Bad Bunny, Karol G, and Peso Pluma Are Among a Handful of Latin Artists in the 2025 VMA Lineup

The MTV Video Music Awards will take place in New York on September 7, where the stage will fill with familiar faces and extravagant visuals, but the attention of many Spanish-speaking fans rests on the presence of Bad Bunny and the handful of Latino names recognized by the awards this year. While the ceremony tends to cater to the English-language market, this season arrives with a rare shift, even if subtle.

Bad Bunny Competes Across Major Categories

Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican artist who often stirs discussion with each release, appears on this year’s list of nominees in four major categories. His name stands beside Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Kendrick Lamar under Artist of the Year. That placement alone signals a moment of recognition for music that originates in Spanish and refuses translation.

His album Debí Tirar Más Fotos appears under both Best Album and Best Longform Video, where the visuals intertwine with commentary on colonial tension and local identity. Directed with a cinematic touch and featuring Puerto Rican filmmaker Jacobo Morales, the short film captures the weight of memory across the island and the presence of a foreign hand that never quite leaves.

Spanish-Language Songs Compete on Their Own Terms

In the category of Best Latin Song, the list includes names that remain familiar to anyone who has followed Latin music’s rise over the past decade. Shakira returns with Soltera, Karol G competes with Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido, and J Balvin enters with Río. Peso Pluma’s La Patrulla joins the group, as does Khé by Rauw Alejandro and Romeo Santos.

Bad Bunny competes in this category with Baile Inolvidable, which builds on his usual approach of letting rhythm carry both joy and melancholy. These songs, while distinct in style and audience, share a common experience of moving across countries without the assistance of English-language promotion.

A Single Voice in the Larger Room

Bad Bunny stands alone this year as the only Spanish-language artist nominated across the major general categories, where voting often reflects the influence of international fan bases rather than traditional industry campaigns. Although Karol G and Shakira have appeared in similar slots in past editions, this time their nominations remain contained within the Latin-specific list.

Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, The Weeknd, and Morgan Wallen bring with them audiences that know how to mobilize votes, often with organized digital efforts. Sabrina Carpenter, who also appears across multiple categories, carries younger followers who engage with awards shows through platforms that reward speed and volume.

Bad Bunny relies on a different kind of connection. His audience reflects the population that often feels dismissed by such awards, and his position becomes a symbolic presence for those who listen in Spanish without needing subtitles.

An Industry That Rarely Makes Space

While Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars lead this year’s list in sheer number of nominations, the presence of Spanish-speaking artists remains limited. In the past, other Latin artists have entered the conversation only to be placed in specific genre categories. What this year’s nominations reveal is how slow progress continues to be when it comes to recognizing music created in Spanish as part of the larger industry rather than a niche aside.

Bad Bunny won Artist of the Year in 2022 and returned to that category in 2023. His inclusion again suggests that popularity can force attention, but it also reflects how rare these appearances continue to be.

Nevertheless, the system that once overlooked Spanish-language artists continues to lag behind the realities of who fills venues and sells records. Yet, the audience has already moved on. They build their own worlds and carry their music with them. Whether or not the industry catches up, that momentum belongs to them.