I went to the 2025 MTV VMAs. These are the artists who bought the loudest cheers from followers.

ELMONT, N.Y. — Get there as much as 4 hours earlier than the present. Put together to stroll a mile to the world. Lock your cellphone in a magnetic pouch that renders it ineffective. Costume on-trend, however don’t put on white, sequins, neon, heels, open-toed sneakers, hats or shirts with logos on them. Clap along with your fingers above your head. Hold that enthusiasm for 3 straight hours.

These are only a few of the principles that the individuals who have been chosen to function on-camera viewers members should observe to attend the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, that are form of just like the Olympics for pop music superfans.

I infiltrated the seated part simply past the pit, the place viewers members collect across the stage to cheer for the numerous acts that ship quick however intense performances all through the night time. In these greater ranges, we didn’t have to face for seven hours or give up our telephones, which made me all of the extra appreciative of the extra intense stans who did. Their stamina and offline enthusiasm have been almost as spectacular as that of the artists themselves.

Superfans, assemble

MTV set me up with a seat by means of 1iota, an internet site the place followers can apply at no cost tickets to on-air occasions. Contained in the UBS Enviornment, the place the VMAs have been held, I sat beside two 27-year-olds from Queens, N.Y., who’ve been going to live shows collectively since highschool. Joyce goes to lots of occasions by means of 1iota, together with the VMAs in 2022, the place she particularly wished to see Okay-pop group Blackpink. Her good friend, Anika, joked that she was Joyce’s third alternative for a plus-one, however she wasn’t offended as a result of she is aware of Joyce may be very strategic about her fandom.

Joyce was even hesitant to inform me which artists she was most excited to see. To get these tickets, all of us needed to record which acts we wished to look at probably the most, and Joyce tells me she simply named as many individuals as doable. She didn’t wish to discriminate. As a fan, she’s a generalist, which implies she’s simply always enthused.

That gave the impression to be precisely what the present’s producers have been in search of. One took the stage simply earlier than the published to instruct viewers members on the best way to clap — along with your fingers above your head, as a result of that’s what seems to be greatest on TV.

“I’m right here to verify we make good tv in the present day,” the producer mentioned, reminding folks to “present like to all people who hits the stage.” The identical stans screaming for Tate McRae would additionally must lose their minds for artists whose careers peaked earlier than they have been born, like Busta Rhymes and Ricky Martin. It’s an odd request for followers in 2025, when the web is extra fragmented and radicalized than ever. Even the audience-voted awards on the VMAs pit superfans in opposition to one another, mobilizing on-line armies to swarm net pages, promote their causes on-line and tear down the competitors.

Nonetheless, the absence of rabid stans — or the pacification of them — was probably deliberate. The purpose within the enviornment was good TV and good vibes, not sparking web debate about which artists had one of the best outfits, units or music. That’s a recreation that may be performed totally from residence.

On my left sat my husband Alex, probably the most even-keeled individual I do know. I deliberate to check his reactions as a fish-out-of-water to the followers who have been taking this occasion, and their roles in it, very critically. He has one weak spot, although: He’s been a longtime Girl Gaga supporter, aka just a little monster, since 2008. Naturally, she was the primary superstar everybody freaked out about, together with him — particularly as a result of nobody anticipated her to truly present as much as the UBS Enviornment when she had a efficiency scheduled throughout city at Madison Sq. Backyard on the identical time. Her powers transcended the restrictions of New York Metropolis visitors.

Simply earlier than the present started, there was a rustling in the midst of the venue as folks all through each part craned their necks and telephones to see what celebrities had descended to take a seat among the many frequent folks. It was Ariana Grande in polka dots and Girl Gaga in a dramatic feathered gown. This was no TV-friendly response, however a burst of genuine, widespread pleasure — the A-listers’ arrivals set the bar excessive for fan reactions all through the night time.

Fandemonium

As somebody who spends lots of time lurking in fan areas on-line, I assumed I may predict many of the artists who would encourage an particularly intense response, however I used to be nonetheless stunned by a number of: Individuals rushed to their ft for Lola Younger’s 2-minute efficiency of her TikTok-famous music “Messy.” McRae’s notably athletic dance strikes earned feral cheers. A Busta Rhymes fan behind me screamed a lot all through his wildly energetic efficiency that she was later singled out by a safety guard and pulled down into the pit for a greater view of the rest of the present.

Once I polled the folks I handed within the viewers earlier than the present began, the artist folks have been far and away most excited to see was Sabrina Carpenter. Regardless of going through on-line backlash for her provocative new album “Man’s Finest Pal,” followers at each degree of the world have been on their ft and straining to document her efficiency of “Tears” backed by drag queens and ending with a splash paying tribute to Britney Spears.

In distinction, every time Alex Warren’s identify was learn aloud, there was scattered applause and comparatively muted reactions. He’s bought the largest music of the 12 months thus far — “Bizarre” is the music of summer time and not possible to keep away from on-line and within the wild because it dominates the radio. When he carried out it backed by darkish forest visuals and surrounded by a drumline, his secular reward music made the viewers rise to their ft. These allowed pulled out their telephones to document, however they remained silent. It’s like all of us knew we have been watching a brand new star emerge, although not completely offered on him but. He gained Finest New Artist, which was most likely appropriate.

Because the night time wore on and the mandate to assist every musical act equally fell by the wayside, I seen a gaggle of younger girls crowding on one facet of the stage. They have been making an attempt to catch the eyes of Katseye, a worldwide woman group that just lately broke the web with a tightly choreographed Hole advert. I noticed a lady performing the dance from the business to attempt to get their consideration from her seat. It labored — as did the cheers of followers breaking the principles to get nearer to them. They didn’t carry out within the enviornment, however they nonetheless managed to get the largest crowd response of the night time. Once I checked X after the present, my feed was stuffed with memes of them for the primary time ever.

‘That’s everlasting’

Given the youthfulness of the viewers, I used to be mildly involved that the legendary-but-older artists MTV recruited to spark nostalgia may get a lesser response, however I used to be unsuitable — they took the stage early within the night time and carried out recognizable medleys.

Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey each delivered skillful vocals whereas surrounded by high-energy dancers, whom Alex obsessively recorded. Anika and Joyce mistakenly recognized Steven Tyler and Joe Perry as members of the Rolling Stones, not Aerosmith, however have been nonetheless moved by their tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, led by Yungblud. “Looks as if a foolish man,” Joyce mentioned about Osbourne as projections of his face appeared on a gothic background.

Ricky Martin ascended from a cage above the viewers earlier than bouncing round throughout the stage. “What a zest for all times he has,” Joyce remarked, solely loosely recognizing him. The pair quietly tried to work out who he was amongst themselves, and Joyce was stunned to listen to that Martin is homosexual.

Simply as Joyce was moved by Martin, Alex was moved by J Balvin, whose efficiency was high-energy and neon-tinged, that includes break dancers and an enormous boot. That’s the magic of the VMAs — music lovers of all generations get to change into followers of artists by means of their most spectacular performances, giving them momentum to maintain exploring and attending to know them deeper. That’s one thing that algorithms can’t essentially recreate.

“Music evolves, movies evolve, however the enjoyable, that’s everlasting,” Carey mentioned in her acceptance speech for the Video Vanguard Award, MTV’s excessive honor bestowed upon a music video legend yearly.

As somebody with each completely fashionable superfans known as “Lambs” and informal supporters who journey her surges in recognition each December when “All I Need for Christmas Is You” returns to the highest of the charts, she may be onto one thing. It’s arduous to outline fandom in 2025, however you’ll be able to rely on the truth that it’s evolving and nonetheless extraordinarily enjoyable.