MTV VMA Awards: Lady Gaga and Sabrina Carpenter win top honors

The 2025 MTV VMA Awards were held last night, and the ceremony was held at the UBS Arena on Long Island.

Lady Gaga had the highest number of nominations, 12, and out of that number, she took home four awards: Artist of the Year, Best Collaboration with Bruno Mars (Die With a Smile), and awards for Best Direction and Best Set Design.

Although she wasn't at the top of the list in terms of nominations, Sabrina Karpenter emerged as the biggest winner of the night. Out of six nominations, she won four awards: Best Pop Artist, Best Album (Short n' Sweet), Best Visual Effects, and Song of the Summer (Just Keep Watching).

Ariana Grande, with six nominations, confirmed her status as the star of the evening, and was awarded three times, in the prestigious categories: Video of the Year (Brighter Days Ahead), Best Pop Video, and Best Feature Video.

Bruno Mars, with 11 nominations, won only one, for Song of the Year (Apt.) along with Rosé from BLACKPINK. Rosé had a total of eight nominations, and she also won the same award.

Kendrick Lamar entered the race with 10 nominations and took home one award - for Best Cinematography in the video for Not Like Us.

This year, the audience enjoyed spectacular performances that further enhanced the atmosphere and made the evening unforgettable. The stage was filled with performances by Sabrina Carpenter, Mariah Carey, Conan Gray, Yungblud and Steven Tyler & Joe Perry from Aerosmith, Doja Cat, Lady Gaga and many more.

One of the most important honors of the evening, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Videography, went to Mariah Carey.

Complete list of winners

Video of the year Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead (pobjednica)

Artist of the Year Lady Gaga

Song of the Year Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.

Best New Artist Aleks Voren

Best Pop Artist (new category) Sabrina Carpenter

MTV Push Performance of the Year Katseye – Touch

Best cooperation Lejdi Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile

Best Pop Video Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead

Best hip hop Doechii – Anxiety

Best R&B Maraja Karei – Type Dangerous

The best alternative Sombr – Back to Friends

Best time Coldplay – All My Love

Best Latin Shakira – Soltera

Best K-pop Lisa ft. Doja Cat & Raye – Born Again

The best afrobeats Tajla – Push 2 Start

Best Country (new category) Megan Moroni – Am I Okay?

Best album Sabrina Karpenter – Short n' Sweet

Best Feature Film Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead

Video for the benefit of society Čarli XCX – Guess ft. Billie Eilish

Best Director Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

Best set design Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

Best camera Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

Best editing Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching

Best choreography Doechii – Anxiety

The best visual effects Sabrina Karpenter – Manchild

Best group BLACKPINK

Song of summer Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching

Special awards: 🏆 Lifetime Achievement Award – Mariah Carey 🏆 MTV VMA Award for Special, Visionary Contribution to Hip-Hop Culture and the Music Scene – Basta Rhymes 🏆 Latino Icon – Ricky Martin