MTV VMAs Recap: VMAs 2025 Top Moments
Updated on
Published on
There are nights when pop culture feels like a stadium chorus. Last night was one of them. From the opening cue, the VMAs moved like a tour show on a mission, tight cuts and big hooks stacked back to back until the crowd looked less like an audience and more like a choir. Ariana Grande closed with the kind of Video of the Year win that crowns an era. Lady Gaga collected Artist of the Year and still found time to deliver a performance sequence that felt cinematic. Rosé’s Song of the Year moment with Bruno Mars brought the room to attention, then softened it with a thank-you to the version of herself who first dared to try. (ABC News)
These are the key moments of the VMAs 2025 that everyone should be in the know about, one of music’s biggest nights played out in an iconic fashion that you don’t want to miss!
At a glance
- Video of the Year went to Ariana Grande for “Brighter Days Ahead.” (ABC News)
- Lady Gaga won Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration with Bruno Mars for “Die With A Smile.” (ABC News)
- ROSÉ with Bruno Mars took Song of the Year for “APT.” and delivered a heartfelt speech. (ABC News)
- Alex Warren earned Best New Artist and turned the win into a true arrival. (ABC News)
- Mariah Carey received the Video Vanguard honor and performed a career-spanning medley. (ABC News)
- Lifetime spotlights also went to Busta Rhymes as Rock the Bells Visionary and Ricky Martin as Latin Icon. (ABC News)
- New lanes landed. Megan Moroney won the first Best Country, and Sabrina Carpenter took Best Pop Artist. (ABC News)
- First year the VMAs aired on CBS, with Paramount Plus streaming from UBS Arena. (Paramount)
Winners and records
The envelopes told a clean story. Grande finished the night on top with Video of the Year for “Brighter Days Ahead,” while Gaga’s Artist of the Year cemented a year where the work matched the myth. Rosé and Bruno Mars made Song of the Year feel global and personal at the same time, and Alex Warren walked out with a moon person that changes how you say his name in rooms (ABC News).
Major trophies
- Ariana Grande won Video of the Year and earlier added Best Pop.
- Lady Gaga took Artist of the Year and shared Best Collaboration with Bruno Mars for “Die With A Smile.”
- ROSÉ with Bruno Mars won Song of the Year for “APT.”, punctuated by a standout speech.
- Alex Warren earned Best New Artist, a true breakout.
Honors that landed
- Mariah Carey received the Video Vanguard Award and performed a medley that reminded everyone what a decade-defining run sounds like.
- Busta Rhymes was celebrated as the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary, then answered with a medley that shook the room.
- Ricky Martin accepted the first Latin Icon Award and turned the stage into a victory lap.
Performances you will replay
The show moved with purpose. Big choruses, crisp cameras, and just enough raw edges to feel live.
Standouts
- Tate McRae lit the fuse with a Medusa-coded medley—sliding from “Revolving Door” into “Sports Car” on a black-sand stage, razor-sharp choreography, and that all-white two-piece that read like a tour closer dropped into live TV.
- Lady Gaga delivered a tour-shot two-song run that looked and sounded massive, then reappeared to collect hardware.
- Sabrina Carpenter leaned into theatre and precision, staging a number that plays like a mini musical.
- Doja Cat set the pace early with a 90s-flavoured opener that flipped the pit from warm-up to ignition.
- Ozzy Osbourne tribute gave the night grit, with Yungblud, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Nuno Bettencourt trading licks and spotlights.
- Ricky Martin matched his Icon moment with a high-energy medley that turned the arena into a dance floor.
Why it worked
The set list felt like a festival day in fast-forward, no dead air, speeches that stayed human, and cuts that landed on beats instead of breaking them.
New categories and firsts
The VMAs finally carved out lanes that fans already treat like pillars, which made the night feel contemporary without feeling forced.
Debuts that landed
- Best Country arrived and Megan Moroney took the inaugural win for “Am I Okay.”
- Best Pop Artist went to Sabrina Carpenter, a title that fits her year.
What it signals
- Country now has a visible spotlight on music television’s most social stage.
- Pop’s crowded field gets a dedicated artist trophy that clarifies the scoreboard for video-first stars.
Red carpet and in-room moments
The carpet played like a runway, then the cutaways kept feeding the timeline.
Flash points
- Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande arrived in high-gloss looks that set the tone before the first cue.
- Rosé thanked her younger self onstage and somehow made a packed arena feel intimate.
- Tate McRae arrived in a stunning white see-through gown that was a showstopper on the red carpet.
What this sets up for fall
The winners list points to a busy quarter. Expect arena extensions, deluxe editions, and more cross-genre pairings. Grande leaves with the big one and runway to spare. Gaga’s campaign keeps city-to-city pull. Rosé’s crossover moment is going to echo across playlists and radio adds through October. The night felt less like a closer and more like a soundcheck for everything coming next (EW.com).
MTV VMAs Guarantees Iconicness Every Year
The VMAs 2025 had that unforgettable feeling for everyone who watched it. If the show wanted to prove it can still command a Sunday night, it did exactly that. The broadcast widened its lens without losing the unfiltered, slightly wild energy that makes the VMAs fun. It felt like a celebration of the music we are living with right now and an invitation to follow these artists into the next chapter. Keep your ears open. The fall just got interesting (CBS).
Sources
- ABC News. Full 2025 winners list and category breakouts. ABC News
- Vulture. Rosé’s Song of the Year speech and complete winners coverage. Vulture+1
- People. Mariah Carey’s Video Vanguard medley and Ozzy Osbourne tribute performers. People
- Entertainment Weekly. Complete winners list with new category callouts. EW.com
- CBS and Paramount Plus. First-year broadcast details and episode listing. CBS
.webp)
