If there is one thing the MTV Video Music Awards have become known for over the years it's creating moments -- and the 2025 show just keeps giving!
Music's Most Iconic Night is here -- and the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards have arrived!
The awards show -- hosted by rapper and actor LL Cool J -- was broadcast live from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, with the VMAs kicking off with a show-stopping performance by Doja Cat, who interrupted the monologue in a Max Headroom-inspired takeover with Kenny G.
And as per usual, the show was jam-packed with performances (which you'll find below) and a star-studded lineup featuring Lady Gaga, Tate McRae, Alex Warren, Sabrina Carpenter, Post Malone and Jelly Roll, among many more.
Lady Gaga was up for the most awards, receiving 12 VMA nominations. Close behind Gaga are Bruno Mars with 11 noms, Kendrick Lamar with 10, Sabrina Carpenter with nine, and ROSÉ with eight. Ariana Grande and The Weekend both received seven nominations, while Billie Eilish and Tate McRae are up for six VMAs. Charli XCX, Alex Warren, Bad Bunny, Doechii, and Miley Cyrus also received nominations.
Mariah Carey received the Video Vanguard Award, and took the stage for a performance that definitely had people talking (though maybe not for why you'd think). Busta Rhymes scored the first-ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award, and Ricky Martin took home the inaugural Latin Icon Award.
Meanwhile, the late Ozzy Osbourne was honored in an epic performance featuring Aerosmith, YUNGBLUD, and Nuno Bettencourt taking the stage to pay tribute to the works of both Ozzy and Black Sabbath.
As expected, the night was filled with epic moments, kicking off with a surprise interruption of LL Cool J's opening remark. What happened? Keep reading...
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View StoryDoja Cat Channels the '80s
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From a Max Headroom-inspired interruption at the top of the show to Kenny G kicking off her performance live and a Michael Jackson vibe during a breakdown on her "Jealous Type," Doja Cat brought everyone back to the origins of MTV with this performance that felt as much like a classic music video from back in the day as a fresh performance from now.
It's a great way to kick off a show that celebrates the artform that MTV first brought to the masses in that decade, as well as some of the iconic looks and styles that defined the decade that gave us shoulder pads, fades, day-glo neon colors, epic dance moves and true artistic visionaries like Michael Jackson and Madonna, who in turn have helped inspire the next generations of legends like...
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Watch Sabrina Carpenter Get Wet In Steamy 'Tears' Performance at 2025 MTV VMAs
View StoryLady Gaga Artist of the Year -- Right Away
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In an unprecedented move, MTV moved up the most vaunted award of the evening to the very top of the show -- but they had a very good reason to do it. Lady Gaga was in the house, but she was also booked just down the street at Madison Square Garden.
The emotional singer took to the stage with powerful words about what this honor means to her, as well as what "being an artist" is all about, before she had to quickly make her exit, lamenting that she wishes she could have stayed to see all of the night's performances.
"I thought about what it means to be rewarded for being an artist, something that is already so rewarding," she said of her thoughts should she win. "Being an artist is an attempt to connect the souls of people all over the world ... It is a method of building understanding and celebrating community."
She shared messages to her fans "as you navigate through the mayhem of daily life" and dedicated her award to the audience, encouraging everyone to be "reminded of the importance of the art of your life ... The way you move through your life is iconic and rare; it is entirely yours."
Gaga shared her dedication with fiancé Michael Polansky, to whom she said, "creating this year with you was a beautiful, beautiful dream and you have been my partner every step of the way."
She also sweetly shared the moment with Ariana Grande, who was sitting next to her and got emotional herself as Gaga spoke.
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KATSEYE Takes Home Their First-Ever VMA for Push Performance of The Year
View StoryK-Pop Breaks Through with Big Win, Long Speech
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The K-pop explosion continues as Rosé became the first K-pop artist to win Song of the Year at the MTV VMAs for her collaboration with Bruno Mars, "Apt." While Bruno was not on hand to receive the award, an emotional Rosé stepped up to express her thoughts with a literal multi-page written acceptance speech ... and the show did not play her off.
The Blackpink member scored eight nominations heading into the night and got to kick off her celebration early with a heartwarming speech thanking everyone in her life, including Mars, her K-pop group, and even herself for not giving up. She shared that her biggest fear was hitting a wall in her career trajectory, and so she dedicated this award to her 16-year-old self -- with fans thinking she may have taken about that long to give her speech.
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Busta Rhymes Honors Ananda Lewis While Accepting First Rock the Bells Visionary Award at VMAs
View StoryBusta Rhymes' Touching Tribute to Ananda Lewis
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After a high-energy performance, Busta Rhymes kept his acceptance speech for the first-ever Rock the Bells Visionary Award short and sweet with words of thanks to all of those who've helped him across his career. He promised to keep his message short with a quip: "Next time y'all take 35 years to give me one of these, you better let me talk as long as I want."
While he kept his remarks tight, he took the time to share a sweet message of thanks for Ananda Lewis, the MTV VJ who helped shepherd and support his career, as well as so many others, through the '90s, playing a pivotal role in the eventual mainstreaming of hip-hop music and culture throughout that decade. Lewis passed after a long battle with cancer in June of this year at 52.
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Mariah Carey Wins First MTV VMA, Calls Out Network: 'What Were You Waiting For?'
View StoryMariah Carey Performed Around in Epic Medley
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Mariah Carey was in full diva mode as she took the stage for a medley of her greatest hits ahead of her acceptance of this year's Video Vanguard Award. The legendary singer moved through her career, but she wasn't moving much on stage at all. Even walking across the stage took its sweet time, and often with a guide.
She did pull off a costume change, but there was definitely a different performance going on if you looked at Mariah herself and compared it to everyone around her hustling and giving 110% of themselves. She matched them by bringing ... the 10%.
Look, when you're the Mariah Carey, you can perform however you want. And it's not like Mariah's not gone viral for this exact same sort of performance style over the years. It was just such a juxtaposition to the high-energy dancers all around her that it really stood out.
She won her first-ever VMA Award earlier in the night for her "Type Dangerous" video, joking that the network had certainly waited long enough to honor her. As for music videos, she quipped that sometimes they're "just an excuse to bring the drama."
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KATSEYE Takes Home Their First-Ever VMA for Push Performance of The Year
View StoryJack's Daughters Set Up Epic Ozzy Tribute
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In an absolutely adorable introductory sequence, Jack Osbourne was joined by all four of his daughters, Pearl Clementine, Andy Rose, Minnie Theodora, and Maple Artemis, to introduce a touching video tribute to their grandpa and one epic all-star rock performance.
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Youngblud welcomed us to the "Crazy Train" as he made his way to a stage filled with Extreme's Nuno Bettencourt, and Aerosmith's Joe Perry and Steven Tyler, among others -- including Black Sabbath pianist Adam Wakeman -- for a rousing medley of some of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's biggest hits.
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Tyler and Perry took the center stage for "Mama, I'm Coming Home," in a powerful moment for the iconic rockers after Tyler revealed a vocal injury that it's "not possible" to fully recover from that impacts his ability to perform at his best. The band canceled their "Farewell Tour" last year, but he clarified that he's not quitting the band -- or singing, obviously, as evidenced by this heartfelt moment.
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Jack Osbourne and His Four Daughters Kick Off Ozzy Osbourne Tribute at 2025 MTV VMAs
View StoryAriana Grande Thanks Everyone, Including 'Therapists and Gay People'
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Ariana Grande brought an exhaustive list of names to the stage with her for her Best Pop win for "Brighter Days Ahead." She hilariously tore through the list at breakneck pace, after getting emotional over the win.
"Thank you so much. Oh my god. This is so kind. Thank you so much. I was so nervous ... I have to start by saying thank you so much to my fans, I'm gonna cry," she opened, before taking a beat to collect herself.
"I have to say thank you first and foremost to my fans, I love you with every fiber of my being. Thank you MTV," she continued, before shifting to a personal connection, adding, "Thank you to my dad who acted in this video for the first time in his life, and he is the best scene partner and dad in the world."
From there, the singer and actress thanked basically the entire credits list for her video, explaining to her fans, "these videos that mean so much and define us as artists forever, take a village and I really want to thank the village."
After tearing through every person she could think off, Grande wrapped by saying the video was "life changing. And thank you to my therapists and gay people. I love you."
She then turned around and won the biggest award of the night, Video of the Year, with another -- shorter -- written note paying tribute to her fans for growing with her, teasing an upcoming tour and promising to everyone who may be struggling through, there are brighter times ahead ... and a tour.
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View StoryYou can check out some of the night's other amazing performances below:
Sabrina Carpenter
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Lady Gaga
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Ricky Martin
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Post Malone & Jelly Roll
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Busta Rhymes
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J Balvin
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Megan Moroney
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Alex Warren
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Bailey Zimmerman & The Kid LAROI
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Lola Young
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Sombr
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