The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) unveiled their full list of nominees on August 5. Among this year’s top contenders are Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars, Olivia Rodrigo, and Kendrick Lamar, who lead nominations in major categories like Video of the Year and Artist of the Year.
K-pop artists like BLACKPINK’s Rosé, Stray Kids, LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, and ZEROBASEONE earned key nominations. This year marks the first time all four BLACKPINK members, Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa, have been nominated in the same category as soloists.
Last year, Lisa, SEVENTEEN, and LE SSERAFIM took home major trophies at the MTV VMAs.
Notably, Rosé made history as the first K-pop soloist to be nominated in 5+ categories, including general fields such as Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Best Pop for her collaboration with Bruno Mars on “APT.”
MTV VMAs 2025 Winners
Here’s a full breakdown of K-pop nominations at the 2025 VMAs:
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 Group
- aespa
- BLACKPINK
- KATSEYE
- SEVENTEEN
- Stray Kids
- All Time Low
- Backstreet Boys
- Imagine Dragons
- Coldplay
- Evanescence
- Group Forentera
- Jonas Brothers
- My Chemical Romance
- The Marías
- twenty one pilots
Song of the Year
- Rosé and Bruno Mars (“APT.”)
- Alex Warren (“Ordinary”)
- Billie Eilish (“BIRDS OF A FEATHER”)
- Doechii (“Anxiety”)
- Ed Sheeran (“Sapphire”)
- Gracie Abrams (“I Love You, I’m Sorry”)
- Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars (“Die with a Smile”)
- Lorde (“What Was That”)
- Tate McRae (“Sports Car”)
- The Weeknd and Playboi Carti (“Timeless”)
Video of the Year
- Rosé and Bruno Mars (“APT.”)
- Ariana Grande (“Brighter Days Ahead”)
- Billie Eilish (“Birds of a Feather”)
- Kendrick Lamar (“Not Like Us”)
- Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars (“Die with a Smile”)
- Sabrina Carpenter (“Manchild”)
- The Weeknd, Playboi Carti (“Timeless”)
Best Collaboration
- Rosé and Bruno Mars – “APT.”
- Bailey Zimmerman with LuLke Combs (“Backup Plan”)
- Kendrick Lamar and SZA (“Luther”)
- Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars (“Die with a Smile”)
- Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton (“Pour Me a Drink”)
- Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco (“Sunset Blvd”)
Best Pop
- Rosé and Bruno Mars (“APT.”)
- Alex Warren (“Ordinary”)
- Ariana Grande (“Brighter Days Ahead”)
- Ed Sheeran (“Sapphire”)
- Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (“Die with a Smile”)
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Best Direction
- Rosé & Bruno Mars (“APT.”)
- 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
- Rosé and Bruno Mars (“APT.”)
- 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”)
Best Visual Effects
- Ariana Grande (“Brighter Days Ahead”)
- Lady Gaga (“Abracadabra”)
- Rosé and Bruno Mars (“APT.”)
- Sabrina Carpenter (“Manchild”)
- Tate McRae (“Just Keep Watching”)
- The Weeknd (“Hurry Up Tomorrow”)
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”)
The ceremony will take place on September 7, 2025, at USB Arena in New York City, airing live on CBS, MTV, and streaming on Paramount+.
