Fez — Ariana Grande emerged as the night’s biggest winner at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, capturing Video of the Year for “Brighter Days Ahead.” The show, hosted by LL Cool J at UBS Arena, also named Grande the winner of Best Pop and Best Long Form Video, marking a triumphant return for the singer.
MTV’s official winners list confirmed Grande’s victories, which she accepted alongside director Christian Breslauer. The star-studded evening also crowned Lady Gaga as Artist of the Year, shortly before she resumed her Mayhem Ball world tour.
The 2025 edition spotlighted lifetime achievements across genres. Mariah Carey received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, celebrating her decades-long impact on pop. Ricky Martin was named the first recipient of the Latin Icon Award, while Busta Rhymes accepted the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award.
The show also honored Ozzy Osbourne, who died in July, with a rock tribute featuring Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, alongside YUNGBLUD and guitarist Nuno Bettencourt.
Breakout artist Alex Warren earned Best New Artist, while Megan Moroney won the first-ever Best Country award for “Am I Okay?”. Sabrina Carpenter took home Best Pop Artist and Best Album for “Short n’ Sweet,” affirming her mainstream breakthrough.
Other winners included Doechii for Best Hip-Hop with “Anxiety,” Coldplay for Best Rock with “All My Love,” Shakira for Best Latin with “Soltera,” and Charli XCX with Billie Eilish, who shared Video for Good for “Guess.”
At the 2025 VMAs, it was clear that women artists stole the show, from the vast dominance of women across major categories to the added recognition in a new genre, including Country. The night was a blend of legacy honors with rising stars in global pop culture. The ceremony blended legacy honors with rising talent, reinforcing its role as a global pop culture stage.
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