The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) are approaching! The coveted awards show, known as “music’s most iconic night,” will take place at UBS Arena in New York on Sunday, September 7, at 8/7c.
2025 MTV VMAs will feature a slew of performances from some of today’s biggest stars, including Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Mariah Carey, Jelly Roll, Post Malone, Busta Rhymes, Tate McRae, Alex Warren and many more.
Ashlee Simpson, Jessica Simpson, Ciara, Drew Barrymore, Paris Hilton, Ice Spice, Latto, Livvy Dunne and more will also be on hand to present during the awards ceremony in New York.
Music Mayhem compiled a full list of everything you need to know about the 2025 MTV VMAs, including who’s performing, presenting, hosting and nominated below.
How To Watch
The MTV Video Music Awards (MTV VMAs) will air LIVE coast-to-coast from UBS Arena in New York on the CBS Television Network, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ in the United States.
Host
LL Cool J will host the MTV VMAs solo for the first time, after co-hosting the show alongside Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow in 2022. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and hip-hop trailblazer took home his first Moon Person in 1991 for Best Rap and was the first rapper to receive the Video Vanguard Award in 1997.
He is also nominated for Best Hip Hop for his single “Murdergram Deluxe” featuring Eminem, a song from his 2024 album, THE FORCE.
Performers
Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Alex Warren, Jelly Roll, Sombr, J Balvin, DJ Snake, Post Malone, Doja Cat, Conan Gray, Tate McRae and more will perform during the broadcast.
Bailey Zimmerman, The Kid LAROI, Megan Moroney, Lola Young will also perform during the show, taking to the VMAs Extended Play Stage, presented by Doritos.
Special honorees Mariah Carey, Ricky Martin and Busta Rhymes will also perform during the coveted awards show.
A star-studded tribute to Rock & Roll icon Ozzy Osbourne will also take place during the show, featuring Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, YUNGBLUD, and Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt. Together, they’ll deliver a once-in-a-lifetime performance celebrating the legendary “Prince of Darkness” with a medley of his greatest hits.
Songs Being Performed
* Updating As It’s Announced
Mariah Carey – Career-spanning medley Of Her Biggest Hits
J Balvin and DJ Snake – “Noventa”
J Balvin with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez – “Zun Zun”
Doja Cat – “Jealous Type”
Lady Gaga – Medley of Songs From MAYHEM album
Tate McRae – “Sports Car”
Post Malone – “Pour Me A Drink”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Aerosmith, Yungblud, Nuno Bettencourt – Ozzy Osbourne Tribute Medley
Bailey Zimmerman and The Kid LAROI – “Lost”
Lola Young – “Messy”
Megan Moroney – “6 Months Later”
Presenters
Ashlee Simpson Ross, Brittany Snow, Ciara, Drew Barrymore, KPOP Demon Hunter’s EJAE, REI AMI + Audrey Nuna (Huntr/x), Ice Spice, Jessica Simpson, Latto, Livvy Dunne, Malin Akerman, Megan Stalter, Nikki Glaser, Paris Hilton, Alix Earle, Lenny Kravitz, Luke Grimes and ROSÉ will serve as presenters during the star-studded awards show.
Nominees
Lady Gaga leads the pack with 12 nominations, including the prestigious Artist of The Year, Video Of The Year (“Die With A Smile” with Bruno Mars) and Song of The Year (“Die With A Smile” with Bruno Mars), Best Collaboration (“Die With A Smile” with Bruno Mars), Best Pop (“Die With A Smile” with Bruno Mars), Best Album (Mayhem via Interscope Records), Best Direction (“Abracadabra”), Best Art Direction (“Abracadabra”), Best Cinematography (“Abracadabra”), Best Editing (“Abracadabra”), Best Choreography (“Abracadabra”) and Best Visual Effects (“Abracadabra”).
Bruno Mars follows with 11 nods, including Video Of The Year (“Die With A Smile” with Lady Gaga), Song Of The Year (“Die With A Smile” with Lady Gaga AND “APT.” with ROSÉ), Best Collaboration (“Die With A Smile” with Lady Gaga AND “APT.” with ROSÉ), Best Pop (“Die With A Smile” with Lady Gaga AND “APT.” with ROSÉ), Best Direction (“APT.” with ROSÉ), Best Art Direction (“APT.” with ROSÉ) and Best Visual Effects (“APT.” with ROSÉ).
Following behind Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars are Kendrick Lamar with 10 nominations, ROSÉ and Sabrina Carpenter with eight nods each, Ariana Grande and The Weeknd with seven nominations each, Billie Eilish and Charli XCX with five.
ROSÉ, Alex Warren, Gigi Perez, Damiano David, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, sombr, The Marías, JENNIE, Jimin and JISOO are among this year’s first-time nominees.
Video Vanguard Award Recipient: Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey will receive the prestigious Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. The best-selling female artist of all time returns to the VMAs stage for the first time in 20 years, in a full-circle moment, as she accepts the same award she once presented to LL COOL J in 1997. Her last medley performance in 2005 featured the chart-topping hit “We Belong Together” from her multi-platinum 10th album The Emancipation of Mimi, which recently marked its 20th anniversary.
Carey made her VMAs debut in 1991 with a stunning performance of “Emotions,” showcasing her signature five-octave vocal range. In 1998, she shared an unforgettable pop culture moment with Whitney Houston when they opened the show wearing matching dresses—an iconic and playful nod to their superstar status. With a legacy of era-defining videos like “Honey,” “Heartbreaker,” “Obsessed,” “Touch My Body,” “Breakdown,” and “#Beautiful,” the five-time GRAMMY® winner has sold over 220 million albums and earned 19 Billboard Hot 100 #1 hits—18 of them self-written, the most by any solo artist. Carey is gearing up to release her 16th studio album Here for It All on September 26, featuring the new single “Type Dangerous,” nominated for Best R&B.
To mark the honor, Carey will deliver a show-stopping medley of her greatest hits.
Mariah Carey follows previous Michael Jackson Vanguard Award recipients such as Katy Perry, Shakira, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, LL COOL J, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake and Missy Elliott. David Bowie, The Beatles and director Richard Lester were the first to receive the award during the first-ever MTV VMAs in 1984.
Rock The Bells Visionary Award Recipient: Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes will receive the first-ever MTV VMA Rock The Bells Visionary Award. The music legend will be honored with the inaugural Rock The Bells Visionary Award, recognizing his groundbreaking cultural influence and an enduring career that includes 20 million albums sold, 12 GRAMMY® nominations, and seven top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200. His catalog has earned over 60 million gold and platinum certifications worldwide. He was also named the Global Icon at the 2024 MTV EMAs.
Since making his VMAs debut in 1997, Busta Rhymes has delivered unforgettable moments on the show, including a high-energy greatest hits medley that closed out the 2021 broadcast.
Latin Icon Award Recipient: Ricky Martin
Making history, the multi-GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY®-winning global icon will become the first artist to receive the Latin Icon Award. The honor celebrates a groundbreaking four-decade career that helped bring Latin music and culture into the mainstream, with over 70 million albums sold and more than 180 awards spanning music, film, and humanitarian work.
Ricky’s electrifying return to the VMAs coincides with the 26th anniversary of his unforgettable 1999 debut, where he became the first male Latin artist to win Best Pop Video—and the night’s biggest winner, taking home five awards.
Pre-Show
Ahead of the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, MTV will host a 60-minute pre-show. Hosted by Nessa and Kevan Kenney, the one-hour special airs live Sunday, Sept. 7 at 7PM ET/4PM PT on MTV, BET, BET Her, Comedy Central, CMT, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, and VH1.
KATSEYE: Global girl group and first-time nominees KATSEYE will make their VMAs debut live on the Pre-Show, performing “Gnarly” and “Gabriela” from their new EP Beautiful Chaos, which earned them a Billboard 200 Top 5. They’re also up for MTV PUSH Performance of the Year and Best Group.
For more information on the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), visit their official website.
