VMAs 2025 lineup announced

The first batch of performers for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards includes Sabrina Carpenter Sombr Alex Warren and J Balvin featuring DJ Snake.

VMAs 2025 lineup signals cross over era with Sabrina Carpenter J Balvin Sombr Alex Warren

Sabrina Carpenter Sombr Alex Warren and J Balvin featuring DJ Snake are set to perform at the 2025 MTV VMAs The Hollywood Reporter reports Carpenter leads the field with eight nominations including video of the year for Mans Best Friend from her upcoming album Man's Best Friend Sombr will make his award show debut after being nominated for best new artist and best alternative J Balvin returns to the VMAs stage for the first time since 2022 performing his current hit Zun Zun with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavarez before joining DJ Snake for the live premiere of their new collaboration Noventa Alex Warren will appear for the first time as an MTV Push breakout artist with nominations for best new artist best pop and song of the year MTV announced honorary awards for Busta Rhymes and Ricky Martin who will perform Busta Rhymes will receive the Rock the Bells Visionary Award while Ricky Martin will be honored with the Latin Icon Award The ceremony will feature LL Cool J as host and will take place at the UBS Arena in New York on Sunday Sept 7 at 8 pm ET 5 pm PT The show will air live on CBS for the first time on the broadcast network with simultaneous coverage on MTV and Paramount+ Production credits include Gunpowder & Sky Bruce Gillmer Den of Thieves co founder Jesse Ignjatovic Barb Bialkowski Alicia Portugal Jackie Barba Wendy Plaut and Lisa Lauricella Check out a promo for this year’s performers below Aug 18 7 31 am This story has been updated with Busta Rhymes and Ricky Martin set to receive honorary awards and perform on the 2025 VMAs.

The VMAs are signaling a shift toward cross genre appeal by lining up a mix of pop R&B Latin and urban acts. The emphasis on live collaborations and debuts points to a night built around energy and trendsetting moments rather than a single dominant act. You can expect a night aimed at streaming and social buzz as much as broadcast ratings, with a heavy focus on Latin and global sounds that widen the audience beyond traditional pop fans.

There are risks in any broad lineup. Spreading attention across multiple performers and special awards could dilute stars’ individual moments if pacing falters. Yet the cross platform strategy CBS MTV and Paramount+ expands reach and plausibly deepens engagement across diverse fan communities, making the VMAs feel current and inclusive rather than exclusive to a single genre.

Highlights

The VMAs night will show how global sounds shape the next wave of mainstream music moves.