The 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards lit up the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Monday night (March 17), celebrating the biggest artists and songs that dominated iHeartRadio stations and the app throughout the past year. And at the top of the winners’ list? Benson Boone, whose hit “Beautiful Things” took home Song of the Year, marking the first time a male artist has won in that category since The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” in 2021. It was a triumphant moment for Boone, whose only nomination at this year’s Grammys was for Best New Artist—though his performance there was one of the night’s most talked-about moments.
Big Wins Across the Board
Billie Eilish added another accolade to her growing collection as Hit Me Hard and Soft was crowned Album of the Year. While the record was also in the running for the same category at the 2025 Grammys, it ultimately lost to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter.
Meanwhile, Gracie Abrams took home Breakthrough Artist of the Year, using her speech to thank Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan, and The National—artists who had previously welcomed her on their stages. Abrams was also a Grammy nominee for Best New Artist in 2024.
In the genre categories, SZA continued her reign, winning R&B Artist of the Year for the third consecutive time, setting a new record and surpassing H.E.R.’s two-year streak (2020-21). Jelly Roll was named Country Artist of the Year, building on his win from last year as New Country Artist of the Year. Over in hip-hop, GloRilla took home Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, two years after sharing the New Hip-Hop Artist award with Latto. Sabrina Carpenter secured Pop Artist of the Year for the first time, while Green Day snagged Alternative Artist of the Year.
Honorary Awards and Special Recognitions
The night wasn’t just about competition—it was also about celebrating legends. Lady Gaga received the 2025 iHeartRadio Innovator Award, while Mariah Carey was honoured with the iHeartRadio Icon Award. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was recognised as the Tour of the Century—a bold title given we’re only a quarter into it, but let’s be honest, has any tour ever dominated pop culture quite like this one? Additionally, Nelly was awarded the iHeartRadio Landmark Award in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Country Grammar.
The Awards You Didn’t See on TV
While these major wins were announced during the televised show, dozens of other awards were handed out off-screen. Taylor Swift was the night’s biggest winner, taking home a total of nine awards, including Artist of the Year for the second year running. Post Malone followed with four wins, including two alongside Swift for their hit “Fortnight.” Other multiple-award winners included Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Shinedown, Charli XCX, Feid, and Peso Pluma, each securing two trophies.
A Night to Remember
Now in its 12th year, the iHeartRadio Music Awards continue to spotlight the artists and tracks that dominate the airwaves. The 2025 event aired live on FOX (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET live / PT tape-delayed) and was broadcast across iHeartRadio stations nationwide and via the iHeartRadio app. The show was produced by Joel Gallen (Tenth Planet), along with John Sykes, Tom Poleman, and Bart Peters (iHeartMedia).
Fan voting played a big role this year, determining winners in categories like Favorite Soundtrack, Favorite Broadway Debut, Favorite K-pop Dance Challenge, Favorite Surprise Guest, and Favorite Tour Tradition—five brand-new categories introduced in 2025. Returning fan-voted categories included Best Lyrics, Best Music Video, Favorite Tour Style, Favorite Tour Photographer, and Favorite On-Screen Moment.
Full Winners List
For those eager to see who else took home an award, here’s the full list of nominations with winners marked.
GENERAL CATEGORIES
Artist of the Year
Billie Eilish
Doja Cat
Jelly Roll
Kendrick Lamar
Morgan Wallen
Post Malone
Sabrina Carpenter
SZA
WINNER: Taylor Swift
Teddy Swims
Song of the Year
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)”- Shaboozey
“Agora Hills”- Doja Cat
WINNER: “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
Best Collaboration
WINNER: “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
Producer of the Year
WINNER: Julian Bunetta
Jack Antonoff
Evan Blair
Mustard
Dan Nigro
Songwriter of the Year
Josh Coleman
ERNEST
Ashley Gorley
WINNER: Amy Allen
Justin Tranter
GENRE-SPECIFIC CATEGORIES
Pop Song of the Year
“Agora Hills”- Doja Cat
“Beautiful Things”- Benson Boone
WINNER: “Espresso”- Sabrina Carpenter
“Greedy”- Tate McRae
“Too Sweet”- Hozier
Pop Artist of the Year
Billie Eilish
Chappell Roan
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter
Tate McRae
Taylor Swift
Best New Artist (Pop)
Benson Boone
Chappell Roan
Gracie Abrams
Shaboozey
WINNER: Teddy Swims
Country Song of the Year
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)”- Shaboozey
“Cowgirls” – Morgan Wallen featuring ERNEST
“I Am Not Okay”- Jelly Roll
WINNER: “I Had Some Help”- Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen
“World on Fire”- Nate Smith
Country Artist of the Year
WINNER: Jelly Roll
Kane Brown
Lainey Wilson
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Best New Artist (Country)
Ashley Cooke
Dasha
George Birge
WINNER: Shaboozey
Tucker Wetmore
Hip-Hop Song of the Year
“Like That”- Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar
“Lovin on Me”- Jack Harlow
WINNER: “Not Like Us”- Kendrick Lamar
“Rich Baby Daddy”- Drake featuring Sexyy Red and SZA
“TGIF” – GloRilla
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
Drake
Future
WINNER: GloRilla
Kendrick Lamar
Travis Scott
Best New Artist (Hip-Hop)
310babii
BigXthaPlug
WINNER: BossMan Dlow
Cash Cobain
Jordan Adetunji
R&B Song of the Year
“ICU” – Coco Jones
WINNER: “Made for Me”- Muni Long
“Sensational” – Chris Brown featuring Davido and Lojay
“Water” – Tyla
“WY@”- Brent Faiyaz
R&B Artist of the Year
Chris Brown
Muni Long
WINNER: SZA
Usher
Victoria Monét
Best New Artist (R&B)
WINNER: 4Batz
Ambré
Inayah
Josh X
Maeta
Alternative Song of the Year
“Dilemma” – Green Day
“Landmines” – Sum 41
“Neon Pill”- Cage The Elephant
“The Emptiness Machine” – Linkin Park
WINNER: “Too Sweet”- Hozier
Alternative Artist of the Year
Cage The Elephant
WINNER: Green Day
Linkin Park
Sum 41
twenty one pilots
Best New Artist (Alt and Rock)
Djo
WINNER: Fontaines D.C.
Good Neighbours
Myles Smith
The Last Dinner Party
Rock Song of the Year
WINNER: “A Symptom of Being Human” – Shinedown
“All My Life” – Falling In Reverse and Jelly Roll
“Dark Matter” – Pearl Jam
“Screaming Suicide” – Metallica
“The Emptiness Machine” – Linkin Park
Rock Artist of the Year
Green Day
Linkin Park
Metallica
Pearl Jam
WINNER: Shinedown
Dance Song of the Year
WINNER: “360” – Charli xcx
“Chase It (Mmm Da Da Da)” – Bebe Rexha
“I Don’t Wanna Wait”- David Guetta and OneRepublic
“Make You Mine”- Madison Beer
“Water” – Tyla X Marshmello
Dance Artist of the Year
Calvin Harris
WINNER: David Guetta
Dua Lipa
Kylie Minogue
Tiësto
Latin Pop / Urban Song of the Year
“Brickell” – FEID X Yandel
“LA FALDA” – Myke Towers
WINNER: “Perro Negro”- Bad Bunny featuring FEID
“Qlona” – Karol G featuring Peso Pluma
“Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”- Karol G
Latin Pop / Urban Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
WINNER: FEID
Karol G
Myke Towers
Shakira
Best New Artist (Latin Pop / Urban)
Christian Alicea
Cris MJ
Ela Taubert
FloyyMenor
WINNER: Kapo
Regional Mexican Song of the Year
WINNER: “Alch Si” – Grupo Frontera and Carin León
“El Beneficio De La Duda” – Grupo Firme
“FIRST LOVE” – Oscar Ortiz and Edgardo Nuñez
“La Diabla”- Xavi
“Tu Perfume” – Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year
Grupo Frontera
Intocable
Los Ángeles Azules
WINNER: Peso Pluma
Xavi
Best New Artist (Regional Mexican)
Chino Pacas
Iván Cornejo
Luis R. Conriquez
Tito Double P
WINNER: Xavi
K-pop Artist of the Year
aespa
WINNER: ATEEZ
ENHYPEN
Jimin
Lisa
K-pop Song of the Year
“Chk Chk Boom” – Stray Kids
“Magnetic”- ILLIT
“Supernova” – aespa
WINNER: “Who”- Jimin
“XO (Only If You Say Yes)”- ENHYPEN
Best New Artist (K-pop)
BABYMONSTER
BADVILLAIN
WINNER: ILLIT
NCT WISH
TWS
World Artist of the Year
Burna Boy
Central Cee
Tems
WINNER: Tyla
YG Marley
SOCIALLY VOTED CATEGORIES
Favorite Soundtrack
Back to Black
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Bob Marley: One Love
Challengers
Deadpool & Wolverine
Descendants: The Rise of Red
Emilia Pérez
The Book of Clarence
Twisters
WINNER: Wicked
Favorite Broadway Debut
Adam Lambert – Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Ariana Madix – Chicago
Barbie Ferreira – Cult of Love
Charli D’Amelio – & Juliet
Grant Gustin – Water for Elephants
Kit Connor – Romeo + Juliet
Lola Tung – Hadestown
Nicole Scherzinger – Sunset Blvd
WINNER: Rachel Zegler – Romeo + Juliet
Robert Downey Jr. – McNeal
Sebastián Yatra – Chicago
Shailene Woodley – Cult of Love
Favorite K-pop Dance Challenge
WINNER: “GGUM”- Yeonjun (TXT)
“MAESTRO” – Seventeen
“Magnetic”- ILLIT
“Smart”- LE SSERAFIM
“Sticky”- Kiss of Life
“Supernova” – aespa
“Touch” – KATSEYE
“UP”- Karina (aespa)
“WORK”- ATEEZ
“XO (Only If You Say Yes)”- ENHYPEN
Favorite Surprise Guest
Charli xcx bringing out Lorde
Coldplay bringing out Selena Gomez
Future & Metro Boomin bringing out Travis Scott
GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion bringing out Cardi B
Jennifer Hudson bringing out Cher
Kendrick Lamar bringing out Ken & Friends
Luke Combs bringing out the “Twisters” Cast
Morgan Wallen bringing out Travis Kelce & Patrick Mahomes
Niall Horan bringing out Shawn Mendes
Olivia Rodrigo bringing out Chappell Roan
Peso Pluma bringing out Becky G
WINNER: Taylor Swift bringing out Travis Kelce
Favorite Tour Tradition
Benson Boone- Backflips
Chappell Roan – Teaching “HOT TO GO” dance
Charli xcx + Troye Sivan – “Apple” Girl (dance)
Morgan Wallen – Walk out song
Niall Horan – Heaven pose
Nicki Minaj – Fans sing
Olivia Rodrigo- Encore tank
Sabrina Carpenter- “Juno” position
Tate McRae – Soundcheck covers
Taylor Swift- “22” Hat
WINNER: Taylor Swift – Surprise songs
Usher – Feeding cherries
Best Lyrics
“Beautiful Things” – Benson Boone
“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish
“Espresso”- Sabrina Carpenter
“Exes” – Tate McRae
WINNER: “Fortnight” – Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone
“Good Luck, Babe!”- Chappell Roan
“I Had Some Help”- Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen
“I Love You, I’m Sorry” – Gracie Abrams
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
“Saturn” – SZA
“we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Ariana Grande
“Who”- Jimin
Best Music Video
“APT.” – ROSÉ and Bruno Mars
“Beautiful Things” – Benson Boone
“Die With A Smile” – Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
“Espresso”- Sabrina Carpenter
WINNER: “Fortnight”- Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone
“Houdini” – Dua Lipa
“Houdini” -Eminem
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen
“LUNA” – ATL Jacob X FEID
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
“Please Please Please” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Rockstar”- Lisa
Favorite Tour Style
Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft
Chappell Roan – The Midwest Princess
Charli xcx and Troye Sivan – Sweat
GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion – Hot Girl Summer Tour
Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday 2 Tour
Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS
Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet
Tate McRae – Think Later
WINNER: Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour
Usher – Usher: Past Present Future
Favorite Tour Photographer
Adam Degross – Post Malone
WINNER: Alfredo Flores – Sabrina Carpenter
Baeth – Tate McRae
Christian Tierney – Niall Horan
David Bergman – Luke Combs
Henry Hwu – Billie Eilish
Lucienne Nghiem – Chappell Roan
Miles Leavitt – Olivia Rodrigo
Pooneh Ghana – Noah Kahan
RAYSCORRUPTEDMIND – Travis Scott
Sanjay Parikh – Shinedown
Yasi – Kacey Musgraves
Favorite On Screen
Are You Sure?! (Jimin and Jungkook)
Child Star (Demi Lovato)
Elton John: Never Too Late (Elton John)
Gaga Chromatica Ball (Lady Gaga)
I Am: Céline Dion (Céline Dion)
Lainey Wilson: Bell Bottom Country (Lainey Wilson)
Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words (Megan Thee Stallion)
Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour (Olivia Rodrigo)
Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE (KATSEYE)
Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (Bruce Springsteen)
WINNER: Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) (Taylor Swift)
Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story (Bon Jovi)
ALBUM CATEGORY WINNERS
Album of the Year: Hit Me Hard and Soft, Billie Eilish
Pop Album of the Year: The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift
Alternative Album of the Year: Clancy, twenty one pilots
Rock Album of the Year: From Zero, Linkin Park
Country Album of the Year: F-1 Trillion, Post Malone
Dance Album of the Year: brat, Charli xcx
K-Pop Album of the Year: Ate, Stray Kids
Hip-hop Album of the Year: We Don’t Trust You, Future & Metro Boomin
R&B Album of the Year: Coming Home, Usher
Latin Pop/Urban Album of the Year: Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, Shakira
Regional Mexican Album of the Year: Éxodo, Peso Pluma
ADDITIONAL WINNERS
Tour of the Century: Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour
Icon Award: Mariah Carey
Innovator Award: Lady Gaga
Label of the Year: Republic Records
Landmark Award: Nelly
Breakthrough Award: Gracie Abrams
