The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) took place on Sunday, September 7, at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, marking a historic moment for the long-running show. For the first time ever, the VMAs were aired on CBS, alongside a live stream on Paramount+ Premium and a simulcast on MTV, expanding its reach to millions of viewers worldwide.
Hosted by LL Cool J, the 2025 VMAs saw Lady Gaga not only enter the night with the most nominations (12) but also leave with the most wins (4). The pop icon claimed Artist of the Year and two professional categories: Best Direction and Best Art Direction for “Abracadabra.” Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter followed closely with three wins each.
Notably, BLACKPINK were crowned Best Group, while two members also earned solo victories. ROSÉ won the prestigious Song of the Year with “APT.,” while LISA took home Best K-Pop, becoming the first K-pop soloist to collect three VMAs.
Alongside the competitive categories, the VMAs honored three legendary artists with special awards. Mariah Carey received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for her decades of groundbreaking visuals. Busta Rhymes was honored with the Rock the Bells Visionary Award, celebrating his influence on hip-hop and music videos. Ricky Martin was presented with the Latin Icon Award for his trailblazing contributions to Latin music worldwide.
See the full list of winners for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
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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 *WINNER*
Charli XCX
Justin Bieber
Lorde
Miley Cyrus
Sabrina Carpenter
Tate McRae
MTV PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (August 2024)
Ayra Starr – “Last Heartbreak Song” (September 2024)
Mark Ambor – “Belong Together” (October 2024)
Lay Bankz – “Graveyard” (November 2024)
Dasha – “Bye Bye Bye” (December 2024)
Katseye – “Touch” (January 2025) *WINNER*
Jordan Adetunji – “Kehlani” (February 2025)
Leon Thomas – “Yes It Is” (March 2025)
Livingston – “Shadow” (April 2025)
Damiano David – “Next Summer” (May 2025)
Gigi Perez – “Sailor Song” (June 2025)
Role Model – “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” (July 2025)
BEST COLLABORATION
Bailey Zimmerman & 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 – “N o C h i l l”
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”
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 & 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 LONG FORM 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”
VIDEO FOR GOOD
Burna Boy – “Higher”
Charli XCX – “Guess” ft. 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” ft. Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” *WINNER*
Rosé & Bruno Mars – “Apt.”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
BEST ART DIRECTION
Charli XCX – “Guess” ft. 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” ft. 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” (F1 The Movie)
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
“Headphones On” – Addison Rae
“Ordinary” – Alex Warren
“Mystical Magical” – Benson Boone
“All the Way” – BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman
“The Subway” – Chappell Roan
“Fast” – Demi Lovato
“Jealous Type” – Doja Cat
“Golden” – HUNTR/X
“Blue Strips” – Jessie Murph
“Daisies” – Justin Bieber
“Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)” – MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea
“What I Want” – Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae
“Love Me Not” – Ravyn Lenae
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
“12 to 12” – sombr
“Just Keep Watching” – Tate McRae *WINNER*
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