Last week the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards were at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre. It was a star-studded celebration honoring the year’s most influential artists and chart-topping hits. Hosted by the legendary LL Cool J, the evening featured unforgettable performances and notable wins.
Billie Eilish’s Enchanting Performance
The show opened with Billie performing her chart-topping song “Wildflower.” She performed a stripped-down version of the song with her brother Finneas. It’s a track from her most recent album Hit Me Hard and Soft which spent 30 weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Alternative charts.
The song itself went viral on Tiktok and peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Top 100. Billie’s performance has been praised by critics for its simplicity and emotional depth. The crowd was so caught in Billie’s performance that you could feel the emotion through the tv screen. Fans took to social media to express how much they loved the performance.
Billie’s and Finneas’ vocals match so perfectly with each other and their bond is so evident in their music. In addition to her performance, Eilish took home four awards: Pop Artist of the Year, Artist of the Year, Best Lyrics for “Birds of a Feather” and Favorite Tour Style.
Honoring Music Legends
This year’s ceremony wasn’t just about celebrating the top songs of the year, it was also about honoring music royalty who have shaped the music industry. Mariah Carey received the “Icon Award.” Muni Long and Tori Kelly celebrated her decades-long impact with a performance of some of her most iconic songs.
With a record-breaking career spanning multiple generations, and number-one songs like “We Belong Together” and “Touch My Body” Mariah will always be iconic. She took the stage to thank her family, friends, and fans. She reflected on her journey and the hard work it took for her to become the legend we all know today.
Lady Gaga was also honored at the ceremony this year. She took home the “Innovator Award.” Lady Gaga broke barriers of what it means to be a pop artist. She is fearless, innovative, and a true visionary. She has influenced some of the GenZ pop artists we love like Chappell Roan and Doechii.
She continues to push the boundaries and is constantly one-upping herself. She has been in movies such as “A Star is Born” and “Joker 2.” It has also been reported Gaga will make her MCU debut. Her acceptance speech was both heartfelt and inspiring, reinforcing her status as a trailblazer in the industry.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Tour of the Century’ Honor and a Reputation-Era Easter Egg?
Taylor was honored this past week for her history-breaking tour “The Eras Tour.” The tour generated more than 4.5 billion dollars in consumer spending and even solidified Taylor’s status as a billionaire.
Coincidentally enough, the award ceremony fell on the two-year anniversary of the tour. Although Swift couldn’t be there she delivered a heartfelt speech via video message and expressed how grateful she was to the fans, crew, and her other tour mates.
She described the tour as “one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of [her] life.
Known for giving fans subtle hints before a big release, Swift wore a necklace, that the Swifties quickly pointed out, that resembled a snake. Snakes were a big theme of her sixth studio album “Reputation.” This accessory choice definitely fueled a lot of conversation and got the Swifties excited (me included).
Swift also gave a “never before seen” performance of her song “Mirrorball” from the first night of the tour. This special airing allowed fans to relive the magic they made from The Eras Tour.
Other Notable Wins
There were also a few first-time winners in big categories as well. Benson Boone won the award for “Song of the Year” for his number one song “Beautiful Things.”
Shockingly Boone won over Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” which is one of the most successful songs of the decade. This is a huge milestone for Benson because it is the first time a male has won the award since The Weeknd in 2021.
Sabrina didn’t walk home empty handed though. She won two awards: Pop Song of the Year for “Espresso” and Pop Artist of the Year.
Sabrina couldn’t be there to accept her awards (because she’s working late cause she’s a singer), but she sent a heartfelt video message from the backstage of her European leg the Short n’ Sweet Tour.
Another emerging artist from Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour openers is Gracie Abrams. Gracie has a had huge couple of years and continues to get bigger.
In 2020, she released her EP “Minor” which got the attention of Oliva Rodrigo and inspired Rodrigo’s song “Drivers License.” Last week, Abrams won the award for “Breakthrough Artist of the Year” and performed “That’s So True” which is from her latest album “The Secret of Us.”
Another critically acclaimed album that won big was Charli XCX’s “Brat” which inspired everyone to have a “Brat Summer” last year. Charli’s album was innovative. Its energetic tracks and experimental production captivated listeners and solidified Charli as a dance-pop diva.
Conclusion
This year was a huge year for artists. It produced trends and cultural movements. There were groundbreaking albums and record-breaking tours. The 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards reminded us why we love music and why its impact will continue for generations to come.
