The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards lit up UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on Sunday night (Sept. 7), delivering a star-packed evening filled with powerhouse performances, surprise wins, and plenty of memorable moments. Hosted by LL Cool J, the show marked its first-ever live broadcast on CBS while continuing its MTV tradition, with Paramount+ subscribers tuning in for the stream.
Ariana Grande scored one of the night’s biggest honors, taking home Video of the Year for her hit “Brighter Days Ahead.” The song’s visually stunning video earned her the top prize, and Ariana closed the night with three total wins.
But the true queen of the evening was Lady Gaga, who walked away with four trophies, including Artist of the Year. Just two days earlier, Gaga had to cancel a Miami show due to an “extremely strained” voice. Still, she made sure her fans didn’t miss out. In her acceptance speech, she explained she couldn’t stay at the VMAs because she had to rush to Madison Square Garden for another performance. About 90 minutes later, the broadcast cut live to her MSG set, where she wowed with “Abracadabra” and “The Dead Dance.”
Sabrina Carpenter also shined bright, grabbing three awards, including Album of the Year for Short n’ Sweet. Rising K-pop star Rosé scored Song of the Year with “APT.,” her collaboration with Bruno Mars. Meanwhile, KATSEYE made waves by winning MTV Push Performance of the Year for “Touch.” Gaga and Mars also celebrated a joint win for Best Collaboration with “Die With a Smile.”
The VMAs also honored legends: Mariah Carey received the Video Vanguard Award, Busta Rhymes accepted the first-ever Rock the Bells Visionary Award, and Ricky Martin was honored with the inaugural Latin Icon Award. Each artist took the stage for unforgettable performances.
This year also introduced two new categories – Best Pop Artist and Best Country Video – expanding the spotlight across more genres.
From Ariana’s soaring visuals to Gaga’s powerhouse artistry and Mariah’s iconic moment, the 2025 VMAs celebrated both today’s hottest stars and music legends who paved the way. Produced by Van Toffler’s Gunpowder & Sky alongside Den of Thieves, the show once again proved why the VMAs remain a pop culture staple.
Video of the Year
Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead” (WINNER)
Billie Eilish, “Birds of a Feather”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With A Smile”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, “Timeless”
Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga (WINNER)
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Song of the Year
Alex Warren, “Ordinary”
Billie Eilish, “Birds of a Feather”
Doechii, “Anxiety”
Ed Sheeran, “Sapphire”
Gracie Abrams, “I Love You, I’m Sorry”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With A Smile”
Lorde, “What Was That”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.” (WINNER)
Tate McRae, “Sports Car”
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, “Timeless”
Best New Artist
Alex Warren (WINNER)
Ella Langley
Gigi Perez
Lola Young
Sombr
The Marías
Best Pop Artist
Ariana Grande
Charli xcx
Justin Bieber
Lorde
Miley Cyrus
Sabrina Carpenter (WINNER)
Tate McRae
MTV Push Performance of the Year
August 2024: Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
September 2024: Ayra Starr, “Last Heartbreak Song”
October 2024: Mark Ambor, “Belong Together”
November 2024: Lay Bankz, “Graveyard”
December 2024: Dasha, “Bye Bye Bye”
January 2025: KATSEYE, “Touch” (WINNER)
February 2025: Jordan Adetunji, “Kehlani”
March 2025: Leon Thomas, “Yes It Is”
April 2025: Livingston, “Shadow”
May 2025: Damiano David, “Next Summer”
June 2025: Gigi Perez, “Sailor Song”
July 2025: Role Model, “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out”
Best Collaboration
Bailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs, “Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video)”
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “luther”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile” (WINNER)
Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton, “Pour Me a Drink”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco, “Sunset Blvd”
Best Pop
Alex Warren, “Ordinary”
Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead” (WINNER)
Ed Sheeran, “Sapphire”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With A Smile”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
Best Hip-Hop
Doechii, “Anxiety” (WINNER)
Drake, “Nokia”
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll, “Somebody Save Me”
GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red, “Whatchu Kno About Me”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
LL Cool J ft. Eminem, “Murdergram Deux”
Travis Scott, “4X4”
Best R&B
Chris Brown, “Residuals”
Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs, “Mutt (Remix)”
Mariah Carey, “Type Dangerous” (WINNER)
Partynextdoor – “No Chill”
Summer Walker, “Heart Of A Woman”
SZA, “Drive”
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, “Timeless”
Best Alternative
Gigi Perez, “Sailor Song”
Imagine Dragons, “Wake Up”
Lola Young, “Messy”
mgk & Jelly Roll, “Lonely Road”
Sombr, “Back to Friends” (WINNER)
The Marías, “Back To Me”
Best Rock
Coldplay, “All My Love” (WINNER)
Evanescence, “Afterlife (From the Netflix Series Devil May Cry)”
Green Day, “One Eyed Bastard”
Lenny Kravitz, “Honey”
Linkin Park, “The Emptiness Machine”
Twenty One Pilots, “The Contract”
Best Latin
Bad Bunny, “Baile Inolvidable”
J Balvin, “Rio”
Karol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
Peso Pluma, “La Patrulla”
Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos, “Khé?”
Shakira, “Soltera“ (WINNER)
Best K-pop
Aespa, “Whiplash”
Jennie, “Like Jennie”
Jimin, “Who”
Jisoo, “Earthquake”
Lisa ft. Doja Cat & Raye, “Born Again” (WINNER)
Stray Kids, “Chk Chk Boom”
Rosé, “Toxic Till the End”
Best Afrobeats
Asake & Travis Scott, “Active”
Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott, “TaTaTa”
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea, “Shake It To The Max (Fly) (Remix)”
Rema, “Baby (Is It a Crime)”
Tems ft. Asake, “Get It Right”
Tyla, “Push 2 Start” (WINNER)
Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz, “Piece Of My Heart”
Best Country
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?” (WINNER)
Morgan Wallen, “Smile”
Best Album
Bad Bunny, Debí Tirar Más Fotos
Kendrick Lamar, GNX
Lady Gaga, Mayhem
Morgan Wallen, I’m the Problem
Sabrina Carpenter, Short n’ Sweet (WINNER)
The Weeknd, Hurry Up Tomorrow
Best Longform Video
Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead” (WINNER)
Bad Bunny – “Debí Tirar Más Fotos (Short Film)”
Damiano David, “Funny Little Stories”
Mac Miller, “Balloonerism”
Miley Cyrus, “Something Beautiful”
The Weeknd, “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
Best Group
aespa
All Time Low
Backstreet Boys
BLACKPINK (WINNER)
Coldplay
Evanescence
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Frontera
Imagine Dragons
Jonas Brothers
KATSEYE
My Chemical Romance
SEVENTEEN
Stray Kids
The Marías
twenty one pilots
Song of the Summer
Addison Rae, “Headphones On”
Alex Warren, “Ordinary”
Benson Boone, “Mystical Magical”
BigXthaPlug ft. Bailey Zimmerman, “All The Way”
Chappell Roan, “The Subway”
Demi Lovato, “Fast”
Doja Cat, “Jealous Type”
HUNTRIX: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI, “Golden”
Jessie Murph, “Blue Strips”
Justin Bieber, “Daisies”
MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea, “Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)”
Morgan Wallen ft. Tate McRae, “What I Want”
Ravyn Lenae ft. Rex Orange County, “Love Me Not”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
sombr, “12 to 12”
Tate McRae, “Just Keep Watching (From F1 The Movie)” (WINNER)
Video for Good
Burna Boy, “Higher”
Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” (WINNER)
Doechii, “Anxiety”
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll, “Somebody Save Me”
Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco – “Younger and Hotter Than Me”
Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan, “Sleepwalking”
Best Direction
Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead”
Charli xcx, “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra” (WINNER)
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
Best Art Direction
Charli xcx, “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra” (WINNER)
Lorde, “Man of the Year”
Miley Cyrus, “End of the World”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Best Cinematography
Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead”
Ed Sheeran, “Sapphire”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us” (WINNER)
Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra”
Miley Cyrus, “Easy Lover”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
Best Editing
Charli xcx, “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”
Ed Sheeran, “Sapphire”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
Tate McRae, “Just Keep Watching (From F1: The Movie)” (WINNER)
Best Choreography
Doechii, “Anxiety” (WINNER)
FKA Twigs, “Eusexua”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra”
Tyla – “Push 2 Start”
Zara Larsson, “Pretty Ugly”
Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead”
Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild” (WINNER)
Tate McRae, “Just Keep Watching (From F1: The Movie)“
The Weeknd, “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
