Without a dress code dictating what can and can’t be worn, the MTV Video Music Awards brings out the best and boldest in our favourite stars. At this year’s VMAs there was an unmistakeable affinity for va-va-voom dressing. The red carpet kicked off with none other than Doja Cat, whose ‘80s blowout alone would be enough to stop the traffic. She opted for a plunging, pastel argyle patterned Balmain dress adorned with fuschia pink gems, 8-inch high butter yellow platform heels, a bedazzled lipstick clutch, and oversized Chopard earrings also in fuschia pink.
Not long after, pop princesses Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande made their entrances in show-stopping custom looks. Carpenter’s stylist Jared Ellner upped the ante with Alessandro Michele’s Valentino. The Best Album winner was unmissable in golden bombshell locks and a very red, very sheer lace gown complete with a lavender fur boa. Meanwhile, Law Roach tapped Fendi for a playful polka dot number perfect for Grande. Brimming with retro charm, the look consisted of a bustier peplum dress and a matching hair bow.
Others dialled it up to max volume. Lady Gaga accepted Artist of the Year donning a Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter 2025 look swathed in black ruffles. Though ready-to-wear, it checked all the boxes of Mother Monster’s dramatic, avant-garde style. Conan Gray turned heads in a theatrical sailor-inspired denim gown by Los Angeles-based womenswear designer Erik Charlotte that boasted major puff sleeves, a corseted bodice, and a custom hat that nodded to the artist’s latest album “Wishbone”. And then there was Audrey Nuna, who recalled her “K-pop Demon Hunters” character with a quilted black coat that paid tribute to Mira’s MET Gala sleeping bag look. Who doesn’t love a subtle reference?
The 2025 MTV VMAs was filled with unforgettable moments. KATSEYE made its official VMAs debut, Sabrina Carpenter delivered a performance for the history books, and Mariah Carey received the prestigious Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. See the full list of winners at this year’s MTV VMAs, below.
ELMONT, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 07: Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande attend the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 07, 2025 in Elmont, New York.
Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images for MTV
Video of the Year
WINNER: Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead”
Billie Eilish, “Birds of a Feather”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, “Timeless”
Best Collaboration
WINNER: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile”
Bailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs, “Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video)”
Kendrick Lamar & SZA, “luther”
Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton, “Pour Me A Drink”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco, “Sunset Blvd”
Best Pop
WINNER: Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead”
Alex Warren, “Ordinary”
Ed Sheeran, “Sapphire”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
Best Album
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter, Short n’ Sweet
Bad Bunny, Debí Tirar Más Fotos
Kendrick Lamar, GNX
Lady Gaga, Mayhem
Morgan Wallen, I’m the Problem
The Weeknd, Hurry Up Tomorrow
Sophia, Megan, Daniela, Lara Raj, Yoonchae and Manon of KATSEYE perform their hit song "GNARLY" during the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for MTV
MTV Push Performance of the Year
WINNER: January 2025: KATSEYE, “Touch”
August 2024: Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
September 2024: Ayra Starr, “Last Heartbreak Song”
October 2024: Mark Ambor, “Belong Together”
November 2024: Lay Bankz, “Graveyard”
December 2024: Dasha, “Bye Bye Bye”
February 2025: Jordan Adetunji, “Kehlani”
March 2025: Leon Thomas, “Yes It Is”
April 2025: Livingston, “Shadow”
May 2025: Damiano David, “Next Summer”
June 2025: Gigi Perez, “Sailor Song”
July 2025: Role Model, “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out”
Song of the Year
WINNER: Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Alex Warren, “Ordinary”
Billie Eilish, “Birds of a Feather”
Doechii, “Anxiety”
Ed Sheeran, “Sapphire”
Gracie Abrams, “I Love You, I’m Sorry”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile”
Lorde, “What Was That”
Tate McRae, “Sports Car”
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, “Timeless”
Artist of the Year
WINNER: Lady Gaga
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Kendrick Lamar
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Sabrina Carpenter took home a total of three Moon Person trophies at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Photo: Doug Peters/PA Images via Getty Images
Best Pop Artist
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter
Ariana Grande
Charli xcx
Justin Bieber
Lorde
Miley Cyrus
Tate McRae
Best Hip-Hop
WINNER: Doechii, “Anxiety”
Drake, “Nokia”
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll, “Somebody Save Me”
GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red, “Whatchu Kno About Me”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
LL Cool J ft. Eminem, “Murdergram Deux”
Travis Scott, “4X4”
Best Rock
WINNER: Coldplay, “All My Love”
Evanescence, “Afterlife (From the Netflix Series Devil May Cry)”
Green Day, “One Eyed Bastard”
Lenny Kravitz, “Honey”
Linkin Park, “The Emptiness Machine”
Twenty One Pilots, “The Contract”
Best Latin
WINNER: Shakira, “Soltera“
Bad Bunny, “Baile Inolvidable”
J Balvin, “Rio”
Karol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
Peso Pluma, “La Patrulla”
Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos, “Khé?”
Best Longform Video
WINNER: Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead”
Bad Bunny – “Debí Tirar Más Fotos (Short Film)”
Damiano David, “Funny Little Stories”
Mac Miller, “Balloonerism”
Miley Cyrus, “Something Beautiful”
The Weeknd, “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
Video for Good
WINNER: Charli xcx – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”
Burna Boy, “Higher”
Doechii, “Anxiety”
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll, “Somebody Save Me”
Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco – “Younger and Hotter Than Me”
Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan, “Sleepwalking”
Best Direction
WINNER: Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra”
Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead”
Charli xcx, “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
Best Art Direction
WINNER: Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra”
Charli xcx, “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Lorde, “Man of the Year”
Miley Cyrus, “End of the World”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Best Cinematography
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead”
Ed Sheeran, “Sapphire”
Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra”
Miley Cyrus, “Easy Lover”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
Best Editing
WINNER: Tate McRae, “Just Keep Watching (From F1: The Movie)”
Charli xcx, “Guess featuring Billie Eilish”
Ed Sheeran, “Sapphire”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
Best Choreography
WINNER: Doechii, “Anxiety”
FKA Twigs, “Eusexua”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra”
Tyla – “Push 2 Start”
Zara Larsson, “Pretty Ugly”
Best Visual Effects
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”
Ariana Grande, “Brighter Days Ahead”
Lady Gaga, “Abracadabra”
Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Tate McRae, “Just Keep Watching (From F1: The Movie)“
The Weeknd, “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
Best New Artist
WINNER: Alex Warren
Ella Langley
Gigi Perez
Lola Young
Sombr
The Marías
Best R&B
WINNER: Mariah Carey, “Type Dangerous”
Chris Brown, “Residuals”
Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs, “Mutt (Remix)”
Partynextdoor – “No Chill”
Summer Walker, “Heart Of A Woman”
SZA, “Drive”
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, “Timeless”
Best Alternative
WINNER: Sombr, “Back to Friends”
Gigi Perez, “Sailor Song”
Imagine Dragons, “Wake Up”
Lola Young, “Messy”
mgk & Jelly Roll, “Lonely Road”
The Marías, “Back To Me”
Best K-pop
WINNER: Lisa ft. Doja Cat & Raye, “Born Again”
Aespa, “Whiplash”
Jennie, “Like Jennie”
Jimin, “Who”
Jisoo, “Earthquake”
Stray Kids, “Chk Chk Boom”
Rosé, “Toxic Till the End”
Best Afrobeats
WINNER: Tyla, “Push 2 Start”
Asake & Travis Scott, “Active”
Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott, “TaTaTa”
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea, “Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)”
Rema, “Baby (Is It A Crime)”
Tems ft. Asake, “Get It Right”
Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz, “Piece of My Heart”
Best Country
WINNER: Megan Moroney, “Am I Okay?”
Chris Stapleton, “Think I’m In Love With You”
Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood, “I’m Gonna Love You”
Jelly Roll, “Liar”
Lainey Wilson, “4x4xU”
Morgan Wallen, “Smile”
Editor
Alyanna Raissa J. PayosCredit
Lead image: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for MTV
