Lead
On 8 September 2025 at Long Island’s UBS Arena, the MTV Video Music Awards staged a subdued three-hour ceremony that largely honoured women in pop and legacy artists. Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each left with two trophies, while Mariah Carey received the Video Vanguard lifetime achievement award. The telecast handed out just seven awards on-air, and several headline performers were absent from the venue. The evening balanced new-global acts and tributes with a noticeably low-key presentation.
Key Takeaways
- Lady Gaga was the night’s most-nominated artist (12 nods) and won Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration for “Die With A Smile” (with Bruno Mars).
- Ariana Grande won Video of the Year for “Brighter Days Ahead” and Best Pop Video, accepting the top prize alongside director Christian Breslauer.
- Sabrina Carpenter won Album of the Year for Short n’ Sweet and Best Pop Artist, marking two major wins on the night.
- Rosé and Bruno Mars’s collaboration “Apt” was named Song of the Year; Bruno Mars is credited on two winning collaborations.
- The live broadcast awarded only seven prizes and ran about three hours, a shorter and more restrained show than some recent VMAs.
- Lifetime and legacy honours included Mariah Carey (Video Vanguard), Ricky Martin (inaugural Latin Icon) and Busta Rhymes (Rock the Bells Visionary Award).
- The ceremony highlighted globalized pop: Katseye won Push Performance of the Year and acts such as J Balvin and DJ Snake, and Post Malone with Jelly Roll underscored genre crossovers.
Background
The MTV Video Music Awards have long mixed live spectacle with industry recognition, historically producing viral cultural moments. Over recent years the show shifted toward honoring career achievements and established stars as broadcast audiences and music-release cycles evolved. In 2025 the ceremony added new lifetime honours — a Latin Icon award and continued its Video Vanguard tradition — reflecting both commercial globalization and MTV’s attempt to celebrate cross-generational influence.
Music industry dynamics also shaped this edition: streaming-driven hit cycles, global collaborations and hybrid genre releases mean traditional awards shows must choose between a flood of candidates and a concise broadcast. Artists frequently split appearances across tour dates and pre-recorded segments, which contributed to several high-profile absences at UBS Arena. Simultaneously, conversations about representation, trans rights and legacy preservation framed the program’s performance choices and staging.
Main Event
The ceremony opened and proceeded with fewer on-stage award presentations than typical telecasts, delivering seven awards during the live broadcast. Lady Gaga won Artist of the Year early in the night, dedicating the honour to fans and her partner before departing to perform on tour at Madison Square Garden. Gaga also shared Best Collaboration with Bruno Mars for their duet “Die With A Smile.”
Ariana Grande was a central winner: she accepted Best Pop Video and the night’s top prize, Video of the Year, for “Brighter Days Ahead,” discussing themes of healing and self-care in brief remarks and crediting director Christian Breslauer. Sabrina Carpenter secured Album of the Year for Short n’ Sweet and Best Pop Artist, and staged a retro-themed set that included a statement element supporting trans rights.
Other winners and moments emphasized international and genre-blending trends. Rosé accepted Song of the Year for “Apt,” her collaboration with Bruno Mars, and described the recognition as validation for younger artists. Katseye — a multinational girl group — won Push Performance of the Year, and Post Malone with Jelly Roll performed from Munich, illustrating the show’s remote and tour-linked elements.
Legacy tributes featured heavily: Ricky Martin performed a medley after being named the inaugural Latin Icon honoree, Yungblud and Aerosmith members paid tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, and Busta Rhymes received a Rock the Bells Visionary Award, performing a medley with guest artists and offering a short acceptance.
Analysis & Implications
The 2025 VMAs’ compact broadcast and focus on legacy honours signal MTV’s strategic prioritization of career recognition over a proliferation of live awards. By presenting only seven prizes during the telecast, producers concentrated spotlight moments but limited airtime for emerging acts — a trade-off that reduces the chance for breakout televised moments. That approach reflects broader TV constraints and a desire to craft a tighter narrative within a three-hour window.
The night’s emphasis on women in pop and cross-border acts underscores ongoing industry shifts: major pop recognition increasingly rewards collaborative, multinational projects. Winners like Rosé and Katseye illustrate how K-pop-adjacent and multinational groups now compete for mainstream English-language awards, altering promotional pathways and label strategies for global rollout.
Commercial touring schedules continue to affect awards participation. Gaga leaving to play Madison Square Garden and other artists appearing remotely points to the logistical friction between global tours and awards-night attendance. Networks and producers may rely more on pre-taped segments or select fewer live presentations to accommodate artists’ touring commitments.
Finally, adding new lifetime categories such as Latin Icon reveals an attempt to broaden historic frameworks for influence and recognition. The change may prompt future debates about criteria and comparability across awards, but it also reflects a market reality: audiences and industry stakeholders expect formal acknowledgement of long-running, cross-cultural careers.
Comparison & Data
| Award | Winner(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Artist of the Year | Lady Gaga | Gaga led the night with 12 nominations |
| Video of the Year | Ariana Grande — “Brighter Days Ahead” | Accepted with director Christian Breslauer |
| Album of the Year | Sabrina Carpenter — Short n’ Sweet | Carpenter also won Best Pop Artist |
| Song of the Year | Rosé & Bruno Mars — “Apt” | Bruno Mars featured on two winning collaborations |
The table captures the primary televised awards and notable context: Gaga’s 12 nominations, Grande’s two major video awards, and Carpenter’s dual wins. Limiting the telecast to seven awards concentrates the most marketable categories but masks the fuller list of winners typically announced off-air or earlier in the day.
Reactions & Quotes
Producers and artists framed the night as a celebration of craft rather than spectacle. Before the ceremony, MTV positioned the show as a mix of legacy tributes and contemporary pop recognition.
“This is a really big moment for 16-year-old me and anyone else who has dreamed about being accepted equally for their hard work.”
Rosé
Rosé’s acceptance speech for Song of the Year stressed personal validation and emotional significance; she spoke at length about inclusion and representation as part of her remarks. Another short exchange captured the tone surrounding Carey’s lifetime honour.
“I can’t believe I’m getting my first VMA tonight.”
Mariah Carey
Carey presented a medley and joked about the timing of the honour, framing the award as recognition of a visual and performative legacy. Industry observers noted that lifetime awards often serve both as celebration and as a ratings-friendly headline.
Unconfirmed
- Reports that additional major nominees declined to attend for scheduling reasons remain partially unverified; some artists were on tour but full reasons were not publicly detailed.
- Speculation that the reduced number of televised awards was driven solely by budget cuts is not confirmed by MTV or producers.
- Rough estimates of viewership for the 2025 telecast have circulated but official audience figures had not been released at the time of publication.
Bottom Line
The 2025 VMAs presented a concentrated, legacy-aware show that rewarded several high-profile women in pop and acknowledged long careers with new and established lifetime honours. By televising only seven awards and leaning into tributes, MTV traded potential viral unpredictability for a tighter narrative and clearer headline moments.
For the industry, the event reinforced two trends: the centrality of global, collaborative projects in mainstream recognition and the logistical reality that touring artists may be physically absent from televised ceremonies. Expect future awards strategies to balance fewer on-air categories with expanded online coverage to give broader winner lists visibility.
Readers tracking the awards season should watch how MTV and other ceremonies adapt format, category scope and streaming integration as touring schedules and global release strategies continue to reshape participation and viewership.