The MTV Video Music Awards delivered a starry show, with Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande winning top honours, tributes to Mariah Carey and Ozzy Osbourne, and a performance by Sabrina Carpenter that will be remembered. Here’s everything you need to know.
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The 2025 MTV VMAs saw Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande walk away with the biggest awards.
Sunday night's ceremony took place at the UBS Arena in Long Island, and the nominations were led by Lady Gaga, with a whopping 12 to her name, followed by Bruno Mars (11) and Kendrick Lamar (10).
Lady Gaga clinched the award for Artist Of The Year before rushing off to Madison Square Garden for a concert, while Rosé and Bruno Mars won Song Of The Year for ‘Apt.’
The coveted Video of the Year award ultimately went to Ariana Grande for ‘Brighter Days Ahead’. She thanked her “therapists and gay people” during her acceptance speech.
Scroll down for the full list of winners.
Sabrina Carpenter also won several awards, including Best Pop Artist and Best Album for ‘Short N’ Sweet’.
Carpenter’s performance of the hit song ‘Tears’, from her latest album ‘Man’s Best Friend’, saw the singer appear from underneath a manhole cover to join a slew of drag and trans performers and other dancers onstage.
Throughout the performance, dancers held up signs that read “Protect Trans Rights”, “In Trans We Trust” and “If You Hate You’ll Never Get Laid” - amongst others.
During her acceptance speech for Best Album, she reiterated her support for the queer community, thanking her “queens on stage”.
“This world, as we all know, can be so full of criticism and discrimination and negativity,” she said. “So to get to be part of something that can bring light, make you smile, make you dance, and make you feel like the world is your fu**ing oyster. I’m so grateful to do that.”
Busta Rhymes was honoured with the first ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award during the show, while Ricky Martin received the first-ever Latin Icon Award following an electric performance on the main stage.
There were also tributes paid to Mariah Carey’s career, as she accepted the Video Vanguard Award, and to the late Ozzy Osbourne.
The late Black Sabbath frontman, who died in July at the age of 76, was honoured by YUNGBLUD, Nuno Bettencourt, and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry.
Osbourne's son, Jack, shared a video message to viewers about the beloved musician: “I know for sure it would make him incredibly happy to see these great musicians carry on his legacy and help inspire the next generation of rockers.”
Check out the full list of winners:
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
- Ayra Starr – ‘Last Heartbreak Song’
- Damiano David – ‘Next Summer’
- Dasha – ‘Bye Bye Bye’
- Gigi Perez – ‘Sailor Song’
- Jordan Adetunji – ‘Kehlani’
- Katseye – ‘Touch’ (WINNER)
- Lay Bankz – ‘Graveyard’
- Leon Thomas – ‘Yes It Is’
- Livingston – ‘Shadow’
- Mark Ambor – ‘Belong Together’
- Role Model – ‘Sally, When the Wine Runs Out’
- Shaboozey – ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’
Best Collaboration
- Bailey Zimmerman & Luke Combs – ‘Backup Plan’
- 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 – ‘4×4’
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’
- 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’
- 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’ (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’
- 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’
- HUNTR/X: 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’ (WINNER)
Video Vanguard Award: Mariah Carey
MTV VMA Rock The Bells Visionary Award: Busty Rhymes
Latin Icon Award: Ricky Martin
