By: Angela Redding | Hollywood Beat magazine | September 7, 2025
Lead Graphic: Hollywood Beat magazine generated content
🎤 VMAs Spotlight 2025
✨ Host: LL Cool J commands the stage solo, blending hip-hop legacy with modern energy.
👑 Honorees:
- Mariah Carey – Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award
- Busta Rhymes – Rock the Bells Visionary Award
- Ricky Martin – Latin Icon Award
🔥 Performances to Watch:
- Mariah’s career-spanning medley
- Lady Gaga’s theatrical return
- Doja Cat’s wild red-carpet-to-stage transformation
- KATSEYE’s VMAs debut, setting a new girl-group standard
🏆 Big Nominees:
- Lady Gaga (12)
- Bruno Mars (11)
- Kendrick Lamar (10)
- Sabrina Carpenter & ROSÉ (8 each)
💥 Historic Showdown: Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are both tied for Artist of the Year with 30 wins. Taylor Swift is reportedly not attending this year, but the competition remains intense.
2025 VMAs: Stars Shine Bright – The Biggest Winners
Lady Gaga dominated the evening, taking home the most Moon People awards, which included the prestigious Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration for her song “Die with a Smile” featuring Bruno Mars—outshining tough competitors like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.
ROSÉ and Bruno Mars created history at the VMAs. Their song “APT.” won Song of the Year, making Rosé the first solo K-pop artist to receive a major Moon Person award.
Mariah Carey received her first-ever Moon Person with the prestigious Video Vanguard Award and also won Best R&B for “Type Dangerous”
Winners
Artist of the year
WINNER: Lady Gaga
Video of the year
WINNER: Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”
Song of the year
WINNER: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
Best new artist
WINNER: Alex Warren
Best pop artist
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter
MTV push performance of the year
WINNER: January 2025 – KATSEYE – “Touch”
Best collaboration
WINNER: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With a Smile”
Best pop
WINNER: Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”
Best hip-hop
WINNER: Doechii – “Anxiety”
Best R&B
WINNER: Mariah Carey – “Type Dangerous”
Best alternative
WINNER: sombr – “Back to Friends”
Best rock
WINNER: Coldplay – “All My Love”
Best Latin
WINNER: Shakira – “Soltera“
Best K-pop
WINNER: LISA ft. Doja Cat & RAYE – “Born Again”
Best Afrobeats
WINNER: Tyla – “Push 2 Start”
Best country
WINNER: Megan Moroney – “Am I Okay?”
Best album
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet
Best long-form video
WINNER: Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”
Video for good
WINNER: Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”
Best direction
WINNER: Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
Best art direction
WINNER: Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
Best cinematography
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
Best editing
WINNER: Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching “(From F1 The Movie)
Best choreography
WINNER: Doechii – “Anxiety”
Best visual effects
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Song of the summer
WINNER: Tate McRae – “Just Keep Watching (From F1® The Movie)”
Best group
WINNER: BLACKPINK
Hollywood Beat magazine
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