The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards are set to be an unforgettable event, showcasing top artists and exciting performances.
Everything You Need to Know About the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards
This year’s MTV Video Music Awards will feature an eclectic group of performers when LL Cool J returns to host the 2025 shindig on CBS from New York’s UBS Arena.
Artists like Alex Warren, J Balvin featuring DJ Snake, Sabrina Carpenter, and Sombr will take center stage for must-see performances, in between “Moon Person” awards being handed out to the ceremony’s winners. In addition, hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes will receive the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award, and global superstar Ricky Martin will be honored with the first Latin Icon Award.
When Will It Air?
Mark your calendars! The Video Music Awards will air on September 7 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on CBS, simulcast on MTV, and stream on Paramount+. This is the first time ever that CBS will be home to the awards show, aligning with the network’s recent move to airing other live events, including the CMT Music Awards in 2024.
Who’s the Host?
LL Cool J is hosting the ceremony solo for the first time. He previously served as a co-host with Jack Harlow and Nicki Minaj in 2022. There’s no word yet on whether the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and hip-hop trailblazer will also perform on the big stage.
Who Are the Nominees?
Lady Gaga leads this year’s field with 12 nominations, coming in just ahead of her “Die With a Smile” collaborator, Bruno Mars, who netted 11. The pair divided and conquered, racking up the most bids between two songs each. Both “Die With a Smile” and Mars’ collab with Rosé, “APT.,” received nominations for Video and Song of the Year, while Gaga’s “Abracadabra” excelled in technical categories. The other dominant single was Kendrick Lamar‘s unstoppable “Not Like Us,” with 10 nominations total, including for Artist of the Year and Best Collaborator for “luther” with SZA. Another competition to watch is Best K-Pop, featuring a four-way Blackpink side-project showdown. See the complete list of MTV VMA nominations.
What’s the Eligibility?
The VMAs will honor the best music videos and songs released between June 20, 2024, and June 18, 2025. Fans will also get to vote on two new categories this year: Best Country and Best Pop Artist.
Who Are the Presenters?
The list of presenters will continue to grow between now and September 7, but here are the identities and bios of the first group:
Alex Warren
The breakout singer-songwriter and the newest MTV Push artist will make his VMAs debut and look to capture his first Moon Person. Warren is nominated for Best New Artist, Best Pop, and Song of the Year for his global No. 1 and top-selling song of 2025 in the U.S., “Ordinary.”
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Busta Rhymes
The music icon will receive the first MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award, celebrating his boundary-breaking cultural impact and an indomitable musical career spanning 20 million albums worldwide, 12 Grammy nominations, and seven top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200. His catalog boasts over 60 million records certified gold and platinum. He was also the Global Icon honoree at the 2024 MTV EMAs. Since his first VMAs appearance in 1997, Busta has delivered a slew of show-stealing moments, including a rapid-fire medley of greatest hits to close the 2021 show.
J Balvin featuring DJ Snake, Justin Quiles, and Lenny Tavárez
Global superstar J Balvin returns to the VMAs with his latest hit, “Zun Zun,” joined by Latin stars Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez. He’ll then team up with multiplatinum producer DJ Snake – his first VMAs appearance – for the live premiere of their collaboration “Noventa.” A 13-time nominee, Balvin last performed in 2022 and aims to take home his sixth Moon Person this year to become the leading Latin award winner in VMA history.
Ricky Martin
Making history, the multi-Grammy- and Latin Grammy-winning international trailblazer will become the first artist to receive the Latin Icon Award, honoring a four-decade career that launched Latin music and culture into the mainstream with over 70 million albums sold worldwide and more than 180 awards for his music, acting, and humanitarian work. His VMAs return marks the 26th anniversary of his first performance (1999), where he made history as the first male Latin artist to win for Best Pop Video and became the night’s overall top winner (five awards).
Sabrina Carpenter
Following a show-stopping debut and first VMA win for Song of the Year in 2024, the multihyphenate global pop star will make her highly anticipated return to the main stage. The 14-time nominee is up for eight awards this year, including the night’s biggest award for Video of the Year (“Manchild”) from her upcoming album Man’s Best Friend.
Sombr
Internationally acclaimed breakout singer-songwriter and producer Sombr (aka Shane Michael Boose) will make his awards show debut on the VMAs stage, also receiving first-time nominations for Best New Artist and Best Alternative for his hit “back to friends.”
