The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, dubbed "Music's Most Iconic Night," successfully aired live coast-to-coast on Sunday, September 7, from New York's UBS Arena. Marking a significant shift, this year's VMAs were the first to be broadcast on CBS, simulcast on MTV, and streamed on Paramount+, a strategic move as CBS prepares to lose the Grammy Awards franchise after 2027. Hosted by LL COOL J, who previously co-hosted in 2022, the event delivered a star-studded lineup of performances, presenters, and honorees, culminating in a night of record-breaking viewership and engagement.

Leading up to the show, MTV revealed an impressive roster of artists set to perform and present. Performers included top chart-toppers like Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Tate McRae, Alex Warren, and Sabrina Carpenter, all of whom had topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2025. Mariah Carey was announced as this year's Video Vanguard Award recipient, performing a career-spanning medley. Busta Rhymes was honored with the MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award, and Ricky Martin received the inaugural Latin Icon Award, both slated to perform medleys of their hits. A special tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away on July 22 at age 76, was a highlight, with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry, YUNGBLUD, and Nuno Bettencourt joining forces for a medley of his greatest hits. The pre-show, hosted by Nessa and Kevan Kenney, featured performances by KATSEYE, while the VMAs Extended Play Stage moved in-show for the first time, showcasing first-time nominees Bailey Zimmerman feat. The Kid LAROI, Lola Young, and Megan Moroney.

Lady Gaga led the nominations with an impressive 12 nods, closely followed by her "Die With a Smile" collaborator Bruno Mars with 11. Other top contenders included Kendrick Lamar (10), Sabrina Carpenter (nine), ROSÉ (eight), Ariana Grande and The Weeknd (seven each), Billie Eilish and Tate McRae (six each), Charli xcx (five), and Alex Warren, Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus, and Morgan Wallen (four each). Presenters included a mix of celebrities such as Ashlee Simpson Ross, Brittany Snow, Ciara, Drew Barrymore, Ice Spice, Jessica Simpson, Latto, Livvy Dunne, Malin Ackerman, Meg Stalter, Nikki Glaser, and Paris Hilton, alongside the fictional trio HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters.

On the awards night, Lady Gaga emerged as the big winner, securing four Moon Person trophies including Artist of the Year, Best Art Direction, Best Direction, and Best Collaboration for "Die With a Smile" with Bruno Mars, adding to her already impressive 18 VMA wins. Ariana Grande also had a successful night, taking home three awards for Video of the Year and Best Long-Form Video for "Brighter Days Ahead," as well as Best Pop. Sabrina Carpenter also earned three trophies for Pop Artist, Album for "Short n’ Sweet," and Best Visual Effects for "Manchild." ROSÉ won Song of the Year for her Billboard Hot 100 hit "APT." with Bruno Mars, while her BLACKPINK bandmate LISA, with Doja Cat and RAYE, claimed the Best K-Pop award for "Born Again." Other notable winners included Alex Warren for Best New Artist, Doechii for Best Hip-Hop, Mariah Carey for Best R&B, sombr for Best Alternative, Coldplay for Best Rock, Shakira for Best Latin, Tyla for Best Afrobeats, Megan Moroney for Best Country, KATSEYE for MTV Push Performance of the Year (January 2025), and BLACKPINK for Best Group. The honorees, Mariah Carey, Ricky Martin, and Busta Rhymes, all delivered memorable career-spanning performances, reinforcing their legendary status.

The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards proved to be a resounding success, achieving a six-year viewership high with more than 5.5 million viewers across CBS, MTV, and Paramount+. This made it the night's number one entertainment program and the most-watched day-of-event VMAs since 2019. The show saw a 42% increase in audience from the previous year. It was also the third-largest live-streamed entertainment event on Paramount+ for the year, behind only the Grammy and Golden Globe Awards. The VMAs' voting campaign set a new record with 2.5 billion global votes, up 121% from last year, and on social media, it recorded 1 billion global video views and 81.1 million engagements, trending at No. 1 on X in the U.S. for three consecutive hours and worldwide for four hours. Critics largely praised the show, with Billboard's Joe Lynch calling it "one of the best VMAs in recent memory," highlighting performances by female pop stars and the Ozzy Osbourne tribute. While some critics noted a potential overemphasis on legacy acts, the show successfully balanced celebrating veterans with showcasing contemporary talent. Executive produced by Bruce Gillmer, Jesse Ignjatovic, and Barb Bialkowski, with Van Toffler as producer, the event solidified its position as a major cultural moment.