World Famous Artist’s Hard Proof Of The MTV VMAs Being “Rigged” Surfaces Amid K-Pop Controversy

On September 7, the 2025 MTV VMAs were held, honoring several musicians’ contributions to music over the last year. Like previous years, K-Pop had its place at the event, with its own category and artists’ inclusion in its main categories.

Imagine thinking I've done anything for the past 24 hours but rewatching ROSÉ's #VMA Song of the Year acceptance speech! 🎶🔁🏆 pic.twitter.com/9YefGVZNpr

— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 8, 2025

As with any award show, the winners have been debated, with complaints ranging from the song not fitting the category to accusations of nepotism influencing the winners.

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Now, after the ceremony, another popular artist’s words have resurfaced amid the debate, seemingly confirming the awards show as “rigged.”

In 2015, Ed Sheeran‘s “Sing” won the award for “Best Male Video” at the 2015 MTV VMAs, which was one of the top categories at the time.

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He was nominated against several strong competitors — Sam Smith, Eminem, Pharrell, and John Legend — making it a hard category to win.

However, in a later interview with Capital FM on its Capital Breakfast radio show, Sheeran spoke about the win in regards to his belief he would not win a Grammy.  He claimed that two of his other awards were won for reasons other than his talent, including the VMA Award for “Best Male Video.”

Just being nominated for a Grammy … all the artists say this I know, but honestly I’m not too fussed about winning, just because I probably won’t! I never win anything! […] I won the year of the BRITs because I was a male and not Adele, she won everything else! And I got the VMA because Pharrell didn’t turn up. I did, they said, ‘He’s not here, do you want it?’

— Ed Sheeran

This, and the official rules of the award show,  has since resurfaced amid the K-Pop debate, launching more outrage over the show’s alleged unfairness and “attendance awards.”

VMAs calling an artist telling them “hey, do you want it?” is crazy work and u want ppl to believe this award show is fair and not rigged???? pic.twitter.com/MHs97ZAvmX

— jinxpop (@eternalsyd) September 8, 2025

Only VMAs can make another award just to segregate Koreans from US artists… then give it only to non-Koreans, for 3 years straight, just for attendance https://t.co/EY6XTDKwB1 pic.twitter.com/uHJb5Ud1BJ

— kkotshin⁷ (@taesoothe) September 8, 2025