The MTV Video Music Awards were yesterday, hosted by Snoop Dogg. The show kicked off on time in person, but did have a 22-minute delay on TV due to the Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys game going late.
There were big wins and of course big performances. Taylor Swift won Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia.” Madonna won Artist of the Year, while BTS won Song of the Year for “Swim.” Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter, meanwhile, won Best Collaboration for their track “Bring Your Love.” Sienna Spiro took home the win for Best New Artist.
Taylor Swift became the first recipient of the Artist-Director Honor, presented to her by Dakota Johnson, who called Swift an “architect of emotional landscapes filled with the most intimate and intricate details.” She also debuted the music video for “Patient Zero” at the award show. With three wins in the night (Video of the Year, Best Direction, and the Artist-Director Honor), Swift’s total wins at the VMAs climbed to 33 in all, making her the most-awarded artist in MTV VMA history; she and Beyoncé had been tied with 30 VMAs before.
Nirvana received the Video Vanguard lifetime achievement award, with Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl, and Pat Smear accepting the honor. A video montage revisited iconic clips including “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “In Bloom” and “Heart-Shaped Box.” Novoselic paid tribute to late frontman Kurt Cobain, calling him “one of one” and crediting his vision for the band’s memorable videos.
Now let’s talk those big performances:
- Madonna returned to the MTV VMAs stage for the first time in 23 years, opening the show with Sabrina Carpenter and Charli xcx. She began on top of a piano as Carpenter played, with the pair trading verses on “Bring Your Love” before Madonna joined dancers in the audience. The stage then transformed into the bathroom set from the “Danceteria” music video. Charli emerged for the new “Danceteria Afterhours” remix, with Debi Mazar, Julia Garner, Seth Rogen, Sombr and more made cameos.
- RAYE brought vintage glamour to stage, opening with a brief performance of “I Will Overcome” in white fur before revealing a red dress for “Where Is My Husband!” A recorded message from her grandmother urged her at one point to “be patient,” promising, “your husband is coming.” Backed by a live band, she even worked in an interpolation of “Funky Town” into the performance at one point.
- Kacey Musgraves honored the late Dolly Parton with a moving performance of “I Will Always Love You.” The tribute opened with footage of Parton singing before Musgraves joined in and took over the song. The performance ended with Parton returning to the screen to say, “I’ll always love you,” before waving and adding, “Bye-bye!”
- Shaboozey brought real Western-inspired flair with songs from "The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales." He opened with "Cowgirl," turning the stage into a rowdy saloon scene. The performance then shifted into "High Noon," with Gunna arriving in a chariot and matching Shaboozey’s cowboy look.
- LISA delivered high-energy performance of “SaWaDiKa” alongside a crew of dancers and striking red visuals. She even performed part of the song while doing doughnuts in a life-sized tuk-tuk. LISA closed the performance with an intense dance break before posing on top of the vehicle, in a tribute to Thailand.
- Sombr, Raye, Teddy Swims and Adam Lambert honored the late George Michael with a star-studded medley at the MTV VMAs. Sombr performed “Faith” and “Father Figure,” while Raye delivered “Knew You Were Waiting.” Swims followed with “Careless Whisper,” and Lambert closed with “Freedom 90” alongside Meek and Saint Harison. Michael was a longtime VMAs favorite, earning four Moon Persons and 16 nominations during his career.
- Sienna Spiro made her MTV Video Music Awards debut with a striking performance of “Great Expectation.” Wearing a metallic dress, she opened under a spotlight on a stage-side replica of a spinning vinyl record. The set then expanded to reveal a band featuring horns, strings, and backing vocalists.
- Yung Lean and GENER8ION made their MTV VMAs debut with “Storm II.” The performance recreated the song’s music video, complete with a huge group of uniformed dancers. Lean opened by smashing a Moon Person statue before joining the group, and ended the set by spitting a blue ice cream cone into the camera.
Check out all the winners below.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
- GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
- Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Tears”- Island
- Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records - WINNER
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Ariana Grande – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
- Madonna – Warner Records - WINNER
- Morgan Wallen – Big Loud/Mercury Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – Island
- Taylor Swift – Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
- BTS – “Swim” – BIGHIT MUSIC - WINNER
- Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
- HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – “Golden” – Republic Records/Visva Records
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
- Olivia Dean – “Man I Need” – Island
- PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – Human Re Sources
BEST NEW ARTIST
- Bella Kay – Atlantic Records
- CORTIS – BIGHIT MUSIC
- Magnus Ferrell -Visva Records/Republic Records
- Malcolm Todd – Columbia Records
- Myles Smith – RCA Records
- Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records - WINNER
- Stella Lefty – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
BEST COLLABORATION
- Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – “Chains & Whips” – Roc Nation Distribution
- French Montana x Max B – “Ever Since U Left Me” – Coke Boys Records
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records - WINNER
- PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin
- Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – “Hard Part” – Def Jam Recordings
BEST POP
- Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
- Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
- LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./RCA Records - WINNER
- Olivia Rodrigo – “drop dead” – Geffen Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
- Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
- Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
BEST HIP-HOP
- Cardi B ft. Kehlani – “Safe” – Atlantic Records - WINNER
- Don Toliver – “E85” – Cactus Jack/ Atlantic Records
- Drake – “Janice STFU” – OVO/Republic Records
- Megan Thee Stallion – “LOVER GIRL” – Hot Girl Productions
- Travis Scott – “DUMBO” – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
- Tyler, The Creator – “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE” – Columbia Records
BEST R&B
- Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records - WINNER
- Chris Brown – “It Depends/Obvious” – RCA Records
- Dave & Tems – “Raindance” – Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
- Justin Bieber – “YUKON” – Def Jam Recordings
- Kehlani – “Folded” – Atlantic Records
- Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis – “Is It a Crime” – Epic Records
BEST ALTERNATIVE
- Geese – “Taxes” – Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
- mgk & Fred Durst – “FIX UR FACE” – EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
- Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide” – Mercury Records
- Olivia Rodrigo – “the cure” – Geffen Records - WINNER
- SOMBR – “Homewrecker” – SMB Music/Warner Records
- Tame Impala – “Dracula” – Columbia Records
- twenty one pilots – “Drag Path” – Fueled By Ramen
BEST DANCE
- Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion” – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
- Harry Styles – “Aperture” – Columbia Records
- Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
- Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records - WINNER
- PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- Slayyyter – “DANCE…” – RECORDS/Columbia Records
- Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
BEST LATIN
- Anitta with Shakira – “Choka Choka” – Republic Records/UMLE
- Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL” – Rimas Entertainment - WINNER
- Fuerza Regida – “TU SANCHO” – Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
- KAROL G – “Papasito” – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
- Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia – “La Perla” – Columbia Records
- Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA – “LA VILLA” – AWOO Corp./ Sony Music US Latin
- Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin
BEST K-POP
- BLACKPINK – “JUMP” – YG Entertainment
- BTS – “SWIM” – BIGHIT MUSIC - WINNER
- CORTIS – “REDRED” – BIGHIT MUSIC
- KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
- LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) – “SPAGHETTI” – SOURCE MUSIC
- LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
BEST COUNTRY
- Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records - WINNER
- Kacey Musgraves – “Dry Spell” – Lost Highway/Interscope Records
- Lainey Wilson – “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Broken Bow Records
- Luke Combs – “Back in the Saddle” – Columbia Nashville
- Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
- Stella Lefty – “Boston” – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
- Tucker Wetmore – “Brunette” – Back Blocks Music/Mercury Records
BEST DIRECTION
- Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
- GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
- Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
- Taylor Swift – “Opalite” – Republic Records - WINNER
BEST ART DIRECTION
- Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
- Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
- Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
- PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records - WINNER
- SOMBR – “My Body Isn’t Ready” – SMB Music/Warner Records
- Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
- A$AP Rocky – “PUNK ROCKY” – A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records
- Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
- LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
- Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records - WINNER
- Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
- Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
BEST EDITING
- Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
- LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
- Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island - WINNER
- Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
- GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
- Harry Styles – “Dance No More” – Columbia Records
- KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
- Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records - WINNER
- Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
- Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
- Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records - WINNER
- JISOO X ZAYN – “Eyes Closed” – Warner Records
- Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
- PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony.” – Human Re Sources
- Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
Source: Variety