The 2025 VMAs was a night for delivering nostalgia, making a statement and keeping Lady Gaga shockingly busy.
The MTV Video Music Awards returned to the UBS Arena in New York for a lively Sept. 7 show, which marked the awards ceremony's first time airing on CBS. The evening was packed with rocking performances, emotional tributes and an unexpected amount of love for therapists.
From Sabrina Carpenter showing support for the trans community to the moment when Ariana Grande spoke for Mariah Carey fans everywhere, these were all the best and buzziest moments from the 2025 VMAs – plus, a look at what they were like in-person at the arena.
Lady Gaga was living the pop star equivalent of a sitcom episode where a character books two dates for one night.
The "Mayhem" icon was the most nominated artist at the VMAs, which took place the same evening she had a concert scheduled at Madison Square Garden. So she was forced to duck out of the VMAs no more than 15 minutes in and book it to her own show about 18 miles away, leaving the UBS Arena after accepting the first award of artist of the year.
