The MTV Video Music Award show, or just VMAs for short, has been one of pop culture’s defining musical celebrations since its inception in 1984. Over the past 30+ years we’ve seen legendary artists stroll across the stage to receive their trophy. We’ve also seen some of the wildest moments in musical history happen while the cameras were rolling. Let’s dig in and look at 35 of the CRAZIEST moments in VMA History!
Madonna performs “Vogue” in style
You could make an entire list of VMA moments with Madonna so it only makes sense that we’d start off with her. In 1990 Madonna performed her song “Vogue” with a stage setting pulled straight out of the 18th century. Between the wardrobe design and mega-popular song, this was one of the most memorable moments in the early ’90s for the VMAs. It was about this time that Madonna realized she might need a financial advisor or two to count all of her award show money.
Madonna Performs Vogue In Style
What’s good, Miley?
Miley Cyrus has the kind of career spikes and lulls that would raise the costs of your health insurance coverage. In 2015 Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus famously had a less than comfortable moment on stage. Minaj famously called out a bashful Cyrus by angrily yelling, “Miley, what’s good?” Nobody knows what the fight was about but it raised their profiles enough to make their financial advisor happy.
What’s good, Miley?
Weird Al gets, well, weird on stage
The year was 1989 and Weird Al was still pretty popular. Presenting alongside Jasmine Guy, Weird Al did his best to be as obnoxious as possible. Not exactly the path that your financial advisor would advise you take. Every time the crowd would cheer for a video, he would loudly cheer back. Weird Al ended the bizarre performance by pretending to steal a Moonman.
Weird Al Gets Well Weird On Stage
Kurt Cobain performs in 1992
Embattled star Kurt Cobain takes to the stage in 1992 with Nirvana after fighting with the VMA execs on which song they would be allowed to play. The show was filled with audible anger from Cobain and the band. When the song ended (“Lithium”) bassist Krist Novoselic threw his bass across the stage. Drummer Dave Grohl stole a mic and started to taunt Axl Rose, who had been feuding with Kurt Cobain right before the band went on.
Kurt Cobain Performs In 1992
Macy Gray goes ALL in on advertising
No doubt that the VMAs are as much a fashion event as anything so in 2001 when Macy Gray wore an ugly dress with a message (“My New Album Drops Sept 18, 2001”) the audience was abuzz. The album tanked upon release and Gray ended up wearing the dress for nothing. Hey, at least that album paid for the health insurance coverage she probably needed after all the schadenfreude from the audience.
Macy Gray Goes ALL In On Advertising
Michael Jackson stuns the crowd in 1995
Michael Jackson is, bar none, one of the greatest performers ever to live and in 1995 he was in full glory. Jackson opened up that year’s VMA performance with a 15 minute medley of his greatest songs. The performance is iconic and deserves to be seen at least once or twice by every real music fan around. So good it’ll get your heart beating fast enough to raise your health insurance coverage!
Michael Jackson Stuns The Crowd In 1995
Pearl Jam wins it all in 1993
First of all, Pearl Jam led the way during the 1993 Video Music Awards as they collected, well, pretty much everything. Pearl Jam scored Best Group Video, Best Direction, Video of the Year, Best Metal/Hard Rock Video and Neil Young performed on center stage. What could a band want more? What could their financial advisor want more? Nothing. It was perfect.
Pearl Jam Wins It All In 1993
Fiona Apple speaks her truth
Fiona Apple scored Best new Artist in 1997 and she took the opportunity to immediately lambast the crowd and viewers at home saying, “You shouldn’t model your life on what we think is cool.” Additionally she went on to tell people to “Go with yourself” before leaving the stage.
Fiona Apple Speaks Her Truth
Courtney performs for Kurt
Think back to 1995, when Courtney Love took the stage to perform the song ‘Violet’, a performance she dedicated to her recently passed husband Kurt Cobain. The performance was emotional and ended with Love and her band trashing the stage. Afterwards Love inexplicably threw something at Madonna which I’m sure the ensuing fight would do a thing or two to their health insurance coverage. No punches were thrown, however.
Courtney Performs For Kurt
Lady Gaga’s…meat dress
Before Lady Gaga had her fashion intervention she showed up to the 2010 VMAs wearing a dress made of raw meat. Beef, specifically. We’re sure her health insurance coverage spiked, raw beef dresses can’t be sanitary. Gaga claimed she wore it to make a vegetarian statement.
Lady Gagas…meat Dress
Britney Spears performs with a python
Back in the Kevin Federline era Britney Spears was doing stuff that made your head hurt. Like how in 2001 she performed “I’m a Slave 4 U” on stage with a massive albino Burmese python. Yup, a real one. Moreover in a moment of pure musical pop culture history she let the snake drape around her shoulders while she performed. PETA wasn’t enthused.
Britney Spears Performs With A Python
Eminem performs ‘The Real Slim Shady’
During the year 2000, Eminem was still a rising star and his performance at the VMAs a chance to really shine. Eminem performed his hit song, “Real Slim Shady” with 100 clones on stage behind him. Rap history, right here.
Eminem Performs The Real Slim Shady
RuPaul and Milton Berle present an award
RuPaul and Milton Berle are two of the most famous cross dressers of all time — one for the ’90s and the other for the ’40s. Now the awkward pairing struggled through a set of missed jokes and poor chemistry in a moment that lives on in infamy.
RuPaul And Milton Berle Present An Award
Rihanna performs ‘Disturbia’
To put it midley, Rihanna was undergoing a career transformation leading up to the 2008 VMAs. Rihanna was chosen to open the show and open it she did. That’s when Rihanna performed a thrilling rendition of ‘Disturbia’ amid a stage filled with zombies and massive props – what a show.
Rihanna Performs Disturbia
Neil Young lashes out
Neil Young and MTV had something of a history with one another when Young was chosen to perform in 1989. Young took the stage to sing ‘This Note’s For You’, a massive anti-MTV anthem.
Neil Young Lashes Out
Kanye West quits MTV — kind of
Don’t be surprised as the 2007 VMAs are going to have a few entries on this list. One moment occurred when Kanye West was told to perform inside of a hotel suite rather than on the main stage. West would take to his personal blog after to rip the VMAs, vowing never to return. He came back in 2008.
Kanye West Quits MTV Kind Of
Lil Mama Wrecks Jay Z’s performance
2009 is when Lil Mama was a fading star and desperate to get in front of a camera. During Jay Z and Alicia Key’s performance, Lil Mama rushed the stage in order to pose. Jay Z and Alicia Keys ignored her. It was terribly awkward.
Lil Mama Wrecks Jay Zs Performance
Lady Gaga stuns audiences with ‘Paparazzi’
That’s right, in 2009 Lady Gaga performed ‘Paparazzi’ on stage in one of the most decadent, bizarre, and genuinely frightening moments in VMA history. There was blood, bizarre costumes, and even a noose.
Lady Gaga Stuns Audiences With Paparazzi
Michael Jackson makes up an award — and wins it
Back in 2002 Michael Jackson was turning 44 and the VMAs were putting on a birthday celebration on stage. Someone mentioned ‘Artist of the Millennium’ while talking about MJ backstage and Jackson decided to run with it, proudly proclaiming the title to a very confused audience.
Michael Jackson Makes Up An Award And Wins It
Beyoncé’s pregnancy goes public!
Beyonce shattered Twitter records when she took to the VMA red carpet in 2011 sporting a baby bump. She went on stage later that night and announced it to the world while singing ‘Love on Top’. Queen B, long may she reign.
Beyoncé’s Pregnancy Goes Public
Tommy Lee and Kid Rock get in a fight
See the 2007 VMAs were absolutely wild. Kid Rock and Tommy Lee got into a fight during one of the ‘suites’ segments. Furthermore it was all part and parcel of a disastrous ’07 show.
Tommy Lee And Kid Rock Get In A Fight
Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke get close
There were no words for the 2013 VMAs. Yes, we do mean when Cyrus performed “We Can’t Stop” while dressed as a teddy bear before Robin Thicke hit the stage to sing “Blurred Lines”. Lastly Cyrus took off her teddy bear costume and started twerking against the singer, thus bringing in a new generation of ‘twerkers’.
Miley Cyrus And Robin Thicke Get Close
Lady Gaga’s alter ego is unveiled
Our girl Lady Gaga introduced the world to Jo Calderone, her male alter-ego during a performance of “You & I”. Additionally she was joined by Brian May, guitarist from Queen.
Lady Gaga’s alter ego is unveiled
Tim Commerford goes wild
Commerford, bassist for Rage Against The Machine, freaked out at the 2000 VMAs and climbed up one of the stage walls during Fred Durst’s speech on stage. Moreover Commerford was arrested and the event led to the breakup of RATM.
Tim Commerford goes wild
Beyonce wins the video Vanguard Award
Beautiful in a sequined outfit, Beyonce performs a full medley of songs from her ‘Beyonce’ album shortly before receiving the Video Vanguard Award. Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy would give out the award. We don’t deserve Beyonce.
Beyonce Wins The Video Vanguard Award
Kelly Clarkson performs in the ‘rain’
Where were you in 2005 if you weren’t watching the VMAs? Wait, don’t answer that. Cause Kelly Clarkson brought down the house with a soaring rendition of ‘Since U Been Gone’ which culminated in nearly 3,000 gallons of water being ‘rained’ down from the rafters. Good times.
Kelly Clarkson Performs In The Rain
Eminem and Moby get into it
At the 2002 VMAs Eminem and Moby were inexplicably seated next to each other despite a very public and very toxic feud. Now Eminem would win his award and immediately start lashing out at Moby to a chorus of boos from the crowd.
Eminem And Moby Get Into It
Van Halen comes together again
Ahem, in 1996 one of the most legendary rock groups of all time reunited on stage after nearly a decade apart. Eddie, Alex, David Lee Roth, and Michael Anthony all attended the emotional event.
Van Halen Comes Together Again
Pee Wee steals the show
Paul Reubens, aka Pee Wee Herman, had a pretty bad year. See in 1991 he was caught performing some salacious acts in public. Therefore his show was canned and his toys pulled from the shelves. Then he appeared at the ’91 VMAs and immediately showed the crowd his self-deprecating humor, thus winning everyone back over again.
Pee Wee Steals The Show
Andrew ‘Dice’ Clay gets banned
Notable for his leather jackets and edgy routines, Andrew ‘Dice’ Clay only needed three minutes to end up banned from the VMAs for life. Understandably his routine was so over the top that his career has tanked ever since the ’89 show.
Andrew Dice Clay Gets Banned
R. Kelly performs alone
R Kelly has plenty of reasons to want to hide from cameras, but his ‘Trapped in the Closet’ was still popular enough to earn him a 2005 performance. Of course the embattled artist performed his entire theatrical song alone, playing all of the parts.
R. Kelly Performs Alone
Nicki Minaj performs ‘Anaconda’
Minaj glowed up in a big way in 2014 when she performed ‘Anaconda’ in full jungle-theme. Fans were wowed, casual viewers became fans, and all was right with the VMAs.
Nicki Minaj Performs Anaconda
Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie have a cringe-fest on stage
To put it politely, MJ never quite operated like the rest of us. At the 1994 VMAs he took the stage with new wife Lisa Marie Pressley for one of the most awkward attempts at romance we have ever seen. Err, it just has to be seen to be believed.
Michael Jackson And Lisa Marie Have A Cringe Fest On Stage
A Tribute to Michael
Back in 2009 Janet Jackson took to the stage, a mere month after her brother’s death, in order to put on a touching tribute to her brother. Any music fan needs to watch this performance. It’s touching, evocative, and fitting for the King of Pop.
A Tribute To Michael
Kanye West and Taylor Swift
Are you surprised? Yup, the VMA moment that became a meme unto itself. 2009 is the year that Taylor Swift won Best Female Video. However Kanye did not agree. That’s when Kanye stormed the stage before famously interrupting Taylor, “Yo, Taylor, Imma let you finish…” As a result, the words are enshrined in pop culture history and every financial advisor in the building began to rub their hands at the intrigue.
Kanye West And Taylor Swift