The full slate of nominees for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards was announced today (Aug. 5), and man, they’re just so perfunctory. There is nothing shocking, nothing surprising.
Bruno Mars is nominated twice for Video of the Year. Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, and The Weeknd are all up for Artist of the Year. Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” aka what you get when asking Grok to make you an Imagine Dragons track, is up for Song of the Year.
I should be mad, but I can’t. I cannot, for the life of me, muster up enough energy to give a f—k, and that’s wonderful.
The 2025 MTV VMA Nominations are more of the same and that’s fine
I’ve tried. I tried to be mad over how, last year, they awarded Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight” the Video of the Year when Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” wasn’t even nominated.
It’s up for VOTY this year, along with Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” (which came out like, a month ago).
But I can’t be mad at these nonsensical rules. I can’t even be mad that in a year when Wet Leg (“CPR”), Ghost (“Satanized”), Scowl (“Fantasy”), Turnstile (take your pick), the VMAs filled its Rock category with Lenny Kravitz, Coldplay, and Twenty One Pilots.
It’s because the MTV VMAs do not matter.
Let’s acknowledge the usual formalities: Yes, MTV doesn’t play music videos anymore. Yes, it’s all just reruns of Ridiculousness. Yes, the MTV VMAs are less a hallowed institution and more a tired obligation, a Faustian burden that the network performs every year to ensure a million souls get fed to their god emperor, Rob Dyrdek.
And while the MTV VMAs were never prestigious, they were still somewhat relevant. Miley Cyrus' twerking happened at the VMAs. The Taylor Swift-Kanye West “Imma let you finish” moment happened at the VMAs. Last year had Chappel Roan’s Joan of Arc-esque “Good Luck Babe!” performance.
But notice that none of those memorable moments were the actual awards?
The VMAS, as an awards show, is an industry showcase, on the same level as the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and iHeartRadio Music Awards. And that’s great.
Because Paramount owns MTV. You might have heard that name lately, along with words like “merger,” “censorship,” “Colbert,” and “South Park.” I believe having a corporate entity behind the cultural curve, rather than setting the pace, is better for us in the long run.
So, what is the point of the VMAs? Why do they continue?
Perhaps it’s for performances, to create some kind of buzz that reminds us all that MTV still exists. And, to be fair, the VMAs have delivered well on that front: the yearly Video Vanguard medleys give veterans a chance to steal the spotlight and show that they can still go.
And some of the newcomers still make waves. Chappel Roan’s “The Subway” dropped four days ago, so expect her to return to the VMAs stage this year.
(It’s surprising it didn’t get nominated for anything. After all, the rules don't matter. Charli XCX’s “Guess” got nominated in the “Best Video For Good” and most of the professional categories after being up for last year’s “Song of the Summer.” Are you mad at this flagrant shirking of any sensible governing? No? Neither am I.)
Sure, the MTV VMAs could be something. They could celebrate the music video as an art form. They could nominate anybody across borders or genres. There’s a glint of that potential with their K-Pop, Afrobeats, and Latin categories, even though MTV comes off as “How do you do, fellow kids?” with these nominations.
But ultimately, the VMAs have chosen their fate. It’ll be a cheerfully disposable two-hour event, simulcast on CBS and MTV on Sunday, September 7, 2025 (after an hour-long preshow aired across all the Paramount Media Networks).
Who will win? Who will perform? It doesn’t matter. And that’s great. I love Big Brother. And I want my MTV.
Anyway, here are the full nominees:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead”
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, Playboi Carti, “Timeless”
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
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 NEW ARTIST
Alex Warren
Ella Langley
Gigi Perez
Lola Young
Sombr
The Marías
BEST POP ARTIST
Ariana Grande
Charli xcx
Justin Bieber
Lorde
Miley Cyrus
Sabrina Carpenter
Tate McRae
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 ft. Blake Shelton, “Pour Me a Drink”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “Apt.”
Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco, “Sunset Blvd”
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”
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, “4X4”
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”
BEST ROCK
Coldplay, “All My Love”
Evanescence, “Afterlife (From the Netflix Series ‘Devil May Cry’)”
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, “La Patrulla”
Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos, “Khé?”
Shakira, “Soltera”
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 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 ft. Asake, “Get It Right”
Tyla, “Push 2 Start”
Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz, “Piece of My Heart”
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”
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 LONG FORM 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, “Guess” (featuring Billie Eilish)
Doechii, “Anxiety”
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll, “Somebody Save Me”
Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco, “Younger and Hotter Than Me”
Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan, “Sleepwalking”
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 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 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”