History MediaNotes / MTVVideoMusicAward

* A drunk Music/KanyeWest upstaging Music/TaylorSwift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video in 2009, with the now [[MemeticMutation iconic]] diatribe "I'mma let you finish, but Music/{{Beyonce}} had one of the best videos of all time!"[[note]][[ForWantOfANail This seemingly minor rude incident would have a huge impact]] on both their careers; Kanye West would endure intense, sometimes racist scrutiny for the incident which would lead to him creating what some would say is his best work, the album ''Music/MyBeautifulDarkTwistedFantasy''. It can be argued the incident also lead to him to make...questionable decisions such as supporting UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump's presidency and turning his back on his initial principles when he married (and would later divorce) Creator/KimKardashian, who many would say is emblematic of American excess and style over substance. Taylor Swift would then be catapulted into the mainstream, would shift from country music to pop, but then get into her own controversy after Kim Kardashian publicly exposed Taylor for lying about not approving of a verse in Kanye West's "Famous" song about her. Taylor publicly denounced the verse in the media and in her 2016 Album of the Year Grammys acceptance speech, but privately spoke with Kanye about it and gave approval for it. For the record, she objected to the "I made that bitch famous" line but not the "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex" but still publicly gave the impression that she objected to the entire verse. This lead to her own intense media backlash and a DarkerAndEdgier turn for her album ''Music/{{Reputation}}''.[[/note]]

The ceremony was initially meant to be the alternative to the [[UsefulNotes/GrammyAward Grammys]], both in honoring contemporary artists as well as having an "anything goes" approach to the live show, featuring outrageous moments from the hosts, presenters and performances. Music/{{Madonna}}'s performance on the very first show would see her performing "Like a Virgin", while descending down from a wedding cake set piece in a wedding gown/lingerie hybrid outfit, rolling around the stage and writhing suggestively. From that point, the RefugeInAudacity would escalate year after year from artists and their performances until around the TheNewTens when it was dialed back several notches due MTV's declining popularity in the mainstream landscape, and millennial/Gen-Z teens and young adults being harder to shock and surprise, barring a [[Music/MileyCyrus Miley]] moment or two.

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[[/index]]

The ceremony was initially meant to be the alternative to the [[UsefulNotes/GrammyAward Grammys]], both in honoring contemporary artists as well as having an "anything goes" approach to the live show, featuring outrageous moments from the hosts, presenters and performances. Music/{{Madonna}}'s performance on the very first show would see her performing "Like a Virgin", while descending down from a wedding cake set piece in a wedding gown/lingerie hybrid outfit, rolling around the stage and writhing suggestively. From that point, the RefugeInAudacity would escalate year after year from artists and their performances until around the TheNewTens when it was dialed back several notches due MTV's declining popularity in the mainstream landscape, and millennial/Gen-Z teens and young adults [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny being harder to shock and surprise]], barring a [[Music/MileyCyrus Miley]] moment or two.

* 2002 - "Without Me" - Eminem
* 2003 - "Work It" - Missy Elliott
* 2004 - "Hey Ya!" - Music/OutKast
* 2005 - "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" - Music/GreenDay
* 2006 - "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" - Music/PanicAtTheDisco
* 2007 - "Umbrella" - Music/{{Rihanna}} featuring Music/JayZ
* 2008 - "Piece of Me" - Music/BritneySpears

* 2011 - "Firework" - Music/KatyPerry

* 2014 - "Wrecking Ball" - Music/MileyCyrus
* 2015 - "Bad Blood" - Music/TaylorSwift featuring Music/KendrickLamar
* 2016 - "Formation" - Beyoncé
* 2017 - "Humble" - Kendrick Lamar

* 2019 - "You Need to Calm Down" - Taylor Swift
* 2020 - "Blinding Lights" - Music/TheWeeknd

* 2023 - "Anti-Hero" - Taylor Swift

* 1994 - "Cryin'" - Music/{{Aerosmith}}

* 1997 - "Virtual Insanity" - Music/{{Jamiroquai}}
* 1998 - "Ray of Light" - Music/{{Madonna}}
* 1999 - "Doo Wop (That Thing)" - Music/LaurynHill
* 2000 - "The Real Slim Shady" - Music/{{Eminem}}

* 1988 - [["Music/NeedYouTonight Need You Tonight"/"Mediate"]] - Music/{{INXS}}

* 1991 - "Losing My Religion" - Music/{{REM}}
* 1992 - "Right Now" - Music/VanHalen
* 1993 - "Jeremy" - Music/PearlJam

* 1985 - "The Boys of Summer" - [[Music/{{Eagles}} Don Henley]]
* 1986 - "Money for Nothing" - Music/DireStraits

* 1988 - "Need You Tonight"/"Mediate" - Music/{{INXS}}
* 1989 - "This Note's for You" - Music/NeilYoung
* 1990 - "Nothing Compares 2 U" - Music/SineadOConnor

* 1984 - "You Might Think" - Music/TheCars