What the 2025 VMAs Told Us About Next Year’s Biggest Tours
A recap of the VMAs and a hint at which tours could dominate 2026.
The 2025 MTV VMAs delivered standout wins, powerful performances, and viral moments that fans are still talking about. Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, and Sabrina Carpenter stole the spotlight, but rising stars like Alex Warren and Tate McRae also had their moments. Taken together, the night hinted at which tours could dominate 2026.
The Recap: Who Owned the Night
Ariana Grande won three awards, including Video of the Year for “Brighter Days Ahead.” She thanked her fans and teased, “we’ll see you on tour,” sending presale signups and resale searches into overdrive.
Lady Gaga walked away with the most awards of the night, including Artist of the Year, and performed from her Madison Square Garden show. Seeing her collect trophies while selling out arenas points to more dates ahead.
Sabrina Carpenter turned her performance into a cultural moment. She danced through a rain-soaked set that nodded to Britney Spears’ iconic VMA staging and closed with a tribute to trans rights, joined by drag artists and ballroom performers. She also took home three awards, cementing her rise into arena-headliner territory.
Alex Warren scored the Best New Artist win. For a breakout act with a growing fanbase, this recognition can supercharge ticket demand and set the stage for a first major tour.
Tate McRae delivered one of the night’s most talked-about performances with sultry choreography and full staging. Her Song of Summer win combined with a breakout performance positions her as an artist ready to play bigger venues and festivals.
Looking Ahead: Which Tours Could Define 2026
Ariana Grande: The Eternal Sunshine Era
With her wins and touring tease, Ariana looks poised for one of 2026’s biggest runs. Fans should prepare for quick sellouts the moment dates are announced.
Lady Gaga: More Nights, More Cities
Already on the road and still collecting top awards, Gaga has momentum to add more cities, encore nights, and festival headliners.
Sabrina Carpenter: Headliner in the Making
Her viral performance, Britney tribute, and multiple wins push her into headliner territory. Expect bigger venues and major festival slots.
Tate McRae: Breakout Performer
Her high-energy performance and award recognition point to expanded touring and larger stages this year.
Alex Warren: Rising Talent
With a Best New Artist win, Warren enters the conversation for his first major headlining tour. Fans should expect intimate shows to sell quickly as demand builds.
How Fans Can Be Ready for Drops
Award show nights often trigger tour announcements, presale windows, or resale spikes. Fans who prepare now have the best shot at landing seats. XP helps fans stay ready:
All-in pricing: The price you see is the price you pay.
Real-time alerts: Set notifications in the XP app for Ariana, Gaga, Sabrina, Tate, and Alex Warren to get notified when verified resale tickets drop.
Quality XPerience Guarantee: Every order includes valid tickets, on-time delivery, and accurate seats or an equal or better upgrade.
The Bottom Line
The 2025 VMAs did more than hand out trophies. They gave fans a preview of who will dominate stages in 2026. Ariana teased her return, Gaga continues to expand, Sabrina made the leap into headliner status, and newer stars like Tate McRae and Alex Warren are breaking through.
If you want to be ready when tickets drop, set alerts now in the XP app. With XP, you can secure your spot without hidden fees or scams.
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