Taylor Swift is seen backstage during the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center. She did not attend the 2025 VMAs, where she was up for best artist.
Getty Images for MTV
Taylor Swift decided not to attend the 2025 VMAs on Sunday night. Perhaps it’s just as well, as she did not win Artist of the Year, the only category where she was nominated–that honor went to Lady Gaga.
Swift and Beyoncé entered the evening tied for the most-ever VMA awards. They were both nominated in the Artist of the Year category,.
Swift had reason to decide to sit the night out. She’s been quite busy lately, appearing on boyfriend (and now fiance) Travis Kelce’s podcast and later becoming engaged to her beau of two years. She also has an album coming out in October that has social media buzzing.
How Many VMAs Does Taylor Swift Have?
Both Beyoncé and Taylor Swift have 30 VMAs. Swift forged the tie last year, when she won seven VMAs and pulled even with Queen Bey.
How Many 2025 VMA Nominations Did Taylor Swift Have?
Swift had just one VMA nod this year, for Artist of the Year. In fact, Beyoncé also only had one nod, and it was in the same category.
Lady Gaga led all nominees this year with 12 nominations, so it was perhaps not surprising that she also took home the Artist of the Year Award. Other nominees in the category besides Swift, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé were Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Morgan Wallen and The Weeknd.
Why Did Taylor Swift Skip The 2025 VMAs?
Swift’s representatives didn’t immediately comment on why she opted not to attend the VMAs. She has gone in past years, including last year, when she credited Kelce’s support for encouraging her as she made some of her winning music.
But this year Swift has a new album dropping in just a few weeks. The Life of a Showgirl (TLOAS) was announced to great excitement across social media in late August. Swift followed that up with her first appearance on the podcast hosted by Kelce and his brother, Jason, breaking the show’s viewership record.
Then the younger Kelce and Swift set social media aflame again when they announced news of their engagement.
Of course, with TLOAS dropping shortly and videos on the way, Taylor Swift could return with a bunch of nominations next year and a chance to break the tie with Beyoncé.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonifitzgerald/2025/09/07/taylor-swift-skips–2025-vmas-stays-tied-for-record-wins/
