The VMAs are basically prom night for pop stars, and this year’s edition at UBS Arena, New York was exactly what you’d expect: unhinged, fabulous, and a little bit chaotic. LL Cool J hosted (because apparently he has the lifetime contract for this gig), and the night gave us everything from Ariana Grande crying over Moon People to Mariah Carey reminding the entire building that she invented being iconic.
The Performances
Ricky Martin accepted his Latin Icon Award looking every bit as timeless as when he first sang Livin’ La Vida Loca. Mariah Carey performed a medley so powerful that we all collectively agreed to forgive her for that one New Year’s Eve incident. Sabrina Carpenter brought Tears to life – rain, drag queens, and a “Protect Trans Rights” sign included – serving pop star brilliance with a side of activism. Conan Gray arrived as a Renaissance prince at the VMAs, belting Vodka Cranberry while laying his beau on a bed of roses and proving his vocals are just as dramatic as his outfits. Oh, and Ozzy Osbourne got a tribute, because rock stars aren’t immune to time, even if Ricky is.
The Awards that Broke the Internet
Ariana Grande won Video of the Year for Brighter Days Ahead, which feels like a very Ariana way of saying the ponytail era is over. She also took home Best Pop, because yes, our girl can multitask, and panicked thinking she snapped her Moon Person, MTV’s very own astronaut-shaped bragging rights.
Lady Gaga, who showed up with 12 nominations, proved numbers don’t lie – she snagged Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration with Bruno Mars for Die With A Smile. It’s dramatic, it’s camp, it’s Gaga.
ROSÉ and Bruno Mars took Song of the Year for APT. – TikTok’s unofficial global anthem.
Alex Warren scored Best New Artist, confirming that he’s no “ordinary” YouTuber (get it?), and that YouTubers can in fact become real-life pop stars.
Sabrina Carpenter won Best Album for Short n’ Sweet and Best Pop Artist – proving pop stardom is apparently her cardio.
Sombr took Best Alternative for Back to Friends, the song that made every late-night spiral playlist feel like a dramatic indie movie soundtrack.
Coldplay won Best Rock, because between Chris Martin’s heartbreak gaze and exposing a corporate CEO, it’s hard to focus on anyone else.
And Blackpink grabbed Best Group, proving that global domination comes in four parts.
The Lifetime Achievement Awards
Mariah Carey won the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, reminding us all that she has more hits than we have brain cells. Meanwhile, Busta Rhymes got the Rock the Bells Visionary Award for… well, being Busta Rhymes.
The Snubs
Billie Eilish walked in with six nominations, including Video of the Year for Guess and Song of the Year for Birds of a Feather, yet walked out with only Video for Good – a letdown, made sharper by Hit Me Hard and Soft not even cracking Best Album. Kendrick Lamar’s night was equally head-scratching, despite 10 nominations and a Grammy sweep earlier this year with Not Like Us, his lone win came in Best Cinematography. Bad Bunny kept his curious streak alive, losing Best Latin once again – this time to Shakira’s Soltera – leaving him winless in the category since it was created in 2018 despite the massive success of Debi Tirar Mas Fotos.
Between Gaga announcing her MAYHEM Ball tour, a red carpet that looked like Pinterest on steroids, and enough jaw-dropping moments to fuel TikTok for weeks, the VMAs reminded us why they’re both ridiculous and irresistible.