Click here for a Spotify playlist with the songs mentioned in this newsletter.

The 2025 VMAs were last night. Ariana Grande snagged the coveted Video of the Year for “Brighter Days Ahead,” Lady Gaga led the night with four wins including Artist of the Year, and Rosé and Bruno Mars scored Song of the Year for “APT.” Kendrick Lamar went 0-for-5 in fan voting but did pick up an award for cinematography. Mariah Carey accepted the Video Vanguard Award (watch her performance here), and Yungblud led an Ozzy Osbourne tribute with an assist from Steven Tyler.

BIGGEST Songs of the Month 📈

Doja Cat has worn many faces. First came the viral comedy rap of “Mooo!,” complete with a green-screen video of her twerking in a cow costume with French fries up her nose. Then there was the hip-house bite of “Boss Bitch,” a clear Azealia Banks echo on the Birds of Prey soundtrack. Next came the monster hit “Say So,” which helped ignite the pandemic’s disco obsession. She shifted again with “Streets,” a Weeknd-style slow burn that fueled one of TikTok’s biggest and most NSFW trends. And in 2022, she turned up in a Super Bowl commercial with a faithful grunge cover of Hole’s “Celebrity Skin.”