“This world, as we all know, can be so full of criticism and discrimination and negativity,” Sabrina Carpenter said at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. “So to get to be part of something, so more often than not, that is something that can bring you light, make you smile, make you dance, make you feel like the world is your fucking oyster — I am so grateful.”
It’s a perfect summary of pop fandom — but also everything that was missing from the VMAs this year. MTV’s annual bash came up mighty short on star power, pop flash, celebrity egomania, humor, sleaze, madness, glitter-cringe misbehavior — you know, the kind of thing you watch the VMAs to see. It’s one thing to begin with a Kenny G cameo. But it’s another when Kenny G turns out to be one of the damn highlights.
The night’s best line came from Ariana Grande: “Thank you to my therapists and gay people! I love you!” Ariana was the MVP — one of the few big-deal stars who actually showed up, sure, but also someone the camera could always rely on for total unflagging enthusiasm. Every time the energy level sagged, which was often, they could cut to the Ari-Cam and catch her cheering or singing like she was genuinely excited to be here. She won Video of the Year for “Brighter Days Ahead” — yet the whole show would have been basically unwatchable without her. Thank you, Ariana’s therapists and gay people! MTV owes you big-time.
Ariana also presented the Video Vanguard award to Mariah Carey, who finally got her long-overdue career award after somehow never winning a single VMA in her career until now. “I can’t believe I’m getting my first VMA tonight,” Mariah said in a hilarious speech. “I just have one question: What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?”
This was the first VMAs aired on CBS, and there was plenty of rookie energy in the air. The network seemed to have trouble persuading actual stars to perform. They didn’t dream up any clever moments or duets. They ran ads from the federal government trying to recruit ICE agents, a real middle finger to the audience. There was a glut of new legacy awards, as if they needed to cover up for their difficulty getting big names to return their calls. Busta Rhymes came on to do a medley of his hits — the exact same medley he did on the show just four years ago. Nikki Glaser, normally the life of the party at any award show, didn’t even get to make any jokes. The weakest VMAs in years, after a five-year winning streak. What in the Sam Hill was going on?
On the bright side, you had to love all the 2000s energy. The whole night was full of millennial fever. When host LL Cool J said, “We’ve got icons in the house!,” the camera cut to Paris Hilton waving. (Some things never change.) There was a Burger King ad bumping Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite,” then a cellphone ad starring Lindsay Lohan, saying, “Now that I’m a mom, things are, well, different!” MTV kept pimping their incredibly innovative cutting-edge ideas with promos for the “historic season finale” of Jersey Shore Family Vacation. (Dude, it’s the first time Sammi is meeting Ronnie’s parents? No way — time to pour some Ron-Ron Juice and get obliviated!) As a great woman once sang, the whole night was “So Yesterday.”
And just when you thought it couldn’t get any more 2000s, Ashlee Simpson made a proud return, radiating all her glorious “La La” evergy. Ashlee never loses her touch, proving that she was 100 percent right when she warned the world all those years ago — you can throw her like a boomerang, but she’ll come back and beat you up. She came onstage with her sister Jessica, who also reminisced about “back in 1999,” when she was on tour opening for Ricky Martin, “the world’s biggest pop star.” When Paris presented the Song of the Year award, her walk-on music was “Stars Are Blind,” which somehow failed to win this award back in the day.
Lady Gaga was one of the 2000s stars who defined the VMAs — some of us will ride forever for the night she hosted in character as her male alter ego Jo Calderon. So it’s cool she dominated the show tonight, winning Artist of the Year. Then she rushed across town, from New York’s UBS Arena to Madison Square Garden, so she could reappear live from her own Mayhem Ball, doing a spectacular gothed-out performance of “Abracadabra” and “The Dead Dance.” But Gaga dedicated her award to the audience. “The way you move for your life is iconic and rare,” she said. “It is entirely yours.”
Mariah did a medley of her hits, including “Fantasy,” “Heartbreaker,” “Obsessed,” and “We Belong Together.” She also traded air kisses with Ariana, gushing “She’s so little! You’re the cutest!” Mariah reminisced about her long VMAs journey. “Being here brings back amazing memories,” she said. “Like when I presented LL Cool J with his Vanguard Award. Or when Whitney Houston and I opened the show with a faux stand-off, when we both had our dresses — we were like, ‘Try it on me!’” It’s just a shame MTV couldn’t persuade Jennifer Lopez to be part of the Video Vanguard tribute. (Hey, Taylor Swift came out 10 years ago to give this same award to “my friend Kanye West,” so there’s precedent.)
Sabrina took a Nineties trip for her live debut of “Tears,” turning a NYC street-party scene into a ballroom bash, as she waved the flag for transgender rights. Her dancers included a slew of drag queens and ballroom stars: Lexi Love, Simone, Leganja Estranj, Honey Balenciaga, Dashaun Wesley, Richie Shazam, Jewels Sparkles, Denali. Her dancers held signs that said “Protect Trans Rights,” “Dolls Dolls Dolls,” and “If You Hate You’ll Never Get Laid.” The boombox radio announced it was 69 degrees — “a wet one” — as Sabrina crawled out of a manhole. So yeah, she’s still not into subtlety, fortunately for us all.
Sombr, wow — now there’s a showman who knows how to show, pure glitter sex-on-a-stick startime, with shoulder pads even Bowie would have coveted. He did a fantastic Studio 54 goth-glam “12 to 12,” opening with the words, “This one’s for the girls that get it.” Best moment: One dancer crawled across the stage to slither up alongside him, then dropped to her knees before him, and he looked so sweetly embarrassed it was downright touching, without compromising any of his Mick Jagger/Richard Ashcroft stud-liosity. Never let anyone try to talk you into shirts that button, Sombr. You’re better than that.
Tate McRae did her thing on the floor, writhing acrobatically to “Revolving Door” and “Sports Car”—if you’ve seen her current tour, you know she can do two hours of this easy, going again like three-four times. Tate could have been designed in a lab as the perfect star for this award show—she taps right into the TRL aesthetic. She was born the summer of 2003, when Madonna and Britney had their historic VMAs kiss, and it’s as if she were born from that kiss.
Doja Cat went totally ’80s for “Jealous Type,” opening with the smooth tones of Kenny G’s soprano sax making sonic love to us all. She got all the era details right, heavy on the pastels, a guitarist in black leather and a cameo, a keytar queen in a Stacey Q-worthy perm, Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis-style mall beats, all on a black-and-white checkerboard floor. With the Club MTV energy off the charts, you had to keep wondering if Downtown Julie Brown was about to give Doja some wubba-wubba-wubba love, or if MC Skat Kat would suddenly dish the dirt on stealing Paula Abdul’s covers. But respect to Doja for finessing the fine points.
Busta Rhymes won the brand new Rock the Bells Visionary Award — he complained about waiting 35 years to win it, so guess nobody told him this was the first one ever. GloRilla joined him for hits like “Scenario” and “Pass the Courvoisier.” A class act as always, Busta gave a moving salute to the late MTV VJ Ananda Lewis.
Ricky Martin won another new honor, the Latin Icon Award, shaking his bon-bon in a medley of Nineties hits like “La Copa De Vida” and “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” making you wonder what the voodoo-loving kink temptress in the song is up to these days. (Reiki yoga instructor, right?) “I am addicted to your applause,” Ricky said. “That’s why I keep coming back.” But the highlight of this interlude was the moving fan tribute from J. Balvin. “I want to talk with my heart,” Balvin said. “Man, we love you.” It was one of the only moments all night (along with Ariana on Gaga) where the stars got to act like shameless music fans—the show could have used a lot more of that.
Rosé won Song of the Year for her ’80s-themed Bruno Mars duet “Apt” (somewhere, Toni Basil must have been happy) and gave a sweet speech where she thanked herself (it was her therapist’s idea) and also dedicated the award to her 16-year-old self, remembering her awkward teen days when she felt like an “oddball.” Post Malone and Jelly Roll did a bromantic duet on “Losers,” appearing live from Germany. J Balvin got busy with Lenny Tavarez, Justin Quiles, and DJ Snake, while Lola Young did “Messy” and Alex Warren sang “Ordinary.” Megan Moroney rocked her emo-cowgirl anthem “6 Months Later.” She also won the first-ever VMA for Best Country Video—a welcome sign of the times.
The Ozzy Osbourne tribute got hyped all night, right from LL Cool J’s opening monologue, where he promised, “Tonight we are honoring a man known as the Prince of Darkness, who brought a lot of light into the world!” Aerosmith’s Toxic Twins, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, reunited for “Mama I’m Coming Home.” (Perry is on a hot streak these days, ripping it up on his excellent solo tour with the Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson.) But Yungblud didn’t have the vocal chops for “Crazy Train” or “Changes.” Sadly, Lita Ford didn’t show — and why didn’t Busta jump up there for his Ozzy duet “This Means War”? Why didn’t we get Sabrina singing “Iron Man,” or Ariana belting “Children of the Grave”? But it said a lot about the void Ozzy left in the universe, after his tragic death this summer.
Conan Gray closed out the night doing “Vodka Cranberry” in a red velvet cape, a look he should try more often, since Hammer-horror ’60s Dracula mode works for him. He staged a Sleeping Beauty-style pageant, singing to an unconscious Stephen Malkmus look-alike in a frilly blouse (Girl Meets World star Corey Fogelmanis) on a bed of flowers, until Conan finally took a sip from a conveniently placed decanter of crimson liquid — vodka cranberry? A magic love potion? Or was it bloooooood? Honestly, hope it was the vodka — after a song that sad, Conan looked like he could use a drink. The Romeo-as-Juliet he was serenading was very conspicuously breathing, so we weren’t in deathbed territory here, yet it was still a startlingly downbeat way to end an award show. But maybe he just felt a bit snoozy after such a sluggish VMAs ceremony — an understandable feeling after all so little excitement and spectacle.
