LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 16: (Exclusive Coverage) Lady Gaga performs during the kick off of The MAYHEM Ball tour at T-Mobile Arena on July 16, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards takes place tonight at New York’s UBS Arena, bringing together the industry’s biggest stars to celebrate the year’s best music and videos. Read on to see the full lineup of artists slated to take the stage.
Grammy-winning rapper LL Cool J is returning to host the MTV VMAs after first co-hosting in 2022. This year, the ceremony will air live on CBS for the first time, as well as simulcast on MTV and stream on Paramount+.
Lady Gaga leads the nominations with 12 nods, including Artist of the Year, Best Album for Mayhem, and Best Direction, Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography for her Abracadabra music video. Her Die With a Smile duet partner, Bruno Mars, follows closely with 11 nominations. Other top artists include Kendrick Lamar, with 10 nods, ROSÉ and Sabrina Carpenter, with eight each, and Ariana Grande and The Weeknd, with seven nominations each.
Three music icons will also be honored for their achievements and perform their chart-topping hits. Mariah Carey will receive the Vanguard Award, while Busta Rhymes and Ricky Martin will be presented with the Rock the Bells Visionary Award and Latin Icon Award, respectively.
Who’s Performing At The 2025 MTV VMAs?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Sabrina Carpenter performs onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Superstars Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Post Malone, Tate McRae, J Balvin, Alex Warren and more are slated to perform at the 2025 MTV VMAs on Sunday, Sept. 7.
Mariah Carey, the 2025 Video Vanguard Award honoree, will perform a medley of her hits. The program will also feature performances by Busta Rhymes, recipient of the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award, and Ricky Martin, who will be honored with the Latin Icon Award.
Aerosmith members Steven Tyler and Joe Perry will join forces with Yungblud and Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt to honor heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, who died of a heart attack on July 22 at age 76. Billboard reports they will perform several of the Prince of Darkness’s greatest hits.
ELMONT, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 09: Joe Perry and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith perform at UBS Arena on September 09, 2023 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
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First-time VMA performers include Conan Gray, who will sing his single “Vodka Cranberry” from his new album Wishbone. British songwriter Alex Warren is making his VMAs debut following the release of his debut album, You’ll Be Alright Kid. Breakout singer Sombr will also perform, having earned nominations for Best New Artist and Best Alternative.
The official MTV VMAs pre-show, starting at 7 p.m. ET on MTV, will feature a special performance by girl group KATSEYE, who will sing their latest singles “Gnarly” and “Gabriela.”
Check out the full list of 2025 MTV VMA performers:
- Alex Warren
- Bailey Zimmerman feat. the Kid LAROI (Extended Play Stage)
- Busta Rhymes (VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award)
- Conan Gray
- Doja Cat
- J Balvin featuring DJ Snake
- Jelly Roll
- KATSEYE (Pre-Show)
- Lady Gaga
- Lola Young (Extended Play Stage)
- Mariah Carey (MTV Video Vanguard Award)
- Megan Moroney (Extended Play Stage)
- Post Malone
- Tate McRae
- Ricky Martin (Latin Icon Award)
- Nuno Bettencourt (Ozzy Osbourne tribute)
- Sabrina Carpenter
- sombr
- Steven Tyler & Joe Perry (Ozzy Osbourne tribute)
- YUNGBLUD (Ozzy Osbourne tribute)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2025/09/07/whos-performing-at-the-2025-mtv-vmas-heres-the-full-lineup-of-artists/
