Lady Gaga, who led the night with 12 nominations, stole the show by taking home four trophies.
Top-tier performances, bold red-carpet looks, and acceptance speeches that had us tearing up—this year’s MTV VMAs truly had it all. From unforgettable collabs to history-making wins, the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards gave fans plenty to talk about.
Held at New York’s UBS Arena, the night was hosted by LL Cool J, bringing together the biggest names in music to celebrate the biggest hits and visuals. And of course, the iconic Moon Person trophies found their way into the hands of some of the industry’s brightest stars.
Leading the pack was Lady Gaga, who entered the night with 12 nominations. Already a VMA legend with 18 wins before this year, Gaga added four more to her shelf—including Artist of the Year, Best Art Direction, Best Direction, and Best Collaboration for Die with a Smile with Bruno Mars. In her speech, the 14-time Grammy winner reminded everyone of “the power of art to inspire and connect,” while also giving love to her fans and longtime partner, Michael Polansky.
Here’s the Complete List of Winners for the 2025 MTV VMAs
Not far behind Lady Gaga was Ariana Grande, who scooped up three Moon Persons. Her visual masterpiece Brighter Days Ahead won Video of the Year and Best Long-Form Video, while she also grabbed Best Pop. Sabrina Carpenter matched Ari’s wins with three trophies of her own: Pop Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Short n’ Sweet, and Best Visual Effects for her cheeky track Manchild.
BLACKPINK’s Rosé also had a big night thanks to her collab with Bruno Mars. Their hit APT. not only gave us an LSS moment all year but also won Song of the Year after peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. And Rosé wasn’t the only BLACKPINK member to shine. Lisa snagged Best K-Pop for her collab Born Again with Doja Cat and RAYE.
This year’s ceremony didn’t just recognize the artists who added flavors to our playlists but also the icons who have been long vibing and inspiring people through music. Mariah Carey was honored with the Video Vanguard Award and delivered a goosebump-worthy medley of her greatest hits. Ricky Martin made history as the first-ever recipient of the Latin Icon Award, bringing the crowd to their feet with a throwback performance of his classics. And hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes accepted the Rock the Bells Visionary Award, proving his stage presence is still unmatched.
From jaw-dropping performances to emotional speeches, the 2025 MTV VMAs were a reminder of why music matters. If you missed the broadcast on MTV, ABC, or the Paramount+ stream—don’t worry.
Here’s the full list of winners from music’s most unforgettable night.
- Video of the Year: Ariana Grande (Brighter Days Ahead)
- Artist of the Year: Lady Gaga
- Song of the Year: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars (APT.)
- Best New Artist: Alex Warren
- Best Pop Artist: Sabrina Carpenter
- MTV Push Performance of the Year: January 2025 – KATSEYE (Touch)
- Best Collaboration: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (Die with a Smile)
- Best Pop: Ariana Grande (Brighter Days Ahead)
- Best Hip-Hop: Doechii (Anxiety)
- Best R&B: Mariah Carey (Type Dangerous)
- Best Alternative: sombr (Back to Friends)
- Best Rock: Coldplay (All My Love)
- Best Latin: Shakira (Soltera)
- Best K-pop: LISA ft. Doja Cat & RAYE (Born Again)
- Best Afrobeats: Tyla (Push 2 Start)
- Best Country: Megan Moroney (Am I Okay?)
- Best Album: Sabrina Carpenter (Short n’ Sweet)
- Best Long-Form Video: Ariana Grande (Brighter Days Ahead)
- Video for Good: Charli xcx (Guess featuring Billie Eilish)
- Best Direction: Lady Gaga (Abracadabra)
- Best Art direction: Lady Gaga (Abracadabra)
- Best Cinematography: Kendrick Lamar (Not Like Us)
- Best Editing: Tate McRae [Just Keep Watching (From F1® The Movie)]
- Best Choreography: Doechii (Anxiety)
- Best Visual Effects: Sabrina Carpenter (Manchild)
- Song of the Summer: Tate McRae [Just Keep Watching (From F1® The Movie)]
- Best Group: BLACKPINK
