VMAs 2025: Sabrina Carpenter, Ricky Martin & More Performers

The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards: A Star-Studded Lineup

The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards are set to be a night to remember, with the first round of performers now officially announced. This year’s event will take place at the UBS Arena in New York, marking the second time the venue has hosted the iconic ceremony. Fans can expect a lineup that spans across genres and includes some of the most celebrated names in the music industry.

When Will the 2025 VMAs Take Place?

The 2025 VMAs are scheduled for Sunday, September 7, 2025, starting at 8 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT. This date has been confirmed as the official time for the awards show, which is always a highlight for music lovers around the world.

Performers Announced for the 2025 VMAs

MTV has released the initial list of performers, showcasing a mix of pop, hip-hop, and Latin artists. The confirmed acts include:

• Sabrina Carpenter
• Ricky Martin
• Alex Warren
• Busta Rhymes
• J Balvin ft. DJ Snake
• sombr

This is just the first batch of performers, with more names expected to be revealed in the coming weeks. Last year, Sabrina delivered a standout performance that included a space-themed spectacle and even a kiss with an alien. She also won the Song of the Year award, making her a strong contender once again this year.

Ricky Martin will not only perform but will also receive the Latin Icon Award at the ceremony. Busta Rhymes will be honored with the MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award, recognizing his contributions to the music scene.

How to Watch the 2025 VMAs

The VMAs will be broadcast live on CBS and MTV, providing multiple options for viewers. Those with a Paramount+ Premium subscription can watch the show live, while those with the basic plan will have access to the stream the following day.

2025 VMAs Nominations: Who’s Up for the Big Prizes?

The nominations for the 2025 VMAs span a wide range of categories, highlighting the best in music from the past year. Here are some of the top contenders:

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

• Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
• Ayra Starr – “Last Heartbreak Song”
• Mark Ambor – “Belong Together”
• Lay Bankz – “Graveyard”
• Dasha – “Bye Bye Bye”
• KATSEYE – “Touch”
• Jordan Adetunji – “KEHLANI”
• Leon Thomas – “YES IT IS”
• Livingston – “Shadow”
• Damiano David – “Next Summer”
• Gigi Perez – “Sailor Song”
• 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 (From F1® The Movie)”

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 (From F1® The Movie) “
• The Weeknd – “Hurry Up Tomorrow”