Wednesday was the 40th MTV Video Music Award show (aka the VMAs) and it was full of incredible wins and performances. The VMAs are a well-known iconic award show and they definitely strived to keep that reputation this year.
This year, the show was hosted by rapper and singer Megan Thee Stallion. She started the show in a gymnast-esque outfit and congratulated Olympic gold medalist, Simone Biles. She also paid homage to Brittaney Spears and her iconic 2001 VMA outfit featuring a snake wrapped around her arms and shoulders. Megan did not only host, she also performed a medley of songs including “BOA,” “B.A.S” and “Hiss,” as well as performing her latest single “Mamushi,” She also brought out Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba.
The biggest award of the night is of course Video of the Year. Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Doja Car, Eminem, and Sza were all nominated for this award alongside Taylor Swift who won for her music video for her single “Fortnight” which features Post. Malone. This is her third time in a row winning this award but fifth overall.
Swift also won Artist of the Year. Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Eminem, Sabrina Carpenter, and SZA were all nominated as well.
The Song of the Year category featured nominations for “Texas Hold ‘Em” by Beyoncé, “Lovin on Me” by Jack Harlow, “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar, “Fortnight” by Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone, “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, and “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims. The award went to Sabrina Carpenter and it was shockingly her only win of the night despite how much of a hit her recent songs have been.
Carpenter performed at the VMAs as well doing a medley of “Espresso”, “Please Please Please”, and “Tatse”, all of which are songs from her most recent albums. The performance was a creatively chaotic space theme and featured her dancing with an alien. Overall, it made for a fun-to-watch and hilarious performance.
Best New Artist was another competitive category as so many rising stars have come out recently especially in the midst of social media. Benson Boone, Gracie Abrams, Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, Tyla, and Chappell Roan were nominated against eachother. The award deservingly went to Chappell Roan who has quite the exciting night.
Roan wore a number of different medival and Joan of Arc inspired outfits throughout the evening. She noted that this was her first real award show as she is recently famous and talked about how overwhelming it was.
Roan also took the stage and performed her incredibly single “Good Luck Babe”.
A category that was practically overfilling with nominations was Song of Summer. “We Can’t Be Friends” by Ariana Grande, “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish, “Guess” by Charlie XCX ft. Billie Eilish, “Too Sweet” by Hozier, “Saturn” by SZA, and “Million Dollar Baby” by Tommy Richman are just a few of the nominees. The award however went to Swift again for “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone.
Swift also won three more awards that night. One for Best Collaboration, once again for “Fortnight.” She also got Best Direction for the same song and received Best Pop. Swift also broke the record for most individual VMA awards, beating out Beyoncé who previously had the title.
Charles Haynes won Best Editing for his part of the music video for “Fortnight” as well.
The winner for Best Hip-Hop went to Eminem who was up against artist such as Drake, GloRilla, and Megan Thee Stallion.
Best R&B went to SZA for her song “Snooze”, Benson Boone won Best Alternative for his song “Beautiful Things”, and Lenny Kravitz’s song “Human” won Best Rock.
Other notable performances were done by Boone who sang “Beautful Things”, Camila Cabello who sand “Godspeed” and “Jone Gloom”, Eminem who performed “Houdini” and “Somebody Save Me”, and Katy Perry who won an award for Best Performance and did a medley of “Roar”, “Firework”, and “I Kissed a Girl” to mark the achievement.
The VMAs are a huge night in music and this year it was full of amazing fashion that played homage to past VMAs and hit performances. Lots of amazing songs came out as of recent making the competition rather cuthroguht to say the least. It was most certainly a memorable night in the music industry.
