The MTV Video Music Awards kicked off Sunday with Lady Gaga winning artist of the year, setting up the night’s leading nominee for a big night. The star, who is also set to perform on the show and ended her acceptance speech by saying she had to leave the UBS Arena where the VMAs are being held to get to Madison Square Garden.
“Being an artist is an attempt to connect the souls of people all over the world,” she said. “Being an artist is a discipline and craft into reaching someone’s heart where it grows its roots, reminding them to dream. Being an artist is a responsibility to smile, dance, cry.”
She dedicated the award to her fans and paid homage to her partner, Michael Polansky. “Creating with you has been a beautiful thing,” she said.
K-Pop star Rosé from the band BLACKPINK, added a page to the history books, as she became the first Korean Pop star to clinch the Moon Man for 'APT' that won Song of the Year. The star looked shocked to win the award, but came prepared with a speech. “I’ve prepared something because I didn’t want to mess this up and I feel like this is a really big moment for myself and a lot of other people,” she began before thanking Mars for his friendship and world-building.
Rosé also thanked the members of BLACKPINK in both English and Korean, as well as her family, and many members of her team. She added, “As my therapist tells me to do every day, I’d like to thank myself for not giving up, even in the toughest of times.
Always remember you’ve got you.”
The VMAs, hosted by LL Cool J, kicked off with a freewheeling spirit. During Cool J’s opening monologue, a video of Doja Cat mimicking ’80s MTV personality Max Headroom interrupted him. Her message transitioned seamlessly into a performance that kicked off with a solo by Kenny G.
Check out the complete winners' list:
Video of the YearAriana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile” – Interscope Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless” – XO/Republic Records
Artist Of The YearBad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
Kendrick Lamar – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – Interscope Records (WINNER)Morgan Wallen – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
The Weeknd – XO/Republic Records
Song Of The YearAlex Warren – “Ordinary” – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Doechii – “Anxiety” – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records
Gracie Abrams – “I Love You, I’m Sorry” – Interscope Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile” – Interscope Records
Lorde – “What Was That” – Republic Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records (WINNER)Tate McRae – “Sports Car” – RCA Records
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless” – XO/Republic Records
Best New ArtistAlex Warren – Atlantic Records (WINNER)Ella Langley – SAWGOD/Columbia Records
Gigi Perez – Island
Lola Young – Island
sombr – SMB Music/Warner Records
The Marías – Nice Life/Atlantic Records
Best Pop ArtistAriana Grande – Republic Records
Charli xcx – Atlantic Records
Justin Bieber – Def Jam Recordings
Lorde – Republic Records
Miley Cyrus – Columbia Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
Tate McRae – RCA Records
MTV Push Performance Of The YearAug. 2024 – Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
Sept. 2024 – Ayra Starr – “Last Heartbreak Song” – Mavin Records/Republic Records
Oct. 2024 – Mark Ambor – “Belong Together” – Hundred Days Records/Virgin Music
Nov. 2024 – Lay Bankz – “Graveyard” – Artist Partner Group Inc.
Dec. 2024 – Dasha – “Bye Bye Bye” – Warner Records
Jan. 2025 – KATSEYE – “Touch” – HYBE/Geffen Records (WINNER)Feb. 2025 – Jordan Adetunji – “KEHLANI” – 300 Entertainment
March 2025 – Leon Thomas – “YES IT IS” – EZMNY Records/Motown Records
April 2025 – Livingston – “Shadow” – Republic Records
May 2025 – Damiano David – “Next Summer” – Sony Italy/Arista Records
June 2025 – Gigi Perez – “Sailor Song” – Island
July 2025 – ROLE MODEL – “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” – Interscope Records
Best CollaborationBailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs – “Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video)” – AtlanticRecords/Warner Music Nashville
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “luther” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile” – Interscope Records
Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton – “Pour Me a Drink” – Mercury Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Selena Gomez, benny blanco – “Sunset Blvd” – SMG Music/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records
Best PopAlex Warren – “Ordinary” – Atlantic Records
Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Record
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile” – Interscope Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
Best Hip HopDoechii – “Anxiety” – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records
Drake – “NOKIA” – OVO/Santa Anna/Republic
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – “Somebody Save Me” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records
GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red – “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – CMG/Interscope Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
LL COOL J ft. Eminem – “Murdergram Deux” – Def Jam Recordings
Travis Scott – “4X4” – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
Best R&BChris Brown – “Residuals” – Chris Brown Entertainment/RCA Records
Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – “MUTT (REMIX)” – EZMNY Records/Motown Records
Mariah Carey – “Type Dangerous” – gamma. (WINNER)PARTYNEXTDOOR – “N o C h i l l” – OVO Sound
Summer Walker – “Heart of a Woman” – LVRN/Interscope Records
SZA – “Drive” – Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless” – XO/Republic Records
Best AlternativeGigi Perez – “Sailor Song” – Island
Imagine Dragons – “Wake Up” – KIDinaKorner/Interscope Records
Lola Young – “Messy” – Island
mgk & Jelly Roll – “Lonely Road” – EST 19XX/Interscope Records
sombr – “back to friends” – SMB Music/Warner Records (WINNER)The Marías – “Back to Me” – Nice Life/Atlantic Records
Best RockColdplay – “ALL MY LOVE” – Atlantic Records
Evanescence – “Afterlife (From the Netflix Series ‘Devil May Cry’)” – Netflix Music
Green Day – “One Eyed Bastard” – Reprise Records/Warner Records
Lenny Kravitz – “Honey” – Roxie Records Inc. under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management GmbH
Linkin Park – “The Emptiness Machine” – Warner Records
Twenty One Pilots – “The Contract” – Fueled By Ramen
Best LatinBad Bunny – “Baile Inolvidable” – Rimas Entertainment
J Balvin – “Rio” – Capitol Records
KAROL G – “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
Peso Pluma – “LA PATRULLA” – Double P Records
Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – “Khé?” – Sony Music US Latin
Shakira – “Soltera” – Sony Music US Latin
Best K-Popaespa – “Whiplash” – SM Entertainment/Virgin Music Group
JENNIE – “like JENNIE” – OA Entertainment/Columbia Records
Jimin – “Who” – BIGHIT MUSIC
JISOO – “earthquake” – Warner Records
LISA ft. Doja Cat & RAYE – “Born Again” – Lloud Co./RCA Records
Stray Kids – “Chk Chk Boom” – JYP/IMPERIAL/Republic
ROSÉ – “toxic till the end” – Atlantic Records
Best AfrobeatsAsake & Travis Scott – “Active” – YBNL Nation/EMPIRE
Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott – “TaTaTa” – Spaceship/Bad Habit/Atlantic Records
MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – “Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)” – gamma.
Rema – “Baby (Is It a Crime)” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / Interscope Records
Tems ft. Asake – “Get It Right” – RCA Records/Since ’93
Tyla – “PUSH 2 START” – FAX Records/Epic Records
Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz – “Piece of My Heart” – Starboy/RCA Records
Best CountryChris Stapleton – “Think I’m in Love with You” – Mercury Nashville
Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood – “I’m Gonna Love You” – CoJo Music / Warner Music Nashville
Jelly Roll – “Liar” – BBR Music Group/BMG/Republic Records
Lainey Wilson – “4x4xU” – Broken Bow Records
Megan Moroney – “Am I Okay?” – Columbia Records
Morgan Wallen – “Smile” – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
Best AlbumBad Bunny -DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – Rimas Entertainment
Kendrick Lamar -GNX – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga -Mayhem – Interscope Records
Morgan Wallen -I’m the Problem – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
Sabrina Carpenter -Short n’ Sweet – Island
The Weeknd -Hurry Up Tomorrow – XO/Republic Records
Best Long Form VideoAriana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Bad Bunny – “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (Short Film)” – Rimas Entertainment
Damiano David – “FUNNY little STORIES” – Sony Italy/Arista Records
Mac Miller – “Balloonerism” – Warner Records
Miley Cyrus – “Something Beautiful” – Columbia Records
The Weeknd – “Hurry Up Tomorrow” – XO/Republic Records
Video For GoodBurna Boy – “Higher” – Spaceship/Bad Habit/Atlantic Records
Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” – Atlantic Records
Doechii – “Anxiety” – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – “Somebody Save Me” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records
Selena Gomez, benny blanco – “Younger and Hotter Than Me” – SMG Music/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records
Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan – “Sleepwalking” – Arista Records
Best DirectionAriana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” – Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
Best Art DirectionCharli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” – Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
Lorde – “Man of the Year” – Republic Records
Miley Cyrus – “End of the World” – Columbia Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Best CinematographyAriana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
Miley Cyrus – “Easy Lover” – Columbia Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
Best EditingCharli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” – Atlantic Records
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching (from ‘F1® The Movie’)” – Atlantic Records
Best ChoreographyDoechii – “Anxiety” – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records
FKA twigs – “Eusexua” – Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
Tyla – “PUSH 2 START” – FAX Records/Epic Records
Zara Larsson – “Pretty Ugly” – Epic Records
Best Visual EffectsAriana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra” – Interscope Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching (from ‘F1® The Movie’)” – Atlantic Records
The Weeknd – “Hurry Up Tomorrow” – XO/Republic Records
Song Of The SummerAddison Rae* – “Headphones On” – Columbia Records
Alex Warren – “Ordinary” – Atlantic Records
Benson Boone – “Mystical Magical” – Night Street Records/Warner Record
BigXthaPlug** ft. Bailey Zimmerman – “All the Way” – UnitedMasters
Chappell Roan – “The Subway” – Island
Demi Lovato – “Fast” – Island
Doja Cat – “Jealous Type” – Kemosabe/RCA Records
HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI** – “Golden” – Republic Records/Visva Records
Jessie Murph – “Blue Strips” – Columbia Records
Justin Bieber – “Daisies” – Def Jam Recordings
MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – “Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)” – gamma.
Morgan Wallen ft. Tate McRae – “What I Want” – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
Ravyn Lenae ft. Rex Orange County – “Love Me Not” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
sombr – “12 to 12” – SMB Music/Warner Records
Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching (From F1® The Movie)” – Atlantic Records (WINNER)Best Groupaespa
All Time Low
Backstreet Boys
BLACKPINK
Coldplay
Evanescence
Fuerza Regida**
Grupo Frontera
Imagine Dragons
Jonas Brothers
KATSEYE
My Chemical Romance
SEVENTEEN
Stray Kids
The Marías
twenty one pilots
Lady Gaga topped the 2025 the award nominations with 12, ending Taylor Swift’s two-year run in the top spot. But it's the “The Tortured Poets Department" singer and the “Cowboy Carter” star who may make headlines with Swift and Beyoncé locked in a high-stakes duel to become the most awarded artist in VMAs history. Currently, both powerhouses are tied at 30 for the title of most career total VMAs. They were only nominated in the artist of the year category.
The VMAs, which began at 8 p.m. Eastern and are being held at the UBS Arena on New York’s Long Island and has by VMA veteran LL Cool J playing host.
The late Ozzy Osbourne will be celebrated in fitting fashion when some of rock's biggest names take the stage in his honour. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, British firebrand YUNGBLUD and Nuno Bettencourt will unite to deliver a medley of Osbourne’s greatest hits, a tribute that underscores his impact on generations of musicians.
Mariah Carey will receive the 2025 Video Vanguard Award. Previous recipients include Katy Perry, Shakira, Beyoncé and Madonna.
Busta Rhymes will receive the first ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award during the show, and Ricky Martin will be honored with the inaugural Latin Icon Award. Both will perform.