2025 MTV Video Music Awards Nominees: Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Doechii, and More

Lady Gaga leads this year's class of VMAs nominees, earning 12 total nominations.

2025 marks a key year for the MTV Video Music Awards, with CBS getting in on the broadcast side for the first time in the awards show’s classic moments-filled history.

Taylor Swift has taken home Video of the Year at the past three ceremonies, with her trio of consecutive wins counting the 2021 All Too Well short film starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien in its ranks. That streak won't continue this year, however, leaving the night's biggest category up for the taking.

Below, see the full list of this year's nominees, including Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Winners will be announced Sept. 7. Like 2024’s Megan Thee Stallion-hosted proceedings, the ceremony is set to take place at UBS Arena in New York. A host for this year hasn’t yet been announced.

Video of the Year

Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”

Billie Eilish – “Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile”

Rosé & Bruno Mars – “Apt.”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”

The Weeknd and Playboi Carti – “Timeless”

Best Hip-Hop

Doechii – “Anxiety”

Drake – “Nokia”

Eminem f/ Jelly Roll – “Somebody Save Me”

GloRilla f/ Sexyy Red – “Whatchu Kno About Me”

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

LL Cool J f/ Eminem – “Murdergram Deux”

Travis Scott – “4X4”

Artist of the Year

Bad Bunny

Beyoncé

Kendrick Lamar

Lady Gaga

Morgan Wallen

Taylor Swift

The Weeknd

Best New Artist

Alex Warren

Ella Langley

Gigi Perez

Lola Young

Sombr

The Marías

Best Album

Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS

Kendrick Lamar – GNX

Lady Gaga – Mayhem

Morgan Wallen – I’m the Problem

Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet

The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow

Best Direction

Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”

Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”

Rosé & Bruno Mars – “Apt.”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”

Best R&B

Chris Brown – “Residuals”

Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – “Mutt (Remix)”

Mariah Carey – “Type Dangerous”

PARTYNEXTDOOR – “N o C h i l l”

Summer Walker – “Heart of a Woman”

SZA – “Drive”

The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless”

Best Alternative

Gigi Perez – “Sailor Song”

Imagine Dragons – “Wake Up”

Lola Young – “Messy”

MGK & Jelly Roll – “Lonely Road”

Sombr – “Back to Friends”

The Marías – “Back to Me”

Song of the Year

Alex Warren – “Ordinary”

Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”

Doechii – “Anxiety”

Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire”

Gracie Abrams – “I Love You, I’m Sorry”

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile”

Lorde – “What Was That”

Rosé & Bruno Mars – “Apt.”

Tate McRae – “Sports Car”

The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless”

Best Rock

Coldplay – “All My Love”

Evanescence – “Afterlife (From the Netflix Series ‘Devil May Cry’)”

Green Day – “One Eyed Bastard”

Lenny Kravitz – “Honey” – Roxie Records

Linkin Park – “The Emptiness Machine”

Twenty One Pilots – “The Contract”

Best Pop Artist

Ariana Grande

Charli xcx

Justin Bieber

Lorde

Miley Cyrus

Sabrina Carpenter

Tate McRae

Best Pop

Alex Warren – “Ordinary”

Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”

Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire”

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile”

Rosé & Bruno Mars – “Apt.”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”

MTV Push Performance of the Year

August 2024 – Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
September 2024 – Ayra Starr – “Last Heartbreak Song”
October 2024 – Mark Ambor – “Belong Together”
November 2024 – Lay Bankz – “Graveyard”
December 2024 – Dasha – “Bye Bye Bye”
January 2025 – Katseye – “Touch”
February 2025 – Jordan Adetunji – “Kehlani”
March 2025 – Leon Thomas – “Yes It Is”
April 2025 – Livingston – “Shadow”
May 2025 – Damiano David – “Next Summer”
June 2025 – Gigi Perez – “Sailor Song”
July 2025 – Role Model – “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out”

Best Collaboration

Bailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs – “Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video)”

Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “Luther”

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile”

Post Malone f/ Blake Shelton – “Pour Me a Drink”

Rosé & Bruno Mars – “Apt.”

Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco – “Sunset Blvd”

Best K-pop

Aespa – “Whiplash”

Jennie – “Like Jennie ”

Jimin – “Who”

Jisoo – “Earthquake”

Lisa ft. Doja Cat & Raye – “Born Again”

Stray Kids – “Chk Chk Boom”

Rosé – “Toxic Till the End”

Best Latin

Bad Bunny – “Baile Inolvidable”

J Balvin – “Rio”

Karol G – “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”

Peso Pluma – “La Patrulla”

Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – “Khé?”

Shakira – “Soltera“

Best Afrobeats

Asake & Travis Scott – “Active”

Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott – “TaTaTa”

Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – “Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)"

Rema – “Baby (Is It a Crime)”

Tems f/ Asake – “Get It Right”

Tyla – “Push 2 Start”

Wizkid f/ Brent Faiyaz – “Piece of My Heart”

Video for Good

Burna Boy – “Higher”

Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”

Doechii – “Anxiety”

Eminem f/ Jelly Roll – “Somebody Save Me”

Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco – “Younger and Hotter Than Me”

Zach Hood f/ Sasha Alex Sloan – “Sleepwalking”

Best Longform Video

Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”

Bad Bunny – “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (Short Film)”

Damiano David – “Funny Little Stories”

Mac Miller – “Balloonerism”

Miley Cyrus – “Something Beautiful”

The Weeknd – “Hurry Up Tomorrow”

Best Choreography

Doechii – “Anxiety”

FKA twigs – “Eusexua”

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”

Tyla – “Push 2 Start”

Zara Larsson – “Pretty Ugly”

Best Visual Effects

Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”

Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”

Rosé & Bruno Mars – “Apt.”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”

Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching”

The Weeknd – “Hurry Up Tomorrow”

Best Art Direction

Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”

Lorde – “Man Of The Year”

Miley Cyrus – “End of the World”

Rosé & Bruno Mars – “Apt.”

Best Cinematography

Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”

Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire”

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”

Miley Cyrus – “Easy Lover”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”

Best Editing

Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”

Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire”

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”

Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching”

Best Country

Chris Stapleton – “Think I’m in Love With You”

Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood – “I’m Gonna Love You”

Jelly Roll – “Liar”

Lainey Wilson – “4x4xU”

Megan Moroney – “Am I Okay?”

Morgan Wallen – “Smile”

ComplexCon returns to Las Vegas on October 25–26, 2025, with over 300 brands and live performances by Young Thug, YEAT & Friends, Peso Pluma, Central Cee, Ken Carson, and more. Get your tickets now.