The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards are finally here this weekend, with the main event scheduled for Sunday, September 7, at New York’s UBS Arena. LL Cool J will host the evening, which promises an impressive roster of performers such as Lady Gaga, Doja Cat, Tate McRae, Post Malone, Conan Gray, Jelly Roll, Sabrina Carpenter, Alex Warren, J Balvin, DJ Snake, Ricky Martin, Busta Rhymes, and Sombr.
Leading the pack in nominations is Lady Gaga, who snagged 12 nods across key categories like Video of the Year (for “Die with a Smile”), Artist of the Year, and Song of the Year (also for “Die with a Smile”). Hot on her heels are Bruno Mars with 11 nominations and Kendrick Lamar with 10. This piece zeroes in on the Song of the Year race, offering our picks for the likely winner and notable challengers. Keep in mind, this one’s decided by fan votes.
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SONG OF THE YEAR
Winner: “Die with a Smile” by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
Our frontrunner for the Song of the Year category is likely the biggest collaboration of the 2020s so far: “Die With A Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. The song dominated 2024 and continued its success into the first half of 2025. It broke multiple streaming records, including the most days at No. 1 on Spotify and becoming the fastest song in history to reach both 1 billion and 2 billion streams. In addition, both Gaga and Bruno boast millions of fans who have done their best to secure a win for their idols.
Strong contenders:
“Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish, “Apt” by Rosé & Bruno Mars, and “Sports Car” by Tate McRae
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