Tate McRae has two nominees for Song of the Summer at the 2025 MTV VMAs. The Canadian pop star is nominated for “Just Keep Watching” (from F1 The Movie) and as a featured artist on Morgan Wallen’s “What I Want.” The nominees in the two social categories – Best Group and Song of the Summer – were announced by MTV on Friday (Aug. 29).
“Just Keep Watching” is one of two Song of the Summer contenders from a feature film. The other is “Golden” (from K-Pop Demon Hunters) by HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI.
All four of the songs that have topped the Billboard Hot 100 since the issue dated May 31 are nominated for Song of the Summer: “What I Want,” “Golden,” Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild.”
The big question in the Best Group category is whether a K-pop group will win for the seventh year in a row. Since the category was revived in 2019, it was won by BTS four times and then by BLACKPINK and Seventeen, once each. The latter two groups are nominated again this year, as are two other K-pop groups: aespa and Stray Kids. In addition, KATSEYE, with members hailing from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland and the U.S., is nominated.
Two other past winners in the Best Group category are nominated again this year, decades after their previous wins, a sign of their longevity. They are Backstreet Boys, which won in 1998 for “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” and Coldplay, which won in 2003 for “The Scientist.”
Two regional Mexican bands – Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera – are also nominated for Best Group, along with The Marías, an American indie pop band from Los Angeles known for performing songs in both English and Spanish. The band is named after its lead singer María Zardoya, who was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in Atlanta.
This is the first VMA nod for Fuerza Regida. It’s also the first VMA nod for Song of Summer nominees Addison Rae, BigXthaPlug, HUNTR/X, Ravyn Lenae and Rex Orange County.
After adding in the nominations in these two social categories, Lady Gaga maintains her lead in this year’s VMA nods with 12. She’s followed by Bruno Mars (11), Kendrick Lamar (10), Sabrina Carpenter (9), ROSÉ (8), Ariana Grande and The Weeknd (7 each), Billie Eilish and Tate McRae (6 each), Charli xcx (5), Alex Warren, Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus and Morgan Wallen (4 each).
All voting will be hosted on @MTV Instagram Story until Sunday, September 7 at 11 a.m. ET.
The 2025 MTV VMAs will go live coast-to-coast on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. They’ll air on CBS, simulcast on MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
Here’s a complete list of nominees in the two social categories:
Song of the Summer
Fan voting will launch on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 11 a.m. ET on @MTV Instagram Story (1 Round tap to vote); closes on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 11 a.m. ET.
Addison Rae – “Headphones On” – Columbia Records
Alex Warren – “Ordinary” – Atlantic Records
Benson Boone – “Mystical Magical” – Night Street Records/Warner Records
BigXthaPlug feat. Bailey Zimmerman – “All the Way” – UnitedMasters
Chappell Roan – “The Subway” – Island
Demi Lovato – “Fast” – Island
Doja Cat – “Jealous Type” – Kemosabe/RCA Records
HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI – “Golden” – Republic Records/Visva Records
Jessie Murph – “Blue Strips” – Columbia Records
Justin Bieber – “Daisies” – Def Jam Recordings
MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – “Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)” – gamma.
Morgan Wallen feat. Tate McRae – “What I Want” – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
Ravyn Lenae feat. Rex Orange County – “Love Me Not” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
sombr – “12 to 12” – SMB Music/Warner Records
Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching (From F1 The Movie)” – Atlantic Records
Best Group
Fan voting will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. ET on @MTV Instagram Story (3 rounds, bracket-style face-off, final round tap to vote); closes on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 11 a.m. ET.
aespa
All Time Low
Backstreet Boys
BLACKPINK
Coldplay
Evanescence
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Frontera
Imagine Dragons
Jonas Brothers
KATSEYE
My Chemical Romance
SEVENTEEN
Stray Kids
The Marías
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