Lady Gaga Tops VMAs Nominations with 12 Nods

Beginner | September 15, 2025

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Lady Gaga Tops VMAs Nominations: What’s the Big News

Lady Gaga tops VMAs nominations at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. She has the most nominations this year—12 in total—for categories like Artist of the Year, Video of the Year, Best Collaboration, and more. (apnews.com)

Who’s Also in the Running

Bruno Mars follows close behind with 11 nominations, and Kendrick Lamar has 10. Other big names nominated include Sabrina Carpenter, ROSÉ, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, and Charli XCX. (apnews.com)

New Categories and Major Contenders

This year’s VMAs introduced two new categories: Best Country Video and Best Pop Artist. Lady Gaga tops VMAs nominations across both major categories and technical ones like direction, editing, visual effects, and cinematography. (apnews.com)

Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem” Moment

Gaga’s latest album Mayhem has also been part of the buzz. She is up for nominations tied to that album, along with standout collaborations and videos. Her musical style and visuals are getting lots of attention this year. (reuters.com)

Why She’s Back on Top

For the past two years, Taylor Swift was the top nominee, but this year Lady Gaga is reclaiming that spot. Fans, critics, and industry watchers are saying her creative risk‑taking, visual presentation, and collaborations helped her lead the nominations. (apnews.com)

Vocabulary

Nomination (noun) – the act of formally proposing someone for an award.
Example: “Judges nominated Lady Gaga for Video of the Year.”
Contender (noun) – someone competing for a prize or title.
Example: “Bruno Mars contends with 11 nominations.”
Technical (adjective) – related to the skill, structure, or craft of something (not the performing part).
Example: “She earned technical nominations for editing and cinematography.”
Visuals (noun) – images, design, or appearance shown in videos or stage presentations.
Example: “Fans praised her visuals in ‘Abracadabra.’”
Collaboration (noun) – working together with others, especially artists with other artists.
Example: “Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars collaborated on a track that earned a nomination.”
Icon (noun) – a person or thing that people know and admire widely, often over a long time.
Example: “Many fans consider Gaga an icon in music and fashion.”
Reclaim (verb) – to get something back that belonged to you before.
Example: “Gaga reclaims the top nominee spot this year.”
Category (noun) – a class or division in an awards show (like Best Pop, Best Video).
Example: “She competes in many categories this VMAs.”
Cinematography (noun) – the art of making motion pictures; the way videos are filmed visually.
Example: “Critics praised her video for its cinematography.”
Buzz (noun) – excitement or talk about someone or something.
Example: “Fans created a lot of buzz around Gaga’s new album.”

Discussion Questions (About the Article)

Why is Lady Gaga considered the top nominee at the 2025 VMAs?
Which other artists are close behind her in number of nominations, and why might that be significant?
What do the new categories (Best Country Video, Best Pop Artist) suggest about the VMAs this year?
How does Gaga’s album Mayhem factor into her nominations?
Why do people think Gaga reclaimed the top spot from Taylor Swift?

Discussion Questions (About the Topic)

How important are awards shows like the VMAs for a musician’s career?
Do you think visuals and music videos are as important as the music itself? Why or why not?
Have you noticed artists pushing creative or visual boundaries lately? Tell me about one.
Which nomination category do you think is the most competitive and why?
Do you follow nominees and winners in music awards? Why?

Related Idiom or Phrase

“On top of the world” – feeling very happy or successful, as if nothing can bring you down.

Example: Lady Gaga must feel on top of the world being the most-nominated artist this VMAs.

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This article was inspired by: AP News, Reuters — “Lady Gaga named most‑nominated artist at 2025 MTV VMAs” and related reports (apnews.com)