Honestly, walking into the UBS Arena for the MTV VMA 2025 winners reveal felt like stepping into a time machine that somehow brought 2011 and 2030 together in the same room. You had Lady Gaga leading the pack with twelve nominations and ending the night as the most awarded artist. Then you had TikTok-born stars like Alex Warren literally admitting on stage that he pooped twice out of nerves before winning Best New Artist.
It was a weird, glorious mess.
People keep saying the VMAs don't matter anymore, but try telling that to the 42% increase in viewers this year. The ratings were the highest they've been in six years. Maybe it’s because the show finally stopped trying to be "cool" and just leaned into the chaos of the current music scene. Between the heavy hitters like Ariana Grande and the absolute explosion of the "APT." era, there is a lot to unpack from that September night.
The Big Moon Person: Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga Dominate
If you were betting on the MTV VMA 2025 winners, you probably put your money on the heavyweights. And you would have been right. Ariana Grande walked away with Video of the Year for "Brighter Days Ahead." It wasn't just a win; it was a statement. During her speech, she gave a shout-out to her therapists and "the gay people," which is basically the most Ariana thing she could have possibly said.
But Gaga? Gaga was the undisputed queen of the night. She took home four statues, including Artist of the Year.
I think what most people get wrong about Gaga’s current run is thinking she’s just a legacy act now. No way. When she hit the stage to perform "Abracadabra" and "The Dead Dance" (that track from the Wednesday soundtrack), she proved she still has that weird, theatrical grip on pop culture that nobody else can quite replicate. She’s now sitting on 33 career VMAs, which ties her for the most all-time. It’s a massive historical moment that people are already debating online.
💡 You might also like: tv25 co 다시 보기 바로가기 및 접속 문제 해결하기
The Full List of Major 2025 Winners
For those who just want the facts without the fluff, here is how the big categories shook out:
- Video of the Year: Ariana Grande – "Brighter Days Ahead"
- Artist of the Year: Lady Gaga
- Song of the Year: Rosé & Bruno Mars – "APT."
- Best New Artist: Alex Warren
- Best Pop Artist: Sabrina Carpenter
- Best Collaboration: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – "Die With a Smile"
- Best Hip-Hop: Doechii – "Anxiety"
- Best R&B: Mariah Carey – "Type Dangerous"
- Best Album: Sabrina Carpenter – Short n' Sweet
The "APT." Effect and the K-Pop Shift
One of the most interesting things about the MTV VMA 2025 winners was seeing Rosé and Bruno Mars take Song of the Year.
Rosé made history as the first K-pop soloist to win that specific category. It’s a huge deal. Usually, K-pop gets siloed off into its own "Best K-Pop" category (which LISA won this year for "Born Again" featuring Doja Cat and RAYE). But "APT." was such a global earworm that MTV couldn't keep it in a box. It felt like a genuine crossover moment rather than a "participation trophy" for international fans.
Why Alex Warren’s Win Felt Different
Let’s talk about Best New Artist. Alex Warren won, and his reaction was arguably the highlight of the pre-show and main broadcast combined. He beat out some heavy hitters like The Marías and Gracie Abrams.
His song "Ordinary" has been everywhere, but seeing a creator who started on YouTube and TikTok win a Moon Person still feels like a glitch in the Matrix to some old-school music critics. He was visibly shaking. He mentioned his bathroom habits. He was authentic in a way that most polished pop stars aren't allowed to be anymore. That’s why he won—not just because of the stream counts, but because the fans actually felt like they knew him.
The Legends Finally Get Their Flowers
It’s kind of insane that Mariah Carey had never won a VMA until 2025. Like, how? She was finally given the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, presented by Ariana Grande.
Mariah’s medley was a nostalgic fever dream: "Fantasy," "Obsessed," and "We Belong Together." She looked at the statue and literally asked, "What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?" It was the line of the night.
✨ Don't miss: Cast of Clueless Movie: The 2026 Update Most Fans Missed
We also saw Busta Rhymes get the Rock the Bells Visionary Award. If you haven't seen his performance of "Scenario," go find it. The energy in that room changed the second he started rapping. It was a reminder that while the MTV VMA 2025 winners list is full of new faces, the foundation of the show is still built on these icons.
A Tribute with a Heavy Heart
The night wasn't all glitter. There was a pretty emotional tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away in July 2025. Yungblud opened with "Crazy Train," and then Steven Tyler and Joe Perry from Aerosmith joined in. It was loud, it was messy, and it felt like a proper send-off for the Prince of Darkness.
The Technical Wins You Might Have Missed
While everyone focuses on who gave the best speech, the "Professional Categories" actually tell you a lot about where the industry is heading.
Sabrina Carpenter’s "Manchild" won Best Visual Effects. If you've seen that video, you know it's a technical masterpiece. Kendrick Lamar took Best Cinematography for "Not Like Us"—a song that has basically defined the cultural conversation for the last year. These aren't just "extra" awards; they are the reason these videos go viral in the first place.
📖 Related: Why the LEGO DeLorean Back to the Future Set is Actually a Masterclass in Design
How to Apply These Trends to Your Own Playlist
Looking at the MTV VMA 2025 winners, it’s clear that the "genre-less" era is officially here. You have country artists like Megan Moroney winning alongside Afrobeats stars like Tyla.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, stop listening to just one genre. The industry is rewarding collaboration and cross-cultural sounds. If you haven't checked out Doechii yet, start there. Her win for "Anxiety" in the Best Hip-Hop category proves that the VMAs are finally looking at lyricism and performance over just pure radio play.
Go back and watch the "APT." music video if you want to see the blueprint for a perfect 2025 pop hit. It's short, it's colorful, and it's impossible to get out of your head. That is the standard now.
The next step is to actually dive into the Short n' Sweet album by Sabrina Carpenter if you haven't already. It won Best Album for a reason—it’s a cohesive project in an era of one-off singles. Give it a full listen from start to finish to understand why she’s currently the biggest pop star on the planet.