Best and worst MTV VMAs performances ranked

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The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards had a little something for everyone: a Latin superstar proving he's still got it after decades in the game, a pop diva hitting her signature high notes, a rap superstar executing some flawless lyrical delivery, a trio of rockstars honoring a recently lost legend and so much more. But not every act hit it out of the park… Join us as we look back at every performance from the 2025 VMAs, from worst to best — with the big caveat that, by and large, the evening was stuffed with solid numbers. Keep reading to see where your favorites landed on the list…

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No. 16: Megan Moroney

The audio department did her dirty… Megan Moroney looked adorable while performing her recently released single "6 Months Later" on the Extended Play stage. If only we'd been able to hear her! Unfortunately, we could barely make out her vocals over the sound of her sparkly guitar during this super-short number that clocked in at just 90 seconds. Bummer!

No. 15: Sombr

Sombr embraced a gritty aesthetic for his performance of "Back to Friends" and "12 to 12," and while it worked visually, we weren't so sure about his vocals, which probably would've sounded just fine on their own. The highlight of his set came during the transition between his biggest hit and his newest single when his female backup dancers lifted him in the air to carry him across the stage – which was quite the sight given his tall and lanky frame.

No. 14: Lola Young

Lola Young opened the Extended Play stage with a rendition of her hit single "Messy." Her vocals sounded great, yes, but ultimately, there was nothing to write home about with this by-the-book performance.

No. 13: Bailey Zimmerman and The Kid Laroi

Blinked and you missed it. Bailey Zimmerman and The Kid Laroi delivered a trimmed-down rendition of their recently released collaboration "Lost" that was over practically just as it was getting started — which is really a shame because the two young singers were really killing it with their harmonies.

No. 12: Post Malone and Jelly Roll

Post Malone and Jelly Roll are in the midst of the European leg of their "Big A** Stadium Tour," so they couldn't make it to the VMAs to perform their hit single "Losers" in person. Instead, fans were treated to a pre-recorded performance from one of their tour stops in Germany, which culminated in a fun fireworks display.

No. 11: Mariah Carey

We hate to say it, but Video Vanguard Award recipient Mariah Carey was a bit of a disappointment. Sure, she looked great and her vocals were perfectly on point as she belted her way through a medley of some of her biggest hits including "Fantasy," "Heartbreaker," "Obsessed" and "We Belong Together," hitting more than a few of her signature high notes in the process. But we just couldn't get past how painfully uncomfortable she appeared throughout her performance. There were so many interesting things happening on stage – roller skating backup dancers, for example – but we hardly noticed them as Mimi made her way across the stage with some of the lowest energy of the evening, leaving us to wonder, "Can she not walk in those gold bedazzled boots?!"

No. 10: Conan Gray

Conan Gray went full "theater kid" with his dramatic performance of his newly released single "Vodka Cranberry," which kicked off with him channeling Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, seemingly mourning a lost love. The singer, clad in an elaborate costume capped off with a bold cranberry-hued cape, hit some impressive high notes to close out the 2025 VMAs. It was good. We're just not sure it was epic enough to serve as the show's closing number…

No. 9: Alex Warren

Alex Warren has officially leveled up. Earlier this year, we called his performances of "Ordinary" during a competing award show "standard" and "a little boring." We're happy to say that's no longer the case. The singer-songwriter took things up a notch by opening his performance with a drumline that led into a rendition of his recently released single "Eternity" before he flowed into "Ordinary," accompanied by dancing backup singers who raised the energy until fireworks erupted across the stage.

No. 8: J Balvin with DJ Snake, Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez

J Balvin's VMAs performance may have started slowly with a rendition of "Zun Zun" that was polished but not necessarily anything to write home about. Fortunately, things turned explosive in the second half as the Colombian singer climbed atop a giant Timberland boot to perform "Noventa" accompanied by DJ Snake, Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, plus breakdancers and plenty of pyrotechnics.

No. 7: Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga ushered in Halloween season with a pre-recorded performance of her recently released single "The Dead Dance," preceded by a pre-recorded performance of her hit single "Abracadabra," both from her run of shows at New York City's Madison Square Garden. (The Mother Monster was forced to duck out of the VMAs early to make her show at the nearby arena.) The choreography was thrilling – literally taking cues from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" – and her vocals were perfectly on point. Too bad it wasn't live!

No. 6: Doja Cat with Kenny G

Doja Cat set the bar high out of the gate with her magnetic performance of her recently released single "Jealous Type." She opened the number by interrupting the evening's host, LL Cool J, with a video of herself that highlighted her wacky theatricality. She then descended from the rafters while sprawled across a sofa — to the tune of a saxophone-playing Kenny G. She may not have done much in the way of actual singing, focusing instead on nailing some of the show's most impressive choreography, but it worked for us. We also loved how Doja honored MTV's roots by embracing an '80s aesthetic between her colorful set design and her backup dancers' retro fits.

No. 5: Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Yungblud with Nuno Bettencourt

Aerosmith legends Steven Tyler and Joe Perry teamed up with Yungblud and guitarist Nuno Bettencourt for a tribute to recently deceased rock legend Ozzy Osbourne — and let's just say the Princes of Darkness would be proud. The medley kicked off with Yungblud handling vocals on Osbourne's hit single "Crazy Train." He then tackled Black Sabbath's "Changes" before Tyler took over lead vocals for the ballad "Mama, I'm Coming Home," which ended as a duet between the two singers, who perfectly exemplified Osbourne's impact on both the older and younger generations.

No. 4: Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star, Joyner Lucas, Papoose and GloRilla

No one spits verse like Busta Rhymes — recipient of the evening's Rock the Bells Visionary Award — who delivered a flawless medley of some of his biggest hits including "Break Ya Neck," "Gimme Some More," "Scenario," "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See" and "Pass the Courvoisier" accompanied by Spliff Star, Joyner Lucas, Papoose and GloRilla. The performance featured backup dancers and an elaborate set design, but it was all secondary to Busta's incomparable, lightning-fast lyrical delivery.

No. 3: Tate McRae

Tate McRae raised temperatures (literally!) with a mashup of her hit singles "Revolving Door" and "Sports Car" that featured some truly impressive choreography courtesy of her male backup dancers — delightfully clad in nothing but briefs – who used their bodies to create various vignettes before the pop star turned the stage into a giant sandbox, then into a blazing inferno of pyrotechnics.

No. 2: Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter brought her signature theatricality to the VMAs with her performance of her newly released single "Tears," which kicked off as she climbed onto the stage from a manhole onto a set that paid homage to New York City's drag scene, complete with several RuPaul's Drag Race alums and ballroom superstars. As the number progressed into a powerful piece of protest art advocating for trans rights, rain began to pour on stage, soaking the former child star and sealing her fate as one of the evening's top performers.

No. 1: Ricky Martin

He's still got it! Ricky Martin knocked it out of the park with a medley of several of his greatest hits including "Livin' la Vida Loca," "Maria" and "The Cup of Life." The electric, dance-heavy performance kicked off with the first ever Latin Icon Award recipient descending from the rafters in a box — and things only got more exciting from there. Jessica Simpson said it best when she presented his award following the performance: "He's still one of the most dynamic performers I know. I mean, come on, he just crushed it! And what a babe. How hot is Ricky Martin?" she gushed. "Extremely hot" is the correct answer to that question!