MTV VMAs Finally Add a Country Category for 2025: Here’s When Other Genres Got Their Own Categories

Good things come to those who wait, and the country community waited a long time for its own category at the MTV Video Music Awards. The VMAs announced on Tuesday (Aug. 5) that they are finally adding a country category this year, the 42nd edition of the iconic show.

Nominees for the inaugural best country award are Chris Stapleton’s “Think I’m in Love With You,” Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood’s “I’m Gonna Love You,” Jelly Roll’s “Liar,” Lainey Wilson’s “4x4xU,” Megan Moroney’s “Am I Okay?” and Morgan Wallen’s “Smile.”

“Think I’m in Love With You,” “I’m Gonna Love You” and “4x4xU” were among the nominees for visual media of the year at the ACM Awards in May.

The announcement of the new VMA category comes less than two months after the Recording Academy announced that they are adding a fifth Grammy category devoted to country music, best traditional country album.

The VMAs have included a performance from one country artist on each of their last four telecasts, showing an awareness that country is less niche than it used to be. Kacey Musgraves performed “Star-Crossed” on the 2021 show, followed by Kane Brown (“Grand,” 2022), Kelsea Ballerini (“Penthouse,” 2023) and Jelly Roll (as a featured artist on Eminem’s “Somebody Save Me,” 2024).

In addition, country artists pop up in various other categories on the 2025 VMA nominations list. Wallen is nominated for two other awards – artist of the year and best album for I’m the Problem. Jelly Roll is nominated for three other awards – best hip-hop and video for good for his featured role on Eminem’s “Somebody Save Me,” and best alternative for “Lonely Road,” his collab with mgk.

Two country pairs are nominated for best collaboration — Bailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs for “Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video)” and Post Malone feat. Blake Shelton for “Pour Me a Drink.”

Ella Langley is nominated for best new artist. Langley won new female artist of the year at the ACM Awards in May. She is also seen as a strong contender for a Grammy nod for best new artist when those nominations are announced on Nov. 7.

Two country artists, Shaboozey and Dasha, are nominated for MTV Push Performance of the Year.

The VMAs have added three other genre-specific categories in recent years: best Latin (2010), best K-Pop (2019) and best Afrobeats (2023).

Even without a dedicated country category at the VMAs, a few country artists have been nominated in the show’s most prestigious category, video of the year. In 1985, the second year of the VMAs, USA for Africa’s “We Are the World” was nominated for video of the year. The all-star video featured three country icons – Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.

Johnny Cash was nominated in 2003 for his aching version of Trent Reznor’s “Hurt.” Taylor Swift received her first of seven video of the year nominations in 2013 for “I Knew You Were Trouble,” a pop-leaning song from Red, her last studio album before her pivot to pop. Billy Ray Cyrus was nominated in 2019 for “Old Town Road (Remix),” his smash collab with Lil Nas X.

The Academy of Country Music Awards and the Country Music Association Awards both added a music video category on their 1985 telecasts. Hank Williams Jr.’s cameo-studded “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” was the inaugural winner at both shows.

The VMAs will air on CBS for the first time this year, and will simulcast on MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. The show, set for Sunday, Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, will be held at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y for the second year in a row.

Fan voting is now open in 19 categories (which is everything but the six technical categories). Fans can vote by visiting vote.mtv.com until Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. ET. Voting for best new artist will remain active into show. (Fans can get additional votes for video of the year, artist of the year and best new artist by commenting under the pinned posts on @VMAs Instagram using the artist-specific hashtags through Aug. 8 at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.  Fans get double the votes per category every day during “Power Hour,” running daily 1-2 p.m. ET from Aug. 7 through Sept. 4.)

Genre-Specific Categories Timeline

Nine genres currently have genre-specific categories at the VMAs. Here they are, listed in the order that they were introduced.

Best Rock: 1989

Best Alternative: 1991

Best R&B: 1993

Best Pop: 1999

Best Hip-Hop: 1999

Best Latin: 2010

Best K-pop: 2019

Best Afrobeats: 2023

Best Country: 2025

Best Country Nominees

Here are this year’s nominees for best country, showing record labels.

Chris Stapleton – “Think I’m In Love With You” – Mercury Nashville           

Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood – “I’m Gonna Love You” – CoJo Music / Warner Music Nashville      

Jelly Roll – “Liar” – BBR Music Group/BMG/Republic Records        

Lainey Wilson – “4x4xU” – Broken Bow Records 

Megan Moroney – “Am I Okay?” – Columbia Records       

Morgan Wallen – “Smile” – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records