2025 iHeartRadio Innovator Award winner: Lady Gaga photo: Anna Lee for iHeartRadio
The 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards gathered some of the most iconic artists on Monday, March 17 to celebrate all things music from the last year and the summer ahead. Hosted by LL COOL J, the event took place at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, aired LIVE on FOX and broadcasted live on iHeartRadio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app. The awards show featured performances by Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, GloRilla, Gracie Abrams, Kenny Chesney, Muni Long, Nelly, Tori Kelly and more.
iHeartRadio Music Awards to feature special appearances by Becky G, Billy Idol, Feid, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Joel McHale, Kekoa Kekumano, Kelsea Ballerini, Nikki Glaser, Offset, Robin Thicke, Scott Caan, Sexyy Red, Victoria Monét and more.
The 12th annual iHeartRadio Music Awards celebrated the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2024, while also offering a preview of the upcoming hits of 2025. The show featured award presentations in multiple categories, live performances from the biggest artists in music, surprise guests and collaborations and will showcase the stories of the winning artists’ road to #1.
Additionally, 13-time Grammy Award, Academy Award and Golden Globe Award winning artist Lady Gaga was honored with the 2025 iHeartRadio Innovator Award, Mariah Carey, the elusive chanteuse and best-selling female artist of all time, was honored with the 2025 iHeartRadio Icon Award and Nelly received the 2025 iHeartRadio Landmark Award. Additionally, Gracie Abrams also received the 2025 iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award.
To celebrate iHeartRadio’s “Tour of the Century Award” honoring Taylor Swift The Eras Tour, which launched two years ago to the day of this year’s telecast, an exclusive performance from that opening night show of The Eras’s Tour premiered during the Awards telecast.
Additional highlights included:
• Billie Eilish and FINNEAS opened the show with a powerful performance of “Wildflower” as they spun around on stage lit by the crowd.
• LL COOL J took the stage to salute heroic Los Angeles firefighters who kept the city safe during the recent fires.
• Green Day won Alternative Artist of the Year, presented by Joel McHale and Billy Idol.
• Nelly was celebrated for the 25th anniversary of his “Country Grammar” album and treated fans to a performance full of career-spanning hits, including “Country Grammar,” “Ride Wit Me,” “Air Force Ones,” “E.I.” and “Hot In Herre,” after his wife and R&B legend Ashanti surprised him with a sweet introduction. The two then shared a kiss onstage as Ashanti handed Nelly his 2025 iHeartRadio Landmark Award.
• Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg and Robin Thicke presented SZA with R&B Artist of the Year.
• Doechii presented Lady Gaga with the iHeartRadio Innovator Award after a package celebrating her groundbreaking career, with Gaga promising in her speech that she’s not done innovating yet and honoring her two Italian-American grandmothers: “Those women, my ancestors, they’re the greatest innovators that I’ve ever known.”
• Billie Eilish talked about her long-standing friendship with Gracie Abrams, who performed a passionate rendition of “That’s So True” before accepting the iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award.
• Mariah Carey was honored with the iHeartRadio Icon Award after Muni Long and Tori Kelly covered some of her biggest songs, with Muni singing “We Belong Together” and Tori performing “Always Be My Baby.” Mariah sang along from her seat for both performances before accepting the award from LL COOL J.
• Victoria Monét and FEID introduced Hip Hop Artist of the Year GloRilla, who performed “NEVER FIND” and “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” before accepting her award.
• Sabrina Carpenter accepted the iHeartRadio Music Award for Pop Song of the Year and Pop Artist of the Year via video from her Short n’ Sweet Tour.
• Kelsea Ballerini introduced her “hometown hero” Kenny Chesney, who performed a special rendition of his hit “Get Along.”
• SZA presented Billie Eilish and FINNEAS with the Album of the Year Award for Billie’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft.”
• Taylor Swift accepted the Tour of the Century Award via video, and treated fans to an exclusive performance of “Mirrorball” from the first night of The Eras Tour.
• Becky G and Offset introduced Bad Bunny who filled the stage with 60 dancers for an energetic performance of “EoO” from his newest album, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.”
• Benson Boone won Song of the Year for his massive hit “Beautiful Things” and thanked his fans and everyone who has believed in him.
And the iHeartRadio Award winners are:
Artist of the Year
• Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
• “Beautiful Things”- Benson Boone
Pop Song of the Year
• “Espresso”- Sabrina Carpenter
Pop Artist of the Year
• Sabrina Carpenter
Pop Album of the Year
• “The Tortured Poets Department” – Taylor Swift
Best Collaboration
• “Die With A Smile”- Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
Best New Artist (Pop)
• Teddy Swims
Country Song of the Year
• “I Had Some Help”- Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen
Country Artist of the Year
• Jelly Roll
Best New Artist (Country)
• Shaboozey
Country Album of the Year
• “F-1 Trillion” – Post Malone
Hip-Hop Song of the Year
• “Not Like Us”- Kendrick Lamar
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
• GloRilla
Hip-Hop Album of the Year
• “We Don’t Trust You” – Future & Metro Boomin
Best New Artist (Hip-Hop)
• BossMan Dlow
R&B Song of the Year
• “Made For Me”- Muni Long
R&B Artist of the Year
• SZA
Best New Artist (R&B)
• 4Batz
Best World Music Artist
• Tyla
Alternative Song of the Year
• “Too Sweet”- Hozier
Alternative Artist of the Year
• Green Day
Alternative Album of the Year
• “Clancy” – twenty one pilots
Best New Artist (Alt and Rock)
• Fontaines D.C.
Rock Song of the Year
• “A Symptom of Being Human” – Shinedown
Rock Artist of the Year
• Shinedown
Rock Album of the Year
• “From Zero” – Linkin Park
Dance Song of the Year
• “360” – Charli xcx
Dance Artist of the Year
• David Guetta
Dance Album of the Year
• “Brat” – Charli xcx
Latin Pop / Urban Song of the Year
• “PERRO NEGRO”- Bad Bunny featuring FEID
Latin Pop / Urban Artist of the Year
• FEID
Latin Pop/ Urban Album of the Year
• “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” – Shakira
Best New Artist (Latin Pop / Urban)
• Kapo
Regional Mexican Song of the Year
• “Alch Si” – Grupo Frontera and Carin León
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year
• Peso Pluma
Best New Artist (Regional Mexican)
• Xavi
Regional Mexican Album of the Year
• “ÉXODO” – Peso Pluma
K-Pop Artist of the Year
• ATEEZ
K-Pop Song of the Year
• “Who” – Jimin
K-Pop Album of the Year
• “ATE” – Stray Kids
Best New Artist (K-pop)
• ILLIT
Producer of the Year
• Julian Bunetta
Songwriter of the Year
• Amy Allen
Label of the Year
• Republic Records
(New for 2025) Favorite Soundtrack: *Socially Voted Category
• Wicked
(New for 2025) Favorite Broadway Debut: *Socially Voted Category
• Rachel Zegler – “Romeo + Juliet”
(New for 2025) Favorite K-Pop Dance Challenge: *Socially Voted Category
• “GGUM”- Yeonjun (TXT)
(New for 2025) Favorite Surprise Guest: *Socially Voted Category
• Taylor Swift bringing out Travis Kelce
(New for 2025) Favorite Tour Tradition *Socially Voted Category
• Taylor Swift – Surprise songs
Best Lyrics: *Socially Voted Category
• “Fortnight” – Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone
Best Music Video: *Socially Voted Category
• “Fortnight”- Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone
Favorite Tour Style: *Socially Voted Category
• Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour
Favorite Tour Photographer: *Socially Voted Category
• Alfredo Flores (Sabrina Carpenter)
Favorite On Screen: *Socially Voted Category
• “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)” (Taylor Swift)
For a full list of categories, visit iHeartRadio.com/awards