Did you stay up until 11:20 PM last Wednesday watching this year’s VMAs? Well, we did. Held at the ​​UBS Arena in Long Island in New York, this year marked the 40th anniversary of the ceremony celebrating musical artistry and influential music video culture. From epic performances during the show to unforgettable fashion moments on the black carpet, this year’s MTV Video Music Awards did not disappoint. Join us as we take a closer look at how this iconic evening lived up to its reputation.

Rating some of this year’s black carpet looks:

Taylor Swift stepped out in an outfit from Maria Grazia Chiuri’s 2025 resort collection for Christian Dior. This silhouette is very well done, and the plaid is an interesting punk-esque twist on what she would normally wear. She swapped outfits to a bejeweled custom Morse minidress finished with a UFO design on the front, a parallel to her hit song “Down Bad,” and the accompanying performance. Many fans theorized about the announcement of Reputation Taylor’s Version because of the edgier look but were left wanting more as nothing dropped.

The honored recipient of the MTV Video Vanguard Award, Katy Perry was the star of the night! Dressed in the new 2025 Who Decides War spring collection, she is absolutely one of our favorite looks of the night. Her fiancé Orlando Bloom also attended…but his monochromatic simple black suit is a little boring (sorry Orlando)! The asymmetrical draping of the fabric and the trailing hemline perfectly complement the ‘wet look’ of her hair and makeup.

Lil Nas X is always known for his unique fashion statements. On the carpet filled with drab and expected navy/black suits with minimal accessories, he brings the little bit of flair that keeps us all interested. The matching pink nails on top of his fun twist on a Power Ranger outfit make his entire ensemble. Many also believe the pink to be very Barbie-like in nature, but this has neither been confirmed nor denied by the singer himself. Either way, inspired by Power Rangers, Barbie, or both, he has mastered the art of bringing fun back to fashion.

Many male celebrities ditch the shirt on the carpet in attempts to stray away from the expected outfits, but Lenny Kravitz’s all-leather look added his personal style to the trend. His fitted bomber jacket paired with the matching low-rise leather pants shows an element of rock and roll. Along with his large black sunglasses, white contrasting boots, silver cross embellished black tie, studded belt, and accompanying silver jewelry, it’s safe to say Kravitz’s curated look from Rodney Burns has no lack of accessories.

Mirroring Britney Spears’ 2001 Dolce & Gabbana VMAs outfit, popstar Tate McRae wore a similar, high-necked black lace mini dress by Roberto Cavalli. The 40th anniversary of the VMAs called for many throwbacks and references, McRae has always had a love for all things Britney Spears, calling her an incredible performer. Many fans have also noticed similarities between their performance styles: from the headset mics to the insane choreography. Her black lace ensemble stayed true to who she is while still paying homage to Britney as well.

Our favorite of this year’s performances during the ceremony:

Sabrina Carpenter: “Please Please Please,” “Taste,” “Espresso”

Sabrina Carpenter made her debut on the main stage of the VMAs last night with a few songs from her new album: Short n’ Sweet, and it’s safe to say she made a good first impression. Carpenter first appeared suspended from the ceiling on a diamond-encrusted swing to start her first song. As she was lowered onto her stage, designed as the moon’s surface, she sang her new song “Taste” live for the first time. Finally, she cut into the Song of The Year, “Espresso,” after a quick outfit change, while strutting down the stage surrounded by an entourage of astronaut dancers.

Katy Perry: A medley

Katy Perry won the Video Vanguard Award of 2024, meaning the ceremony this year was celebrating the achievements of her musical career, especially the artistic influence of her music videos. As the recipient of this award, Perry was granted an extra-long performance before accepting it. She performed a variety of pop classics, from “Dark Horse” to “California Gurls.” Perry danced, walked around the venue, and was even suspended from the ceiling as she sang her way through the top songs from her discography. She finally finished off her performance with her hit song, “Firework.”

Chappell Roan: “Good Luck, Babe”

At her VMAs debut, Chappell Roan performed her hit single “Good Luck, Babe.” Roan is well known for her impressive costumes, and she definitely lived up to these expectations at her performance. She wore a full medieval knight costume, wielding a flaming crossbow. At the beginning of the song, she shot the crossbow at a large castle which caught on fire and began to burn behind her. She sang and danced, along with a group of knights with swords, in front of the castle as it went up in flames. Roan gave us a monumental performance, delivering both vocals and visuals.

Lenny Kravitz featuring Quavo: “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” “Human,” “Fly”

Lenny Kravitz opened his performance with one of his older songs, followed by his new single which he won the Best Rock Award for earlier that night. As if there wasn’t already enough energy coming from this performance, Kravtiz brought out Quavo to perform his last song, “Fly,” which is a trap remix of his older song “Fly Away.” Together, Kravitz and Quavo made quite the stellar duo. This vivacious performance was a nice pick-me-up in the last quarter of the VMAs when most viewers were probably getting tired from staying up late.

Megan Thee Stallion featuring Yuki Chiba: A Medley

Megan Thee Stallion was the host of this year’s VMAs, so her performance was highly anticipated. She performed a medley of songs from her newest album before captivating the crowd with one of her most popular songs, “Hiss.” However, the peak of her performance was definitely when she performed her new song “Mamushi” and brought out Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba as a surprise guest. Together, the duo showcased great vocals and dance moves and delivered a great performance.