The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards limped through another year with all the spark of a damp firework. While a handful of performers managed to inject some life into the proceedings—Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande, and Lady Gaga among them—the evening felt more like watching your favorite band play through a hangover than the cultural lightning rod MTV once commanded.
An Underwhelming Show That Forgot Its Own Legacy
Right from the opening Kenny G cameo (yes, really), this year’s VMAs telegraphed its confused identity. The ceremony stumbled through performance after performance without the anarchic energy or genuine surprise that used to make these shows appointment television. Missing were the water-cooler moments, the shocking collaborations, and that particular brand of controlled chaos that separated the VMAs from every other awards show on the calendar.
Ariana Grande Carries the Evening on Her Shoulders
If anyone deserved hazard pay for keeping this show afloat, it was Ariana Grande. Cameras kept finding her throughout the night—singing along, genuinely laughing, radiating the kind of authentic enthusiasm that felt rare in the room. When she accepted Video of the Year for *”Brighter Days Ahead,”* her speech hit just the right notes: “Thank you to my therapists and gay people! I love you!” It was spontaneous, heartfelt, and exactly the kind of moment that reminded you why Grande has staying power. She single-handedly provided more entertainment value than most of the scripted segments combined.
Mariah Carey Gets Her Long-Overdue Moment
The Video Vanguard Award finally found its way to Mariah Carey—a recognition so overdue it bordered on embarrassing for MTV. “What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?” Carey asked during her acceptance speech, and honestly, good question. Her medley of classics like *”Fantasy”* and *”We Belong Together”* transported the room back to when music videos actually mattered, even if some expected faces (looking at you, J.Lo) were conspicuously absent from the tribute reel.
Sabrina Carpenter Brings Substance to the Spectacle
Sabrina Carpenter’s live debut of *”Tears”* stood as the night’s most politically charged moment, and she didn’t apologize for it. Emerging from a literal manhole with drag queens and ballroom legends in tow, Carpenter transformed the VMAs stage into a street celebration of transgender rights. The dancers’ signs advocating for trans protections weren’t subtle—and they weren’t meant to be. In an evening light on meaningful content, Carpenter delivered both visual spectacle and social commentary without sacrificing either.
Lady Gaga Reminds Everyone How It’s Done
Lady Gaga swept in like a reminder of the VMAs’ better days, claiming Artist of the Year before delivering a gothic powerhouse performance of *”Abracadabra”* and *”The Dead Dance”* live from Madison Square Garden. Her dedication to “your unique spirit and movement” felt like a benediction for a crowd that needed reminding of its own cultural significance. Gaga understands the VMAs’ DNA better than most—she knows it’s supposed to feel dangerous, unpredictable, essential.
The Rest of the Night’s Scattered Highlights
Between the memorable moments, the show offered glimpses of what could have been. Doja Cat channeled the ’80s with “Jealous Type,” complete with Kenny G’s saxophone flourishes. Busta Rhymes collected the new Rock the Bells Visionary Award but recycled his 2021 medley—a choice that felt more lazy than nostalgic. Ricky Martin brought his usual energy to celebrate his honor, while J Balvin’s fan tribute struck the right emotional chord.
Tate McRae proved she’s built for this era’s VMAs with her acrobatic work on *”Revolving Door”* and *”Sports Car.”* Post Malone and Jelly Roll beamed in from Germany for their duet, and Megan Moroney made history by winning the first Best Country Video award—MTV’s belated acknowledgment that music exists outside major metropolitan areas.
CBS Brings Rookie Energy to a Veteran Show
The VMAs’ first outing on CBS carried all the growing pains you’d expect. Awkward government recruitment ads? Check. Repetitive booking decisions? Double check. The broadcast leaned heavily into 2000s nostalgia with appearances from Ashlee Simpson, Jessica Simpson, and Paris Hilton—a strategy that felt more like rummaging through old photo albums than celebrating contemporary culture.
Remembering Ozzy Osbourne
The tribute to Ozzy Osbourne brought Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry to the stage, a pairing that should have generated more electricity than it managed. Yungblud’s vocal contribution didn’t quite land, and the absence of key collaborators like Lita Ford left the segment feeling incomplete—a fitting metaphor for the void left by Osbourne’s passing earlier this year.
Conan Gray’s Theatrical Farewell
Conan Gray closed the night draped in red velvet, delivering *”Vodka Cranberry”* with all the theatrical flair of a Sleeping Beauty fever dream. His moody finale matched the evening’s subdued energy, leaving viewers with something to think about even if they’d forgotten most of what came before. It was a thoughtful end to a night that desperately needed more thoughts—and fewer moments where you checked your phone.
