And just like that, the 2025 MTV VMAs have come and gone, leaving behind a trail of chaotic fun, from red carpet fashion and beauty to showstopping performances and award speeches. But, with all the buzz, you might be left wondering who actually won at VMAs 2025? (And did your fave get snubbed?)
Now in its 41st year, the VMAs celebrated the buzziest stars in music at the Sept. 7, 2025, award ceremony, held in New York City and hosted by the legendary LL Cool J. This year's performers were pretty star-studded and included Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Alex Warren, sombr, and more.
"I love this podcast. This podcast got me a boyfriend.”
Aside from the stars performing, the 2025 VMAs presenters featured everyone from Ashlee Simpson Ross, Brittany Snow, and Ciara to KPop Demon Hunters’ EJAE, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna (the singing voices of Huntr/x), Ice Spice, Jessica Simpson, Latto, Megan Stalter, and more. Meanwhile, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Yungblud, and Nuno Bettencourt gathered to pay tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne.
As for VMAs nominees who eventually became winners, the competition was steep. The most significant award of the night, Video of the Year, was in fierce competition between Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Rosé, Sabrina Carpenter, and The Weeknd. Grande ultimately ended up taking home the award for her 26-minute short film “brighter days ahead," which was directed by herself and frequent collaborator Christian Breslauer featuring the music of eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead.
It was also a big night for first times. BLACKPINK member Rosé, who was nominated for the first time as a soloist, made history as the first K-pop artist to ever win Song of the Year, one of the night's biggest categories, with her viral hit “APT.” alongside Bruno Mars. First-time nominees KATSEYE also took home their first Moon Person, as did Alex Warren, bagging the coveted Best New Artist nod.
If you don't want to miss a single category, check out the complete updated list with all of the VMAs 2025 winners below.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR, presented by Burger King®
WINNER: Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead”
- 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
WINNER: Lady Gaga
- Bad Bunny
- Beyoncé
- Kendrick Lamar
- Morgan Wallen
- Taylor Swift
- The Weeknd
SONG OF THE YEAR
WINNER: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
- 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”
- Tate McRae – “Sports Car”
- The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless”
BEST NEW ARTIST
WINNER: Alex Warren
- Ella Langley
- Gigi Perez
- Lola Young
- sombr
- The Marías
BEST POP ARTIST (New Category)
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter
- Ariana Grande
- Charli XCX
- Justin Bieber
- Lorde
- Miley Cyrus
- Tate McRae
MTV PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR, presented by BACARDÍ® Rum
WINNER: KATSEYE – “Touch” (January 2025)
- 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)
- 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)
We're all crazy in love.
BEST COLLABORATION, presented by Under Armour
WINNER: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile”
- Bailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs – “Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video)”
- Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “luther”
- Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton – “Pour Me A Drink”
- ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
- Selena Gomez, benny blanco – “Sunset Blvd”
BEST POP
WINNER: Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead”
- Alex Warren – “Ordinary”
- Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire”
- Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile”
- ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
BEST HIP–HOP
WINNER: Doechii – “Anxiety”
- 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
WINNER: Mariah Carey – “Type Dangerous”
- Chris Brown – “Residuals”
- Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – “MUTT (REMIX)”
- PARTYNEXTDOOR – “N o C h i l l”
- Summer Walker – “Heart of a Woman”
- SZA – “Drive”
- The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless”
BEST ALTERNATIVE
WINNER: sombr – “back to friends”
- Gigi Perez – “Sailor Song”
- Imagine Dragons – “Wake Up”
- Lola Young – “Messy”
- mgk & Jelly Roll – “Lonely Road”
- The Marías – “Back To Me”
BEST ROCK
WINNER: Coldplay – “All My Love”
- Evanescence – “Afterlife (From the Netflix Series 'Devil May Cry')”
- Green Day – “One Eyed Bastard”
- Lenny Kravitz – “Honey”
- Linkin Park – “The Emptiness Machine”
- twenty one pilots – “The Contract”
BEST LATIN
WINNER: Shakira – “Soltera”
- Bad Bunny – “Baile Inolvidable”
- J Balvin – “Rio”
- Karol G – “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
- Peso Pluma – “La Patrulla”
- Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – “Khé?”
BEST K–POP
WINNER: Lisa ft. Doja Cat & Raye – “Born Again”
- aespa – “Whiplash”
- Jennie – “Like Jennie”
- Jimin – “Who”
- Jisoo – “Earthquake”
- Stray Kids – “Chk Chk Boom”
- Rosé – “Toxic Till the End”
Thank U, Next… in line for Eternal Sunshine tickets 💅
BEST AFROBEATS
WINNER: Tyla – “Push 2 Start”
- 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”
- Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz – “Piece of My Heart”
BEST COUNTRY (New Category)
WINNER: Megan Moroney – “Am I Okay?”
- Chris Stapleton – “Think I'm in Love With You”
- Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood – “I’m Gonna Love You”
- Jelly Roll – “Liar”
- Lainey Wilson – “4x4xU”
- Morgan Wallen – “Smile”
BEST ALBUM
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter – Short n' Sweet
- Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos
- Kendrick Lamar – GNX
- Lady Gaga – Mayhem
- Morgan Wallen – I'm the Problem
- The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow
BEST LONG FORM VIDEO
WINNER: Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”
- 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
WINNER: Charli XCX – “Guess” (featuring Billie Eilish)
- Burna Boy – “Higher”
- 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
WINNER: Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
- Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”
- Charli XCX – “Guess” (featuring Billie Eilish)
- Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
- ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
BEST ART DIRECTION
WINNER: Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
- Charli XCX – “Guess” (featuring Billie Eilish)
- Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
- Lorde – “Man of the Year”
- Miley Cyrus – “End of the World”
- ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
- Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”
- Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire”
- Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
- Miley Cyrus – “Easy Lover”
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
BEST EDITING
WINNER: Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching” (From F1® The Movie)
- Charli XCX – “Guess” (featuring Billie Eilish)
- Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire”
- Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
- Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
WINNER: Doechii – “Anxiety”
- FKA twigs – “Eusexua”
- Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
- Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
- Tyla – “Push 2 Start”
- Zara Larsson – “Pretty Ugly”
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
- Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”
- Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
- ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
- Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching” (From F1® The Movie)
- The Weeknd – “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
SONG OF SUMMER
WINNER: Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching”
- Addison Rae – “Headphones On”
- Alex Warren – “Ordinary”
- Benson Boone – “Mystical Magical”
- BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman – “All the Way”
- Chappell Roan – “The Subway”
- Demi Lovato – "Fast”
- Doja Cat – “Jealous Type”
- HUNTR/X – “Golden”
- Jessie Murph – “Blue Strips”
- Justin Bieber – “Daisies”
- MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – “Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)”
- Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae – “What I Want”
- Ravyn Lenae – “Love Me Not”
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
- Sombr – “12 to 12”
BEST GROUP
WINNER: BLACKPINK
- aespa
- KATSEYE
- SEVENTEEN
- Stray Kids
- All Time Low
- Backstreet Boys
- Coldplay
- Evanescence
- Fuerza Regida
- Grupo Frontera
- Imagine Dragons
- Jonas Brothers
- My Chemical Romance
- The Marías
- twenty one pilots
This article originally appeared on Teen Vogue.
