Bad Bunny Could Make History at the 2025 MTV VMAs: His Four Nominations and Main Competitors

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Alberto Palao — The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards season is officially underway, with the full list of nominees finally revealed. This year’s ceremony will be held at the UBS Arena in New York City and, as always, the winners will be chosen by fan votes, setting the tone for the year’s biggest music awards.

Leading the pack is Lady Gaga, who tops the list with 12 nominations for tracks like Abracadabra, Die With a Smile, and her album Mayhem. Bruno Mars follows closely with 11 nods, thanks to high-profile collaborations with Gaga and Rosé (from BLACKPINK). Sabrina Carpenter and Rosé also shine with eight nominations each.

When it comes to Latin music, there’s one standout face competing in some of the biggest categories: Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny. Not only is he nominated for Best Latin Song with Baile Inolvidable, but he’s also in the running in three other major categories—something rarely seen at the VMAs, which have historically favored English-language music.

Bad Bunny is one of the few Latin artists nominated for Artist of the Year, a category he actually won in 2022. This year, he’s aiming to repeat that achievement, joining a prestigious list of past Latin winners like Karol G and Shakira.

Artist of the Year

Bad Bunny won this award in 2022 and was nominated again in 2023, though Taylor Swift took home the prize then. In 2025, Benito (Bad Bunny’s real name) faces six heavy hitters: Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd.

All these artists have huge, dedicated fanbases. However, Taylor Swift’s fandom is known for its unparalleled voting power, especially among young voters. Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and Beyoncé, while legendary, may not have quite as much youth-driven voting energy. Bad Bunny’s edge? The ability to mobilize the massive Latino fanbase in support of his bid for Artist of the Year.

Album of the Year

Bad Bunny’s critically acclaimed album Debí Tirar Más Fotos is also nominated. He’s up against some of the year’s most celebrated releases, including Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, Lady Gaga’s Mayhem, Morgan Wallen’s I’m The Problem, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet, and The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow.

Sabrina Carpenter could be his strongest competition here, thanks to her young, enthusiastic fanbase that votes in large numbers.

Best Long Form Video

Bad Bunny is nominated for Best Long Form Video for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, a short film released alongside the album. It features acclaimed filmmaker Jacobo Morales and serves as both a love letter to Puerto Rico and a social commentary on how the U.S. has exploited the island.

His competition includes big names like Miley Cyrus for Something Beautiful, Ariana Grande’s stunning Brighter Days Ahead, and a strong contender in Mac Miller’s posthumous work Balloonerism, which many expect to win.

Best Latin Song

Lastly, Bad Bunny is nominated for Best Latin Song with Baile Inolvidable. Other nominees include Shakira (Soltera), Karol G (Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido), J Balvin (Rio), Peso Pluma (La Patrulla), and Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos (Khe).

All six tracks have passionate fan followings, but Shakira and Karol G’s fans are particularly well-known for their ability to rally votes.