2025 MTV VMAs: Lady Gaga sweeps nominations with 12 nods, Taylor Swift faces fierce competition

Abracadabra, indeed, because Lady Gaga has reclaimed her throne.

Gaga leads the pack with a staggering 12 nominations at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, ending Taylor Swift’s two-year reign at the top.

Gaga is nominated across several categories, including best collaboration, pop, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography, visual effects, plus song, video, album, and artist of the year.

Joining her in the artist of the year race are heavy hitters Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, The Weeknd, Beyoncé, and Swift herself. Beyoncé and Swift stand out, tied for the most career VMA wins with 30 each, meaning a win this year could crown one as the most-awarded musician in VMA history.

Beyoncé and Swift are nominated only for artist of the year, making their showdown especially thrilling.

Trailing Gaga, Bruno Mars racked up 11 nods, Kendrick Lamar earned 10, while Sabrina Carpenter and ROSÉ each snagged eight. Ariana Grande and The Weeknd follow with seven nominations, Billie Eilish has six, and Charli XCX earned five.

Other notable nominees with four nods include Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus, and Tate McRae.

The night’s biggest award, Video of the Year, features a star-studded lineup: Gaga and Mars’ “Die With A Smile,” Grande’s “Brighter Days Ahead,” Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” ROSÉ and Mars’ APT. Carpenter’s Manchild, and The Weeknd and Playboi Carti’s Timeless.

This year’s Video Music Awards features 33 first-time nominees, which include Alex Warren, Blake Shelton, Brent Faiyaz, Gigi Perez, KATSEYE and Lainey Wilson. Mac Miller also became the first artist to get their first VMA nomination posthumously.

There are also two new categories this year, best country and best pop artist.

(With inputs from AP)