More country artists than ever are in the running for MTV Video Music Awards, as the show adds a best country category in 2025.
Morgan Wallen is up for all-genre artist of the year, while Jelly Roll is the most-nominated country artist with four chances to win. He’s up for best hip-hop and video for good for “Somebody Save Me,” best alternative for “Lonely Road” and best country for “Liar.”
Ella Langley could take home the all-genre best new artist trophy. Bailey Zimmerman, Blake Shelton, Cody Johnson, Dasha, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney and Ella are all first-time nominees this year.
Bailey’s “Backup Plan” with Luke Combs vies for best collaboration against Post Malone and Blake’s “Pour Me a Drink.” Shaboozey and Dasha square off for MTV PUSH performance of the year.
Voting is open now online, with the 2025 VMAs set to air live from New York City Sept. 7 on CBS.
Here are the nominees in the new best country category: Chris Stapleton — “Think I’m in Love with You” Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood — “I’m Gonna Love You” Jelly Roll — “Liar” Lainey Wilson — “4x4xU” Megan Moroney — “Am I Okay” Morgan Wallen — “Smile”
English rock singer and guitarist Terry Reid performing on stage, 24th June 1973. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)
British musician Terry Reid, most famously known for turning down offers to front Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, has died at the age of 75.
His death was confirmed by Cleopatra Records, which said in a statement that the team was “deeply saddened by Reid’s passing.”
“Terry wasn’t just a legend—he was a true original. His voice had that rare magic that could shake a room or break your heart in a single note,” read the statement. “But beyond the voice, Terry was warm, funny, and utterly himself—always. Working with him was never just business; it was a pleasure, a lesson, and often, a bit of beautiful chaos.”
While a cause of death was not revealed, in July Reid postponed a fall tour of the U.K., Ireland and Norway due to “medical issues arising from recent treatment for cancer.” A GoFundMe was also set up to help pay his medical bills.
Reid released seven solo albums throughout his career and toured with such artists as The Rolling Stones, Cream, Jethro Tull and Fleetwood Mac. Several of his songs were also recorded by other musicians, including Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jackson Browne, The Hollies and The Raconteurs.
After his band the Yardbirds disbanded in the late ’60s, Jimmy Page offered Reid the spot as vocalist in his new group, but Reid turned him down because he was already committed to opening for The Stones. Page’s band would go on to become Led Zeppelin, with Reid suggesting Robert Plant for the frontman gig.
Plant paid tribute to Reid on Instagram, writing, “His voice, his range … his songs capturing that carefree era … Superlungs indeed.” He also acknowledged the part Reid played in him getting the Zeppelin gig, noting, “He catapulted me into an intense new world he chose to decline.”
Reid also passed on an offer from Ritchie Blackmore to replace original frontman Rod Evans in Deep Purple.
Graham Nash, who produced Reid’s 1976 album Seed of Memory, shared a tribute to Reid on his Instagram page, writing, “He was such a force. A talent beyond what I can express right now.” He added, “That voice. That guitar playing. That wonderful person we will all miss so dearly.”
David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes, both of whom were in Deep Purple, also shared tributes. Coverdale called him an “Incredible singer, writer” and “One Of The Absolute Best,” while Hughes wrote that Reid was “one of the greatest Rock n Soul singers of Any generation.”
‘Lullaby Renditions of Billie Eilish’ (Rockabye Baby Records)
Babies will be Happier Than Ever when they are sent off to dreamland with Lullaby Renditions of Billie Eilish.
That’s the latest project from Rockabye Baby, the label that creates infant-friendly versions of hits by popular music stars. Due out Aug. 15, it rearranges 13 of Billie’s best-known songs using soothing instruments like glockenspiels, xylophones and mellotrons. You can check out a preview of the lullaby version of her breakthrough hit, “bad guy.”
Among the songs featured on the album are “Birds of a Feather,” “What Was I Made For?,” “Happier Than Ever,” “everything i wanted,” “when the party’s over” and “you should see me in a crown.”
Rockabye Baby has also released lullaby albums featuring the music of artists ranging from The Beatles, Queen, Coldplay and Led Zeppelin to Taylor Swift, Adele and Beyoncé.
Ice-T speaks onstage during the 29th Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on May 12, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for The Webby Awards)
Ice-T is hosting a new documentary special about the negative impact fentanyl can have on society and culture. Fame and Fentanyl will take a look at the deadly drug and delve into some of the lives it has claimed, including Prince, Michael K. Williams, Angus Cloud and Tom Petty.
The doc will also feature interviews with experts and special agents about how law enforcement has brought some fentanyl dealers to justice, as well as interviews with people who have lost family members to fentanyl.
“Fentanyl, for me, came out of nowhere. By the time I learned about the drug, I had already lost people to it,” Ice T, who also serves as executive producer, said in a press release. “It’s a poison in the drug world, and I wanted to do everything that I could to make people aware of its danger.”
Fame and Fentanyl is set to premiere Aug. 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on A&E. It will also be available to watch on demand, and to stream on aetv.com and the A&E app.
Lenny Kravitz performs on Jimmy Kimmel Live!/Disney/Randy Holmes
Lenny Kravitz has nabbed a nomination for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Kravitz has earned a nod in the best rock category for his song “Honey,” where he’s up against videos from Green Day, Coldplay, Evanescence,Linkin Park and Twenty One Pilots.
Kravitz actually won in the best rock category in 2024. He was recognized for the track “Human,” which, like “Honey,” appears on his 2024 album, Blue Electric Light. Kravitz also performed on last year’s show, treating the audience to a medley of “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” “Human” and “Fly,” featuring Quavo.
The 2025 VMAs will air live from New York’s UBS Arena Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and MTV, and will stream on Paramount+.
For the full list of nominees and to vote for your favorites, visit Vote.MTV.com.
Kravitz is in the middle of his latest Las Vegas residency at the Dolby Live at Park MGM. A complete list of dates can be found at LennyKravitz.com.
Carrie Underwood‘s getting back to her roots, quite literally.
On Tuesday, the American Idol star posted new pictures to Instagram revealing a new look.
“Well, the last time I saw my natural hair color, I was probably about 12 years old, but I thought it might be time to give it a second chance,” she commented, going on to thank her stylist and the salon.
She also added #NewOldMe and #Bronde, which denotes a color that’s predominantly brown with some blond mixed in. Since winning American Idol in 2005, Carrie’s hair has always been predominantly light blond.
Next up for the superstar, she plays the Voices of America Country Music Festival Aug. 8 in Butler County, Ohio.
‘Young Washington’ key art (Wonder Project and Angel Studios)
Joel Smallbone of for KING + COUNTRY played his own father in the movie Unsung Hero last year. Soon he’ll be starring in a movie about the father of our country.
Joel has been cast in Young Washington, a movie about the early military career of future president George Washington. It details how, as a young man with no prior military experience, Washington was given command of a Virginia militia and led his men into a battle that sparked the French and Indian War. After that defeat, Washington had to “find the courage to become the leader that will forge a nation,” according to a press release.
Sir Ben Kingsley will play Robert Dinwiddie, the Virginia governor who gives Washington his first command. Andy Serkis plays Gen. Edward Braddock, who gives Washington another chance. Joel will play William Fairfax, a friend and romantic rival of Washington.
Young Washington will start production later this summer and is fittingly set to hit theaters July 4, 2026 — the 250th anniversary of the United States. However, you can preorder tickets to the film now at Angel.com.
It’s been a minute since Doechii joined Lauryn Hill onstage at the Jazz In The Gardens Music Festival in March, but it’s a moment she still cherishes. She tells People “it meant everything” to her to sing with the “hip-hop legend,” describing it as “another validating moment” in her life.
“She’s also just so human, so kind,” Doechii said of Lauryn. “When we were in our rehearsal space before we went on stage, she was just so [present] with me.”
“I just know she made me feel very seen and very accepted, and it was even bigger than being on the stage,” she continued. “It was just being acknowledged by a legend like Lauryn Hill.”
Doechii has previously expressed her love for Lauryn and her music, noting after the JITG performance that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was “the first full length album” she listened to.
“I would sing your songs as if I wrote them, imagining myself on stage,” she wrote on Instagram. “I carried your principles with me during my coming of age. And I carry them with now at this current stage of my career, your lyrics are close to my heart.”
“Thank you Miss Lauryn Hill,” Doechii added. “This is the greatest honor hip-hop could give me. Praise God.”
Doechii is set to have more onstage moments, as she recently announced her Live From the Swamp tour, running from Oct. 14 to Dec. 14.
(L-R) Jimin, J-Hope, Jin, Jungkook, RM, Suga, and V of BTS perform onstage during the 2021 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 21, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for MRC)
An Irish tabloid recently claimed that BTS was involved in a recording project involving songs originally written for Michael Jackson — a claim which the group has denied.
Back in 2006, Michael went to Grouse Lodge Studios in Ireland to record a new album, but never completed the sessions. On Aug. 3, The Irish Sunon Sunday quoted Paddy Dunning, the head of Grouse Lodge Studios, as saying that he’d been signing up artists to record the songs that Michael originally planned to cut.
Dunning was quoted as saying, “The sessions started last year and we have already had the Korean boy band BTS over with us in Grouse Lodge, recording one of the songs.”
But the band’s label, BIGHIT Music, posted on X Tuesday, “We would like to address recent media reports concerning BTS’ alleged participation in a Michael Jackson tribute album. BTS has neither visited Grouse Lodge Studio in Ireland nor taken part in any recording sessions at the location for the mentioned project.”
“The group is not involved in the tribute album in any capacity. We are continuing to take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of inaccurate information.”
The online version of the story has now removed Dunning’s quote about BTS, but further quotes him as saying that the Michael Jackson estate gave him permission to proceed with the project, and to make a documentary about the time he spent in Ireland, with his kids in tow, recording the project.
Green Day, Linkin Park and Twenty One Pilots are among the nominees for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
All three bands will compete in the best rock category with their respective videos for “One Eyed Bastard,” “The Emptiness Machine” and “The Contract.” The best rock nominees also include Evanescence‘s “Afterlife,” Coldplay‘s “ALL MY LOVE” and Lenny Kravitz‘s “Honey.”
In the best alternative category, the nominees include Imagine Dragons‘ “Wake Up,” mgk and Jelly Roll‘s “Lonely Road,” Gigi Perez‘s “Sailor Song,” Lola Young‘s “Messy,” sombr‘s “back to friends” and The Marías‘ “Back to Me.”
Perez, Young, sombr and The Marías are all also nominated for best new artist.
Other nominees include Billie Eilish‘s “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” for video and song of the year, and Lorde‘s “What Was That” for song of the year.
The 2025 VMAs will air live from New York’s UBS Arena Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and MTV, and will stream on Paramount+.
For the full list of nominees and to vote for your favorites, visit Vote.MTV.com.
