Ariana Grande's Brighter Days Ahead wins Video of the Year medcom.id
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards
SEPTEMBER 30, 2025, 2:47 P.M.
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), held on Sunday, September 7, was a night to remember, uniting past legends and rising stars on one stage. While the VMAs honor legendary artists who’ve shaped music and pop culture, they also elevate new talent, offering breakthrough artists a bold, high-profile platform to reach global audiences. This year was certainly no exception to that and even brought forth the new Latin Icon Award, reinforcing the VMAs' status as one of the most exciting and unpredictable nights in music.
As with most award shows, the VMAs feature a wide range of categories, including some legacy awards exclusive to the show. The Video Vanguard Award, one of the VMAs’ highest honors, has always represented career-spanning excellence. This year, Mariah Carey received it for her timeless classics, such as "We Belong Together" and "Fantasy," which continue to inspire generations with her awe-inspiring performances of them. A more recent award, the Rock the Bells Visionary Award, honoring hip-hop artists who’ve made a cultural impact, was presented to Busta Rhymes for his endless hits from Break Ya Neck to Scenario, making a lasting impact with his high-energy medleys. The final legacy award, the newly introduced Latin Icon Award, which recognizes Latin artists with global influence, was presented to Ricky Martin for his lasting impact since his hit single Livin’ la Vida Loca.
The VMAs also have many other notable awards handed out throughout the ceremony, like the following. The night’s biggest honor, Video of the Year, was given to Ariana Grande for Brighter Days Ahead, a visual masterpiece of emotion and healing, also winning Best Pop Video and Best Long Form Video.
EBHS Sophomore Brianna Hosang said, “Ariana has always been a spectacular artist, and this video just highlights the quality of her music and her brand.”
Artist of the Year was given to Lady Gaga for her new theatrical hit Abracadabra, also winning three other awards throughout the ceremony. Song of the Year went to the hit song APT by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars that dominated playlists throughout the year. Best New Artist was given to Alex Warren for his hit song Ordinary, a track showcasing a unique music style. Sabrina Carpenter was awarded Best Album for Short n’ Sweet, her most successful release yet. And last but certainly not least, KATSEYE, the new viral global girl group, won the MTV Push Performance of the Year Award. This award spotlights rising artists through MTV’s Push program, and KATSEYE’s win perfectly captured the VMA’s spirit of celebrating legends of the past and stars of the future.
EBHS Sophomore Eshan Hossain said, “KATSEYE blew up so fast, and for them to get recognition in the VMAs just shows how quickly music evolves and represents the next generation of artists coming in.”
Overall, the 2025 VMAs celebrated the full spectrum of music from timeless legends to the next generation of stars, remaining a platform for recognizing artists who shape music across generations.
