Bruno Mars and Rosé’s epic collaboration “Apt.” was named Song of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Rosé accepted the award solo during the Sunday, September 7, ceremony at UBS Arena in New York, making her the first-ever K-pop artist to win in this category. While Mars, 39, was absent from the awards show, Rosé gave him a shout-out, calling him an “incredible teacher.” She also thanked her fellow Blackpink band members — Jisoo, Jennie and Lisa — in her speech.
“Someone asked me the other day what my fear in life was and I was quite shocked at my own response. I had no idea how deeply personal this journey has been for me,” Rosé said. “I told them I feared that somewhere along the way of this journey of pursuing my dreams I might hit a wall and possibly disappoint my 16-year-old self who grew up always and oddball among society that wished some day she too could be herself and equally pursue her dreams just as well as anyone else I saw on television.”
She dedicated the win to her 16-year-old self.
“To all those who have watched me grow into the artist that I am today and place their dreams and me to make this change. Everything the one of you has put me here, and now I believe there is no imposter in the world when MTV has given me this award here at the VMAs,” she continued. “This is a really big moment for 16-year-old me and anyone else was dreamed of being accepted equally for their hard work.”
Ten songs were nominated in the category, including Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” Doechii’s “Anxiety,” Ed Sheeran’s “Sapphire,” Gracie Abrams’ “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” Lady Gaga and Mars’ “Die With a Smile,” Lorde’s “What Was That,” Tate McRae’s “Sports Car” and The Weeknd and Playboi Carti’s “Timeless.”
Many of the Song of the Year nominees were up for awards in other categories as well. “Apt.” racked up six additional nods for Video of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best Pop, Best Direction, Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects.
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With three more nods each, “Anxiety” by Doechii, 27, was up for Best Hip-Hop, Video for Good and Best Choreography, “Sapphire” by Sheeran, 34, vied for for Best Pop, Best Cinematography and Best Editing and “Die With a Smile” by Gaga, 39, and Mars competed for Video of the Year, Best Collaboration and Best Pop.
“Timeless” by The Weeknd, 35, and Carti, 29, landed two additional nominations for Video of the Year and Best R&B.
“Ordinary” by Warren, 24, and “Birds of a Feather” by Eilish, 23, both earned one extra nod for Best Pop and Video of the Year, respectively.
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Meanwhile, “I Love You, I’m Sorry” by Abrams, 26, “What Was That” by Lorde, 28, and “Sports Car” by McRae, 22, were only nominated for Song of the Year.
Ahead of the ceremony, Gaga led with the most nominations of any artist with a total of 12. The other Song of the Year nominees followed with 11 nods for Mars, eight for Rosé, seven for The Weeknd, six for Eilish, four for Doechii, Sheeran and McRae, three for Warren, Lorde and Carti and one for Abrams.
As for the Song of the Year category, it was introduced in 2018. Past winners include Post Malone and 21 Savage’s “Rockstar,” Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road,” Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain on Me,” Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso.”
