025, to see if Lady Gaga adds to her Moon Person collection and who else will shine at this year’s VMAs.
Sources: Variety, Billboard, CNN, Forbes, People, Deadline, India Today, ABC News, Lakes Media Network, Design Scene, Collider, Gulf News
