Listen up, y’all. The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards just dropped their noms like it’s still 2010, and Cosmo’s out here clutching pearls over snubs like Role Model, Addison Rae, and Doechii. Gaga’s leading with 12 nods for “Abracadabra” and that Bruno Mars collab, Kendrick’s got 10, Rosé 8, Ariana 7... yada yada. New categories like Best Country and Best Pop Artist? Cute. 33 first-timers? Adorable. But as the festival haze fades and awards season revs up for the September 7 show on CBS and MTV, I gotta ask: Do we really care anymore? TikTok’s serving up artists who bleed lyrics, cry over chords, and actually chat with fans like humans, not holograms. We saw Benson Boone go from bedroom ballads to sold-out arenas, fans riding the wave every step. What happened to that raw vibe? The era of real engagement? Buckle up because this awards circus is getting roasted, Diet Prada style, and Shaelene is not holding back on why VMAs feel like yesterday’s playlist.

The Snub Spectacle: Cosmo Cries, But TikTok Thrives

Cosmo’s naming names: Role Model’s Tucker Pillsbury snubbed in Best New Artist despite Kansas Anymore deluxe hitting 95 million streams and celeb cameos from Reneé Rapp and Olivia Rodrigo. Addison Rae, pop’s feathered princess, shut out of Best Pop after her debut album crashed Billboard at No. 4 and “Diet Pepsi” racked up 454 million streams, backed by Charli XCX and Gaga co-signs. Even Gaga herself, with her 12 noms, got overlooked in the shiny new Best Pop Artist category stacked with Ariana, Charli, Justin, Lorde, Miley, Sabrina, and Tate. Doechii’s “Anxiety” viral hit? Nominated for four, but MIA from Video of the Year despite that killer choreo and twin cameos. Kesha’s . (PERIOD) album? Dropped post-eligibility, but her indie freedom post-Dr. Luke saga screams Video Vanguard vibes if MTV’s even bothering this year.

Sure, these snubs sting if you’re still tuned to MTV’s frequency. But let’s get real: TikTok’s algorithm is the new A&R, unearthing gems who don’t need Moon Persons to matter. Benson Boone? That kid went from TikTok covers to Fireworks & Rollerblades, fans witnessing every tear-stained lyric drop and tour bus breakdown. It’s the journey, baby. The raw, unfiltered era where artists reply to comments, duet fan vids, and build cults without label puppet strings. X’s buzzing: “VMAs snubbing indies while TikTok’s got the real heat? Wake up.” One user snapped, “Nathan Brown reacting to Led Zeppelin for the first time > MTV.” Why chase a dusty trophy when viral duets and live streams are the real engagement gold?

Fan Fatigue: Where’s the Vibe in This Corporate Circus?

Remember when awards meant something? Like, actual cultural earthquakes? Now, VMAs feel like a scripted Instagram trend gone stale, eligibility from June ‘24 to ‘18 ‘25 locking out fresh blood while recycling the same pop royals. TikTok artists? They’re out here loving the craft and agonizing over bars, weeping in studios, and engaging like it’s therapy. No ghostwriters, no PR spins. Just pure, messy humanity. Fans aren’t just streaming; they’re co-creating the era, from fan theories to concert chants.

Meanwhile, VMAs? They’re serving hypocrisy hotter than a Swiftie stan war. Nominating vets while ignoring TikTok’s underground kings who rack millions without a label lunch? It’s giving “old guard gatekeeping,” and social’s not swallowing it. So look, y’all, the VMAs are serving corporate tea, and it’s stale. TikTok’s got authentic lyricists, vibing with fans, building eras without a label’s wallet. Meanwhile, MTV’s playing favorites with the same old pop royals, and X is screaming “payola” louder than Eminem’s diss tracks. No receipts, sure, but when indies like Role Model get snubbed while label darlings stack noms, it smells like a rigged game. Burn the Moon Person. Scroll for the real. VMAs’ pivot to “relevance” reeks of desperation, not depth, especially when France’s own Eurovision flashes more edge than this sanitized show.

The Engagement Eclipse: VMAs vs. Viral Realness

This ain’t just snubs; it’s a vibe funeral. VMAs used to be the pulse: Britney’s snake, Gaga’s meat dress, Lil Nas X’s lap dance. Now? It’s clogged by influencers chasing clout in “biggest, flashiest” moments, not the craft-lovers who grind. TikTok’s got the remedy: Artists like Able Heart or Teddy Swims, pouring soul into every post, fans feeling seen in replies and lives. And, how about Benson’s journey? Iconic... from “Ghost Town” tears to arena anthems, every step shared, no filter. That’s the era we crave: Real engagement, not red-carpet rote.

The “eligibility” excuse is flimsier than a $5 stream farm. Banning fresh drops while propping pop dinosaurs? Wild. TikTok users are roasting: “VMAs ignoring TikTok talent but nominating the same five? Priorities trash.” Cue the side-eye GIF captioned “MTV said no vibes, just reruns.” Stars are pushing back. Doechii’s already teasing more virals, Addison’s Insta army mobilizing. But the vibe’s off. Labels are “paralyzed,” per insiders, scrambling to TikTok-ify their acts. Some vets proclaim “awards still matter” but it feels like Stockholm syndrome. VMAs are choking their own glamour, and we're not here for it.

Ditch the Moon Person, Embrace the Scroll

This ain’t an awards show. It’s a relic. VMAs’ snubs scream irrelevance, silencing the TikTok rebellion where craft, tears, and fan love reign. We echo what social media voices are screaming: Care less about noms, more about the journey. Artists, skip the safe singles and drop those bleeding ballads, engage like Benson, uplift like Able and build eras that last. Fans? Scroll past the circus; stan the real. VMAs, if you’re gonna flaunt “culture,” let the TikTok tide in because authenticity ain’t a category. It’s everything.

The music was never about sales. It was about how it made fans feel, and today, we ain't just feeling the songs. We're feeling the creator like we're right there with them. Way to vibe, y’all!

Tell us your fave artist in the comments. Who are we missin' out on?