Thanks to amazing performances, wild fashion choices, and unexpected moments, the MTV Video Music Awards is typically one of the buzzier awards shows — and we imagine this year will be no exception.
LL Cool J is back as host of the 2025 VMAs, taking place at the UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. The show will air live from coast to coast starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. ET tonight on CBS, MTV, and streaming on Paramount+.
The ceremony has already boasted performances from Doja Cat and Lola Young, with more on the way from Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, and more. In addition, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Yungblud, and Nuno Bettencourt will come together to pay tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne.
Ricky Martin also performed, right before he accepted the Latin Icon Award, presented to him by his onetime tour mate Jessica Simpson.
This year’s Video Vanguard Award will go to Mariah Carey, who will play a medley of hits for the occasion. Busta Rhymes will also be honored with the Rock the Bells Visionary Award.
When it comes to the coveted Moon Person trophies, Gaga leads the nominations with 12 nods, and she’s already taken home one of them, winning the coveted award for Artist of the Year at the top of the ceremony.
Gaga is also up for several awards for her hit tune “Abracadabra,” as well as her smash collaboration with Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile.”
Mars trails closely behind her with 11 noms, and he, too, has already won, snagging the trophy for Song of the Year for his 2024 collab with Rosé, “Apt.”
while Kendrick Lamar has 10, many of which are for his monumental diss track “Not Like Us” from last year.
Follow along with Entertainment Weekly as we update the winners’ list in real time.
Kevin Mazur/Getty; Kevin Winter/Getty; Gregory Shamus/Getty
Video of the Year
Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”
Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”
Kendrick Lamar — ”Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars — “Die With a Smile”
Rosé and Bruno Mars — ”Apt.”
Sabrina Carpenter — ”Manchild”
The Weeknd and Playboi Carti — “Timeless”
Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Kendrick Lamar
WINNER: Lady Gaga
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Song of the Year
Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”
Alex Warren — ”Ordinary”
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars — “Die With a Smile”
WINNER: Rosé and Bruno Mars — ”Apt.”
Gracie Abrams — “I Love You, I’m Sorry”
Tate McRae — “Sports Car”
Best New Artist
Alex Warren
Ella Langley
Gigi Perez
Lola Young
Sombr
The Marías
Song of Summer
Addison Rae – “Headphones On”
Alex Warren – “Ordinary”
Benson Boone – “Mystical Magical”
BigXthaPlug ft. Bailey Zimmerman – “All the Way”
Chappell Roan – “The Subway”
Demi Lovato – “Fast”
Doja Cat – “Jealous Type”
Huntr/x: Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami – “Golden”
Jessie Murph – “Blue Strips”
Justin Bieber – “Daisies”
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng, and Shenseea – “Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)”
Morgan Wallen ft. Tate McRae – “What I Want”
Ravyn Lenae ft. Rex Orange County – “Love Me Not”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Sombr – “12 to 12”
Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching”
MTV Best 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 and Luke Combs – “Backup Plan”
Kendrick Lamar and SZA – “Luther”
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile”
Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton – “Pour Me a Drink”
Rosé and Bruno Mars – “Apt.”
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco – “Sunset Blvd”
Best Pop
Alex Warren — “Ordinary”
Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”
Ed Sheeran — ”Sapphire”
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars — “Die With a Smile”
Rosé and Bruno Mars — ”Apt.”
Sabrina Carpenter — ”Manchild”
Best Hip-Hop
Doechii – “Anxiety”
Drake – “Nokia”
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – “Somebody Save Me”
GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red – “Whatchu Kno About Me”
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
LL Cool J ft. Eminem – “Murdergram Deux”
Travis Scott – “4×4”
Best R&B
Chris Brown – “Residuals”
Leon Thomas and Freddie Gibbs – “Mutt (Remix)”
Mariah Carey – “Type Dangerous”
PartyNextDoor – “No Chill”
SZA – “Drive”
Summer Walker – “Heart of a Woman”
The Weeknd and Playboi Carti – “Timeless”
Best Alternative
Gigi Perez – “Sailor Song”
Imagine Dragons – “Wake Up”
Lola Young – “Messy”
MGK and Jelly Roll – “Lonely Road”
Sombr – “Back to Friends”
The Marías – “Back to Me”
Best Rock
Coldplay – “All My Love”
Evanescence – “Afterlife”
Green Day – “One Eyed Bastard”
Lenny Kravitz – “Honey”
Linkin Park – “The Emptiness Machine”
Twenty One Pilots – “The Contract”
Best Latin
Bad Bunny – “Baile Inolvidable”
J Balvin – “Rio”
Karol G – “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
Peso Pluma and Netón Vega – “La Patrulla”
Rauw Alejandro and Romeo Santos – “Khé?”
Shakira – “Soltera”
Best Afrobeats
Asake and Travis Scott – “Active”
Burna Boy and Travis Scott – “TaTaTa”
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng, and Shenseea – “Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)”
Rema – “Baby (Is It a Crime)”
Tems ft. Asake – “Get It Right”
Tyla – “Push 2 Start”
Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz – “Piece of My Heart”
Best K-pop
Aespa – “Whiplash”
Jennie – “Like Jennie”
Jimin – “Who”
Jisoo – “Earthquake”
Lisa ft. Doja Cat and Raye – “Born Again”
Rosé – “Toxic Till the End”
Stray Kids – “Chk Chk Boom”
Best Country
Chris Stapleton – “Think I’m in Love with You”
Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood – “I’m Gonna Love You”
Jelly Roll – “Liar”
Megan Moroney – “Am I Okay?”
Morgan Wallen – “Smile”
Lainey Wilson – “4x4xU”
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 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
Video for Good
Burna Boy – “Higher”
Charli XCX ft. Billie Eilish – “Guess”
Doechii – “Anxiety”
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – “Somebody Save Me”
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco – “Younger and Hotter Than Me”
Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan – “Sleepwalking”
Best Group
Aespa
All Time Low
Backstreet Boys
Blackpink
Coldplay
Evanescence
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Frontera
Imagine Dragons
Jonas Brothers
Katseye
My Chemical Romance
Seventeen
Stray Kids
The Marías
Twenty One Pilots
Best Direction
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead – Directed by Christian Breslauer
Charli XCX featuring Billie Eilish – “Guess” – Directed by Aidan Zamiri
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – Directed by Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Directed by Lady Gaga, Bethany Vargas, and Parris Goebel
Rosé and Bruno Mars – “Apt.” – Directed by Bruno Mars and Daniel Ramos
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Directed by Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia
Best Art Direction
Charli XCX featuring Billie Eilish – “Guess” – Art Direction by Daniel Lane
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – Art Direction by Freyja Bardell
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Art Direction by Wesley Goodrich
Lorde – “Man of the Year” – Art Direction by Chad Keith and Jenny Lass
Miley Cyrus – “End of the World” – Art Direction by David Meyer
Rosé and Bruno Mars – “Apt.” – Art Direction by Elizabet Puksto
Best Cinematography
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead – Cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Cinematography by Nic Minns
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – Cinematography by Xiaolong Liu
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Cinematography by Xiaolong Liu
Miley Cyrus – “Easy Lover” – Cinematography by Benoît Debie
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Cinematography by Chris Ripley
Best Choreography
Doechii – “Anxiety” – Choreographed by Robbie Blue
FKA Twigs – “Eusexua” – Choreographed by Zoi Tatopoulos
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – Choreographed by Charm La’Donna
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Choreographed by Parris Goebel
Tyla – “Push 2 Start” – Choreographed by Lee-ché Janecke
Zara Larsson – “Pretty Ugly” – Choreographed by Zoi Tatopoulos
Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead – Visual Effects by Mathematic
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Visual Effects by Yeap Crew, Yura Karikh, and Igor Eyth
Rosé and Bruno Mars – “Apt.” – Visual Effects by Maksymilian Rafal Ojster
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Visual Effects by Vania Heymann and Tal Baltuch
Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching” – Visual Effects by Daniel Saldivar and White Rhino VFX
The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow – Visual Effects by Zeke Faust
