MTV has officially announced the first wave of performers and honorees for the 2025 Video Music Awards, scheduled to take place at New York’s UBS Arena on September 7. The show will be hosted by rap veteran LL Cool J.
The initial list of performers includes:
- Sabrina Carpenter
- J Balvin
- Busta Rhymes
- Ricky Martin
- Alex Warren
- DJ Snake
- Sombr
The event will also mark significant career milestones for two music legends. Busta Rhymes is set to receive the inaugural MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award, while Ricky Martin will be honored with the first-ever Latin Icon Award. Both artists are also slated to perform.
Sabrina Carpenter, who leads this year’s nominations with eight nods, including Video of the Year for her song “Manchild,” is also gearing up for a busy fall. Her new album, Man’s Best Friend, is set to be released on August 29, and she will be featured on the title track of Taylor Swift’s upcoming record, The Life Of A Showgirl, which will be out on October 3.
This year’s nominations are topped by Lady Gaga with 12 nods, followed by Bruno Mars with 11 and Kendrick Lamar with 10. The VMAs are also introducing new categories: Best Pop Artist and Best Country. The Video of the Year nominees include a stacked list of artists such as Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, and a collaboration between ROSÉ and Bruno Mars. The Artist of the Year category features heavyweights like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Bad Bunny.
According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, J Balvin will be returning to the VMA stage for the first time since 2022 to perform his hit “Zun Zun” with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez. He will also premiere “Noventa” alongside DJ Snake, who will be making his VMA debut. First-time performers Alex Warren and Sombr are both nominated for Best New Artist.