The MTV Video Music Awards celebrated their fortieth birthday — and for as soon as, MTV aimed to do proper by the legacy. This yr’s present was filled with clips of basic VMAs moments. Madonna and Britney making out, in 2003. Beyoncé saying her being pregnant, in 2011. Michael Jackson showing with new bride Lisa Marie Presley in 1994 to quip, “Simply suppose — no person thought this is able to final.” (It didn’t.) Madonna in full “Like a Virgin” bridal gear, humping the stage in 1985. Taylor Swift singing on the NYC subway in 2009.
And naturally, MTV taking part in music in 2024. Simply kidding — they couldn’t discover any footage of that one.
However this was a type of years when the VMAs felt like a large pop celebration, with famous person performances from stars like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Karol G, and host Megan Thee Stallion. As Megan mentioned, “Tonight, VMAs stands for Voluptuous Megan Awards.”
Taylor was the massive winner of the night time, however like everybody else, she was within the temper to occasion. She received the present’s first and final awards for “Fortnite,” her collaboration with Put up Malone. But to everybody’s shock, Taylor didn’t use the event to announce a brand new album, or Repute TV, or a brand new Broadway present (Feminine Rage: The Musical), or a brand new Cupboard place within the Harris-Walz (Taylor’s Model) Administration. She merely urged everybody to vote — an influence transfer the day after she put her mack hand down along with her expertly timed Kamala endorsement, bringing on the “Childless Cat Girl” period of electoral activism.
Taylor additionally received a priceless second with Taste Flav, when he handed the Greatest Collaboration award to her and Put up Malone. He’s a longtime fan, yelling, “Swifties within the constructing — yeah, boyeeee!” It is smart, since as she sings in his favourite tune, “Willow,” Flav at all times comes again stronger than a Nineties pattern.
Chappell Roan labored her Midwest medieval princess theme all night time, as she made her long-awaited VMAs debut. She wore armor and used a crossbow to shoot a flaming arrow right into a fort as she did “Good Luck, Babe!” It could have been excellent to see a chainmail-clad Chappell seize that red-carpet paparazzo who instructed her to close up and disembowel him onstage along with her naked fingers. Possibly subsequent yr?
However Chappell had the night time’s hands-down emotional spotlight when she received Greatest New Artist and browse her speech from her diary, thanking her queer followers whereas presenter Tinashe added supportive finger-snaps. It was an actual tearjerker, particularly when Chappell received to the closing strains: “For all of the queer youngsters within the Midwest watching proper now: I see you, I perceive you, as a result of I’m considered one of you. And don’t ever let anybody inform you you could’t be precisely who you wanna be, bitch!”
Sabrina Carpenter did a sly alien-sex routine whereas singing her hits — however tragically overlooked “Misinform Women,” among the best songs she or anybody else has provide you with all summer season. Sabrina received a heat introduction from her nice Eighties foremother Cyndi Lauper, a pioneer within the artwork of MTV fun-having. She additionally received Track of the 12 months for “Espresso,” receiving her trophy from Miranda Lambert. It was a poignant pass-the-torch second from the nation goddess who gave us all of the proto-Sabrina motto “What doesn’t kill you solely makes you blonder.”
One of many night time’s coolest moments was one the place nothing formally occurred: Tinashe got here out to current Greatest New Artist, treating herself to a particularly glam energy strut down the runway — 15 stable seconds of Tinashe displaying off her stroll. It appeared like her manner of claiming, “I do know, it’s insane that I’m not performing ‘Nasty’ tonight, proper? How many individuals on this room can boast successful that nice in 2024? So right here’s my highlight second. Observe how a star does it, folks.” Tinashe served an admirable lesson in the best way to jack the digital camera and seize the second, as a result of that’s what the VMAs are all about: stars being stars.
Additionally, you need to love how MTV quiiiiietly phased out the VMAs’ highest honor, the International Icon Award, which I’m certain has nothing to do with the truth that final yr they gave it to some man named Sean “Diddy” Combs. Only a yr in the past, Diddy introduced out his youngsters for the entire family-man heart-warming routine, full with Mary J. Blige calling him “a brother and a pal.” Yeah, that aged effectively. So right here’s guessing that’s one award we’ll by no means see once more — the following time we hear in regards to the International Icon legacy would be the day Mase sees his title on a blimp.
Karol G confirmed everyone what true star energy seems to be like along with her all-over-the-room rendition of “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido.” Halsey did some wonderful garage-rock, in an precise onstage storage, debuting the scathingly sincere “Ego.” There have been nice performances from Glorilla, Benson Boone, and Rauw Alejandro, who was launched by the mannequin Alessandra Ambrosio. As for Lenny Kravitz, that man can present up any time he needs, wherever he likes, and do that factor, particularly when he’s received Quavo by his facet.
Tyla received the Greatest Afrobeat class and gave a superb speech praising the attain and variety of African music, whereas charmingly insisting {that a} not-entirely-willing Lil Nas X come over and carry her Moon Individual for her, because it was too heavy, whereas she declared, “Thanks MTV, my staff, God, everybody.”
Eminem started the present with “Houdini,” utilizing the identical participation-trophy joke that comic Sebastian Maniscalco used to start the present 5 years in the past. Dawn, sundown. He did a intelligent callback to his basic 2000 VMAs efficiency of “The Actual Slim Shady,” with a military of males in matching blonde wigs, besides now sporting beards. Shawn Mendes sang “No person Is aware of” in a extremely dangerous-looking haze of smoke, whereas Camila Cabello did “Godspeed.”
Megan saved all of it shifting along with her typical charisma and humor, paying tribute to Britney’s basic 2001 VMAs python dance by sporting the identical costume, besides with a not-so-real snake. Megan additionally introduced down the home along with her efficiency of “BOA,” “B.A.S.,” “Hiss,” and “Mamushi,” with a visitor shot from Yuki Chiba.
Anitta got here out to carry out, however sadly, the powers that be evidently felt she wasn’t able to holding the stage on her personal, so that they despatched out some clown to maintain interrupting her by shouting “Put your fingers collectively” proper over her vocals. Jeez, what a dumb thought — and like most dumb concepts, it concerned DJ Khaled. However she received to actually shine for “Savage Funk” and “Alegria.”
There was a mighty bizarre efficiency that was billed as a Def Jam tribute, however was actually only a LL Cool J greatest-hits medley with a short cameo from Public Enemy. LL kicked ass, driving on his model new masterpiece The Power. It may need made you surprise why this wasn’t a Video Vanguard tribute for Uncle L, however no — he already received that honor again in 1997. (He was nice that night time, too.) PE rose to the event with a ferocious “Convey the Noise.” Clearly the surviving Beastie Boys don’t carry out with out Adam Yauch. Powerful luck for these of us Def Jam heads who received up our hopes for a second of Unique Idea, Slick Rick, and even Oran “Juice” Jones. (“You with out me like cornflake with out the milk!”) However someplace, the late Nathaniel Hornblower should have been proud.
Katy Perry received this yr’s Video Vanguard award, the primary winner ever launched not by one other music star, however by her fiance Orlando Bloom. Katy’s received a load of MTV historical past — she’s additionally the primary Video Vanguard winner who made her largest red-carpet trend splash parodying one other Video Vanguard winner (Britney Spears) or two (Justin Timberlake), rocking their blue-denim getup from the 2001 VMAs; the primary winner to have met a earlier husband on the VMAs; the primary winner to have hosted the VMAs (in 2017) in a present that ended with a career-disaster duet with one other Video Vanguard winner (Nicki Minaj); the primary winner whose uncle directed the film that made Neil Younger fall in love with Carrie Snodgress. However regardless of their long-ago unhealthy blood, Taylor Swift was noticeably up on her ft and dancing to “Teenage Dream,” together with everybody else.
No matter you consider “Lady’s World” — no person’s thought of a top quality Katy tune — it was an opportunity to see this pop pioneer get her musical due. She did a medley of hits, going again to her “I Kissed a Woman” days, however pointedly skipping “Lady’s World.” Doechii joined for his or her new “I’m His, He’s Mine” duet. As Katy boasted, “I did this on the primary day of my interval!”
Perry gave a heartfelt speech — perhaps the final time in historical past any award winner will ever thank MySpace. (And the Warped Tour! Oh, the 2007 realness.) “There are not any decade-long accidents,” she mentioned, taking up music-biz misogyny and ageism. “One of many largest causes I’m standing right here proper now could be that I’ve realized the best way to block out all of the noise that each single artist on this trade has to always struggle in opposition to, particularly ladies.”
Towards the top of the present, MTV did a hilarious roll name of minor-award class winners in any other case unmentioned throughout the present — Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa. Billie received the “Video for Good” prize for her Barbie tune, six months to the day after she received an Oscar for it, and 7 months after it received the Grammy for Track of the 12 months (i.e. Track of final yr). Hell, this tune has already gotten a Paul Weller cowl model, and it’s simply successful a VMA now?
We additionally received an odd Pepsi advert remaking the basic 2004 clip starring Britney, Beyoncé, and Pink as a trio of Roman gladiators doing “We Will Rock You,” besides now it’s about Megan and the not-at-all-controversial NFL. It was particularly humorous coming proper after Lisa rapped over the identical tune for her ever-delightful “Rockstar.”
One of many night time’s large sentimental highlights: girls and gents, Carson Daly! The TRL kingpin made a superb look as a presenter, trying precisely the identical as he did in his 1515 Broadway days. “It’s an honor to be right here for the fortieth anniversary of the VMAs,” Carson mentioned. “For these of you who’re a little bit too younger to know who I’m, I used to be the host of a present on MTV known as Complete Request Stay, or TRL, a really very long time in the past. It was the perfect present, youngsters going loopy in Instances Sq.. And day by day after faculty, I used to be along with your mom, so please inform her I mentioned hello.”
However Carson’s too modest — he was a lot greater than that. He was a moderator presiding over a fervent nationwide debate each afternoon in regards to the philosophical that means of pop music, when it comes to “NSync suck, Korn rule, wooooo!” vs. “Fred Durst sucks, Britney guidelines, Backstreet’s again all proper, wooooo!” Make no mistake, it’s a debate that rages on as we speak — the names change, however the stakes stay as excessive as ever. And that’s what the VMAs are purported to be all about. TRL and Carson, endlessly.