The iHeartRadio Music Awards will take place on March 17 at 8 p.m. ET, and PEOPLE has exclusively revealed that the awards show will be hosted by LL Cool J.
Some of the biggest artists in the world will attend and perform, including Billie Eilish, Bad Bunny, GloRilla, Gracie Abrams and Nelly. The show celebrates musicians whose songs have been heavily played on radio stations throughout the year, with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift being just a couple of the artists who will receive special praise and recognition.
Nelly will receive the 2025 iHeartRadio Landmark Award for “inspiring and shaping culture over multiple decades.” Meanwhile, Lady Gaga will receive the 2025 iHeartRadio Innovator Award, and Mariah Carey will take home the 2025 iHeartRadio Icon Award.
Taylor Swift will also be recognized for her record-breaking shows; with the Eras Tour being crowned the Tour of the Century. An exclusive performance from the tour’s opening night show in Arizona will premiere during the event.
Now, onto the most exciting part — the nominations. Country has made its mark this year, with Morgan Wallen being in attendance to represent the genre.
Wallen and Swift are tied with ten nominations each, while Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone and Sabrina Carpenter trail behind, each with nine nominations. Other nominees include Tate McRae, Benson Boone, Doja Cat and Hozier.
This year’s show will also include five new categories: Favorite Soundtrack, Favorite Broadway Debut, Favorite Surprise Guest, Favorite Tour Tradition and Favorite K-Pop Dance Challenge.
The event will also pay tribute to the rebuilding of Los Angeles after the tragic wildfires earlier this year.
“Our iHeartRadio Music Awards show is not a competition, it’s a night where we honor the incredible artists and songs that fans loved all year long – and this year’s show will shine a light on the devastating tragedy that impacted Los Angeles and enable us to deliver on our commitment to the communities we serve,” John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises, and Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer of iHeartMedia, said.
Even in difficult times, we can all come together and celebrate music. Here’s a list of the nominees in the most popular categories, followed by predictions from the Posties of who will go home with each award!
Song of the Year:
- “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey
- “Agora Hills”- Doja Cat
- “Beautiful Things”- Benson Boone
- “Espresso” – Sabrina Carpenter
- “Greedy”- Tate McRae
- “I Had Some Help” – Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen
- “Lose Control” – Teddy Swims
- “Lovin On Me” – Jack Harlow
- “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
- “Too Sweet” – Hozier
“Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar had sweeping success in the Posties poll, with seven votes. Next is “Too Sweet” by Hozier with three votes, while “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” “Agora Hills” and “Espresso” each received one vote.
Pop Song of the Year
- “Agora Hills” – Doja Cat
- “Beautiful Things” – Benson Boone
- “Espresso” – Sabrina Carpenter
- “Greedy” – Tate McRae
- “Too Sweet” – Hozier
According to seven Posties, “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter might just win this award. “Too Sweet” by Hozier is the runner-up, yet again, while “Agora Hills,” “Beautiful Things” and “Greedy” show some potential, with one vote each.
Pop Artist of the Year:
- Billie Eilish
- Chappell Roan
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Tate McRae
- Taylor Swift
Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter have tied, with five votes each. Two Posties predict Billie Eilish, while one predicts Taylor Swift.
Artist of the Year:
- Billie Eilish
- Doja Cat
- Jelly Roll
- Kendrick Lamar
- Morgan Wallen
- Post Malone
- Sabrina Carpenter
- SZA
- Taylor Swift
- Teddy Swims
This is a packed category, but only four artists received votes. Billie Eilish comes out on top with five votes, while Sabrina Carpenter trails behind closely with four. Other predictions include Kendrick Lamar, with three votes, and Taylor Swift, with one vote.
Best Collaboration:
- “Die With A Smile” – Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
- “Fortnight” – Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone
- “I Had Some Help” – Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen
- “Like That” – Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar
- “Miles On It” – Kane Brown and Marshmello
“Die With A Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars has been crowned most likely to win, with nine votes. However, “Fortnight” and “Like That” have tied, with two votes each.
Best New Artist (Pop):
- Benson Boone
- Chappell Roan
- Gracie Abrams
- Shaboozey
- Teddy Swims
Ten Posties predict that Chappell Roan will take the cake, while two others are rooting for Gracie Abrams and Benson Boone.
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:
- Drake
- Future
- GloRilla
- Kendrick Lamar
- Travis Scott
Kendrick Lamar came out on top, once again, with 11 votes. However, two Posties predict that it just might be GloRilla’s year.
