{"id":2379,"date":"2025-09-08T20:08:22","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T20:08:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/vmas-2025-mariah-gaga\/"},"modified":"2025-09-08T20:08:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T20:08:22","slug":"vmas-2025-mariah-gaga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/vmas-2025-mariah-gaga\/","title":{"rendered":"VMAs 2025: Mariah&#8217;s First Moon Person and Gaga&#8217;s Two\u2011Arena Triumph"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<h2>Lead<\/h2>\n<p>On Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, New York hosted the MTV Video Music Awards as the ceremony aired simultaneously on MTV and, for the first time in its 41\u2011year run, on CBS and Paramount+. The show honored both newcomers and veterans: Mariah Carey received her first Video Vanguard (a Moon Person) and Lady Gaga collected Artist of the Year while balancing two live events. Performances, tributes and new category additions punctuated a night intended to broaden the VMAs&#8217; reach. Multiple awards and high\u2011profile moments \u2014 from Ricky Martin&#8217;s Latin Icon honor to a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne \u2014 gave the broadcast a mix of nostalgia and contemporary spectacle.<\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Broadcast milestone: The VMAs aired live on MTV and CBS\/Paramount+ for the first time in the show&#8217;s 41\u2011year history, a strategic move to expand viewership beyond cable.<\/li>\n<li>Mariah Carey earned her first Moon Person when she accepted the Video Vanguard Award after a 20\u2011year absence from the VMA stage; her song &#8220;Type Dangerous&#8221; won Best R&#038;B during the pre\u2011show.<\/li>\n<li>Lady Gaga led nominees with 12 nods, won four awards this night \u2014 boosting her career total to 22 VMA wins \u2014 and accepted Artist of the Year before departing to perform at Madison Square Garden.<\/li>\n<li>Busta Rhymes received the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award after 16 previous nominations, with LL Cool J presenting the honor.<\/li>\n<li>Sabrina Carpenter staged a politically charged performance featuring RuPaul&#8217;s Drag Race queens, won Best Album (Short n&#8217; Sweet) and Best Pop Artist, and took Best Visual Effects for &#8220;Manchild.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Ricky Martin was presented with the first\u2011ever Latin Icon Award, and artists including Yungblud, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry performed a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, who died in July at age 76.<\/li>\n<li>New categories were added \u2014 Best Pop Artist and Best Country \u2014 aimed at spotlighting rising acts while the show continued to recognize established stars.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>The VMAs have long been a cultural barometer for pop and youth music trends; created by MTV, the awards have traditionally broadcast on the cable channel that launched them. This year\u2019s simulcast on CBS and Paramount+ marks an explicit attempt to reach a broader and older primetime audience while maintaining the show\u2019s youth\u2011oriented identity. CBS noted that last year\u2019s 40th anniversary broadcast &#8220;delivered its biggest multi\u2011network audience in four years,&#8221; a rationale cited by producers for extending distribution.<\/p>\n<p>Over four decades the VMAs have evolved from a cable\u2011centric celebration of music videos into a sprawling live entertainment event, adding categories and staging large\u2011scale productions that mix performance, political statements and celebrity spectacle. Artists with long careers but comparatively few Moon Person trophies have often used the VMAs as a moment of public recognition; Mariah Carey\u2019s lifetime achievement nod this year followed a long history of nominations without a Vanguard win.<\/p>\n<h2>Main Event<\/h2>\n<p>Mariah Carey returned to the VMA stage in a gold bodysuit to perform a medley of hits before Ariana Grande presented her the Video Vanguard Award. Carey, appearing at the VMAs for the first time in 20 years, quipped about the delay in recognition and reflected on her music\u2011video legacy while accepting the lifetime honor. Earlier, &#8220;Type Dangerous&#8221; had been named Best R&#038;B video during the pre\u2011show, giving Carey an additional competitive win that night.<\/p>\n<p>Busta Rhymes delivered a high\u2011energy set of classics including &#8220;Break Ya Neck&#8221; and &#8220;Touch It,&#8221; joined by Joyner Lucas, Papoose and GloRilla. LL Cool J presented Rhymes with the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award; Rhymes used his brief acceptance to praise late MTV VJ Ananda Lewis and to mark the significance of receiving the honor after a long career.<\/p>\n<p>Sabrina Carpenter staged a narrative performance of &#8220;Tears&#8221; that incorporated well\u2011known drag performers and protest imagery in apparent support of transgender rights. The staging referenced 1980s New York motifs and culminated in a rain\u2011soaked dance break; Carpenter later thanked the queens onstage after winning Best Album and Best Pop Artist.<\/p>\n<p>Ricky Martin descended in a cage to deliver hits including &#8220;Livin&#8217; la Vida Loca&#8221; before being presented with the VMAs&#8217; inaugural Latin Icon Award. The ceremony also featured a rock tribute to Ozzy Osbourne: Yungblud performed &#8220;Crazy Train&#8221; and &#8220;Changes&#8221; before joining Steven Tyler and Joe Perry onstage for &#8220;Mama, I&#8217;m Coming Home.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Lady Gaga, the most\u2011nominated artist of the night, accepted Artist of the Year early in the telecast and then departed to play Madison Square Garden; a pre\u2011recorded, highly produced performance of &#8220;Abracadabra&#8221; and &#8220;The Dead Dance&#8221; aired in her stead. Gaga&#8217;s night included four wins, raising her career VMA total to 22 and cementing her position among the awards\u2019 most decorated artists.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; Implications<\/h2>\n<p>Network simulcasting reflects broader industry pressure to find scale for live entertainment as streaming fragments audiences. By partnering with CBS and Paramount+, the VMAs&#8217; producers are seeking to reach legacy broadcast viewers while maintaining social\u2011native youth appeal through MTV and online platforms. If the strategy increases total viewership or social engagement, it could become a template for other awards shows balancing legacy prestige with viral moments.<\/p>\n<p>Honoring long\u2011standing artists such as Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes and Ricky Martin alongside newer winners like Sabrina Carpenter and Alex Warren signals an editorial balancing act: the VMAs are positioning themselves both as a site of historical recognition and as a platform for emerging talent. Lifetime and inaugural awards serve to broaden the show\u2019s cultural relevance while new categories (Best Pop Artist, Best Country) aim to keep the ceremony attuned to current streaming and genre trends.<\/p>\n<p>Artist logistics also highlight how modern pop spectacle is increasingly hybrid. Lady Gaga\u2019s split\u2011venue approach \u2014 accepting an award live and delivering a pre\u2011recorded performance while on tour \u2014 shows how production can blur the distinction between live presence and cinematic staging. This model allows headline acts to satisfy contractual touring obligations while maintaining a high\u2011production television moment.<\/p>\n<p>The night\u2019s political and social gestures, from Carpenter\u2019s trans\u2011rights imagery to acceptance speeches that acknowledged therapists and LGBTQ+ communities, underscore how awards shows continue to serve as platforms for limited advocacy. Such moments can amplify messages to mainstream audiences, but they also test producers\u2019 ability to integrate activism without alienating different viewer segments.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &#038; Data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Fact<\/th>\n<th>Detail<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Show history<\/td>\n<td>41 years (first simulcast on CBS\/Paramount+ in 2025)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lady Gaga<\/td>\n<td>12 nominations (this night), 4 wins tonight, career total 22 VMA wins<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Busta Rhymes<\/td>\n<td>First VMA win after 16 nominations; Rock the Bells Visionary Award recipient<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mariah Carey<\/td>\n<td>First Video Vanguard\/Moon Person trophy; &#8220;Type Dangerous&#8221; won Best R&#038;B in pre\u2011show<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The table summarizes several central numerical touchpoints from the broadcast. These figures illustrate both historic recognitions and the show&#8217;s present emphasis on headline metrics (nominations, wins) that are widely shared on social platforms following the telecast.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; Quotes<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;I can&#8217;t believe I&#8217;m getting my first VMA tonight&#8230; What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Mariah Carey, accepting the Video Vanguard Award<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Y&#8217;all know I usually do these long speeches, I&#8217;m not gonna do one today&#8230; But next time y&#8217;all take 35 years to give me one of these, y&#8217;all gonna let me talk as long as I want!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Busta Rhymes, onstage after receiving the Rock the Bells Visionary Award<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;I cannot begin to tell you how much this award means to me&#8230; I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances, but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Lady Gaga, accepting Artist of the Year<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: What the Moon Person and new categories mean<\/summary>\n<p>The Moon Person (formerly Moonman) is MTV&#8217;s signature trophy awarded across competitive categories and as a lifetime or special achievement honor (Video Vanguard). The 2025 VMAs added Best Pop Artist and Best Country to highlight artists whose work has broken through via streaming and cross\u2011platform engagement. Simulcasting on a broadcast network is a strategic choice to access broader demographics and legacy television audiences while preserving MTV&#8217;s youth\u2011centric brand on cable and digital outlets.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Final viewership figures and demographic breakdowns for the CBS\/MTV simulcast had not been released as of publication and are pending official ratings notice.<\/li>\n<li>Claims about which red\u2011carpet moments generated the most social engagement are based on early viral clips; comprehensive social metrics were not yet publicly available.<\/li>\n<li>Any future changes to the VMAs&#8217; broadcast partnership or category lineup beyond 2025 remain unannounced and speculative.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>The 2025 VMAs combined legacy honors and contemporary spectacle, using a dual\u2011network strategy to broaden reach while showcasing both established icons and emerging performers. Mariah Carey\u2019s long\u2011awaited Vanguard recognition and Lady Gaga\u2019s multi\u2011stage presence were emblematic: the show sought to satisfy nostalgia and deliver viral moments in equal measure.<\/p>\n<p>How successful the network expansion proves will depend on official ratings and social metrics, but the ceremony illustrated a clear intent to evolve. For the music industry and viewers alike, the night reinforced the VMAs&#8217; role as an annual stage where artistic recognition, performance innovation and cultural commentary intersect.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/09\/08\/takeaways-and-winners-of-2025-vmas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NPR \u2014 Takeaways and winners of 2025 VMAs<\/a> (news report)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mtv.com\/news\/2025-vma-winners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MTV \u2014 2025 VMA winners<\/a> (official event coverage)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbs.com\/press-releases\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CBS Entertainment \u2014 press releases<\/a> (network statement on simulcast strategy)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lead On Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, New York hosted the MTV Video Music Awards as the ceremony aired simultaneously on MTV and, for the first time in its 41\u2011year run, on CBS and Paramount+. The show honored both newcomers and veterans: Mariah Carey received her first Video Vanguard (a Moon Person) and Lady Gaga collected &#8230; <a title=\"VMAs 2025: Mariah&#8217;s First Moon Person and Gaga&#8217;s Two\u2011Arena Triumph\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/vmas-2025-mariah-gaga\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about VMAs 2025: Mariah&#8217;s First Moon Person and Gaga&#8217;s Two\u2011Arena Triumph\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"VMAs 2025: Mariah Carey & Lady Gaga \u2014 The Daily Brief","rank_math_description":"At the 2025 VMAs, Mariah Carey won her first Video Vanguard and Lady Gaga balanced an Artist of the Year win with a two\u2011venue performance in a night of tributes and new categories.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"VMAs 2025, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Busta Rhymes","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2379"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2379\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}