The 2025 VMAS took place on September 7th at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. LL Cool J took the stage as this year’s host for the second year; his first time being in 2022 with Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow as his co-hosts. The ceremony was also live streamed on CBS for the first time, in addition to MTV streaming via Paramount+.
This year’s VMAS consisted of many nominees, with Lady Gaga leading the way with a record spotlight of 12 nominations. This was followed by Kendrick Lamar with 10, and many more artists such as ROSÉ, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande, and Bad Bunny. Some other high profile artists that were also nominated included: Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, and BLACKPINK.
As the winners were announced, several big names took home the moon person trophy. Lady Gaga, the night’s standout winner, secured the awards for Artist of the Year, Best Collaboration alongside Bruno Mars with their hit song “Die With a Smile”, Best Direction, and Best Art Direction.
ROSÉ and Bruno Mars won Song of the Year for their hit single, “APT.” This was a huge win for ROSÉ, as she is the first K-Pop artist to win a VMA. KATSEYE’s song “Touch” was another big win in the girl group world, for which they took home the title of “Best Push Performance.”
Sabrina Carpenter also made headlines, taking the title of “Best Pop Artist,” Best Visual Effects for her song “Manchild,” and Best Album for “Short n’ Sweet.” Alex Warren was crowned “Best New Artist” while genre and technical awards were distributed between Coldplay for “Best Rock,” Tyla for “Best Afrobeats,” and Shakira for “Best Latin.”
Performance-wise, the show featured a mix of live and pre-recorded acts. Doja Cat opened with a revamped version of “Jealous Type.” Lady Gaga appeared in a pre-recorded segment from Madison Square Garden, performing “Abracadabra” shifting into “The Dead Dance.” Mariah Carey who took home several wins, including the Video Vanguard Award and “Best R&B Video.” She also performed some of her top hits, such as “Fantasy,” “Heartbreaker,” and “Obsessed” alongside some of her newer tracks.
The show also included a tribute to Ozzy Osborne, with Joe Perry, Steven Tyler, and Yungblud singing some of Osborne’s hits. However, many debated on whether or not the tribute hit the emotional aspect.
This being said, reactions to the 2025 VMAs were mixed. While many people praised artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Tate Mccrae, Conan Gray, and KATESEYE for their energy, bold visuals, and strong vocals, others felt that performances from Doja Cat, Mariah Carey, and Lady Gaga lacked energy and were delivered with “the bare minimum.”
The 2025 Video Music Awards honored many big artists while still bringing attention to rising stars and their talent. Fans from all over the world tune in every year for these awards and they definitely do not disappoint. The VMAs have come a long way and still have a long way to go.
