MTV Video Music Awards 2025: 19 VMAs Moments You Might Have Missed This Year

Gather some of the biggest names in the music industry under one roof, and you’re more or less guaranteed an eventful evening. 

And when that evening happens to be the MTV Video Music Awards, it’s even more certain that a whole lot is about to go down.

This year’s VMAs took place in New York on Sunday night, with the guestlist including the likes of Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter and Doja Cat.

So, rather than scrolling your timeline and trying to piece together everything that happened, allow us to round up the evening with 19 A-list highlights from one of the most star-studded nights in the music calendar...

Doja Cat kicked things off by pulling some lipstick out of her lipstick-shaped bag, applying it, and then eating it, which pretty much set the tone for the night

Ariana Grande’s look was an absolute show-stopper

Sabrina Carpenter continued to serve old-school glamour in this feathers-and-lace combo

Meanwhile, Zara Larsson made sure the spirit of the 2000s was alive and well with this ensemble

And we’re kind of obsessed with KPop Demon Hunters star Audrey Nuna’s sleeping bag-inspired attire

Doja then kicked the ceremony off in style with this performance, paying homage to literally all of the greats

Lady Gaga’s reunion with Rain On Me collaborator Ariana Grande was a treat for fans

She accepted her award for Artist Of The Year before ducking out early to head across town for the New York stop on her Mayhem Ball

But Gaga’s performance was still an absolute scene-stealer, even if she wasn’t actually in the room for it

She also commemorated her four new awards – making her the night’s top winner – later in her concert (alright so this one didn’t technically happen at the VMAs but who does’t love to see Gaga celebrating her success?)

Other stand-out performances included Tate McRae bringing the choreo with a host of scantily-clad male dancers

Sabrina Carpenter celebrating the trans and LGBTQ+ communities with her rendition of Tears

And a host of musicians paying homage to the late Ozzy Osbourne

Oh Megan Stalter… please never change

Mariah Carey was awarded the coveted Video Vanguard award and marked the occasion with what we have to say was a rather low-energy medley of her hits

Best New Artist went to Alex Warren, who has had huge success with his breakthrough hit Ordinary

The Best Pop title went to Ariana Grande, who gave a special shout-out in her speech

Ariana also picked up the night’s top prize, Video Of The Year, for her half-hour short film Better Days Ahead

Conan Gray then closed the show with his song Vodka Cranberry, cramming a whole love story into less than three minutes