The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards were a roller-coaster of showstopping highs and head-scratching lows — exactly what we’ve come to expect from music’s wildest night.
From Lady Gaga proving you can steal the show from miles away to Mariah Carey serving shade with a smile, the Sunday, September 7, ceremony hosted by LL Cool J was jam-packed with instantly viral moments.
Below, Us Weekly breaks down the best and worst of this year’s VMAs.
Best Performance: Lady Gaga
Only Gaga could have the best performance of the night without even being in the building. Although she made a brief appearance at UBS Arena at the top of the show to accept Artist of the Year, the pop superstar had to jet back to Madison Square Garden immediately afterward for the sixth and final New York City stop of her Mayhem Ball. Fortunately, Gaga pretaped a medley of “Abracadabra” and “The Dead Dance” at her concert on Saturday, September 6, allowing her to showcase the over-the-top set and meticulous choreography from her critically acclaimed tour during the telecast.
Best Honoree Performance: Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin delivered a time-defying mashup of his biggest hits, including “Livin’ la Vida Loca” and “Shake Your Bon-Bon,” as the recipient of the VMAs’ first-ever Latin Icon award, proving he’s just as hot as he was in 1999 when he snagged his first nominations. They don’t call him the King of Latin Pop for nothing.
Best Shade: Mariah Carey
While accepting the Video Vanguard Award, Carey wasted no time calling out MTV (in jest, of course) for taking 35 years to give her a Moonperson trophy. “I can’t believe I’m getting my first VMA tonight,” she told the crowd. “I just have one question: What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?” Touché, Mimi, touché.
Best Cameo: Kenny G
Doja Cat teased during the VMA preshow that her upcoming album, Vie, is heavily inspired by the ‘80s. She wasn’t kidding. As the rapper took the stage for the first performance of the night, she was joined by none other than Kenny G, who singlehandedly made smooth jazz cool again four decades ago. The legendary saxophonist played alongside Doja while she transported Us back with her latest offering, “Jealous Type.”
Best Acceptance Speech: Sabrina Carpenter
After performing her new single, “Tears,” with drag queens, Sabrina Carpenter returned to the stage to receive the award for Album of the Year for 2024’s Short n’ Sweet. The former Disney Channel star used her acceptance speech to stand up for transgender people, saying in part, “This world, as we all know, can be so full of criticism and discrimination and negativity, so to get to be part of something … that can bring you light, make you smile, make you dance and make you feel like the world is your f***ing oyster, I am so grateful to do that.”
Best Tribute: Ozzy Osbourne
The only problem with Yungblud, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Nuno Bettencourt’s salute to Ozzy Osbourne? It wasn’t nearly long enough. The foursome made the late Black Sabbath frontman — and former MTV reality star — proud with killer renditions of “Crazy Train,” “Changes” and “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” so much so that they easily could’ve been on stage for another five minutes and kept our attention.
Worst Mic Mishap: Ariana Grande
The stage crew showed no respect to Ariana Grande’s height. After 6-foot-2 LL Cool J announced that the 5-foot-2 Wicked star had won Video of the Year for her Brighter Days Ahead short film, she had to stand on her tippy-toes to speak into the microphone. “Does this get taller every time?” Grande asked, slightly exasperated.
Worst No-Show: Taylor Swift
Although Us confirmed ahead of Sunday’s show that Artist of the Year nominee Taylor Swift would not be in attendance, it didn’t feel right without her. After all, the global superstar — who holds the record for most career wins with 30 — is perhaps the only artist most synonymous with the VMAs since Madonna and Britney Spears.
Worst Snub: Sombr
Alex Warren broke through this year thanks to his massive hit “Ordinary,” which no doubt helped him secure Best New Artist, but MTV should’ve broken the trophy in half (à la Adele at the 2017 Grammys in support of Beyoncé) to give rock-star-in-the-making Sombr his flowers too.
