Which song won Song of the Year at the 2024 VMAs?

“Espresso” won Song of the Year at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. Sabrina Carpenter’s bright pop hit defeated nominees including Teddy Swims’s “Lose Control,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” and Taylor Swift and Post Malone’s “Fortnight.”

Released in April 2024, “Espresso” became Carpenter’s breakthrough global hit and a defining song of her Short n’ Sweet era. Its breezy disco-pop production, playful lyrics, and highly recognizable hook helped it dominate streaming, radio, and short-form video culture before the VMAs ceremony.

The category is easy to confuse with Video of the Year. “Fortnight” won Video of the Year, while “Espresso” won Song of the Year. Those awards recognize different aspects of a release: Song of the Year focuses on the song, whereas Video of the Year honors the visual work and its overall music-video impact.

Carpenter also performed a medley from Short n’ Sweet at the ceremony, incorporating “Please Please Please,” “Taste,” and “Espresso.” The win helped confirm her rapid rise from emerging pop singer to one of 2024’s most prominent mainstream artists.