The MTV Video Music Awards ceremony was originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards in the field of music videos. Over the years, however, it has occupied its own niche in the entertainment industry. The ceremony has been referred to as the “Super Bowl for youth” for its ability to draw a huge young audience.
The inaugural MTV VMA ceremony took place on September 14, 1984. It was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The ceremony was hosted by Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler, and featured performances by Rod Stewart, Madonna, David Bowie, Tina Turner, ZZ Top, Huey Lewis and the News, and Ray Parker, Jr.
The MTV Video Music Awards take place in late August or early September. The ceremony is normally held in either Los Angeles or New York, and broadcast live on MTV. However, the ceremonies have also been hosted in other cities, such as Las Vegas, Miami, and Inglewood. The winners receive the statue portraying an astronaut on the moon created by Manhattan Design. The statue is colloquially called a “Moonman” or “Moon Person”.
The awards are presented in multiple categories. As of 2017, the categories are: Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Collaboration, Best Pop, Best Hip Hop, Best Dance, Best Rock, Best Fight Against the System, Best Cinematography, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Choreography, and Best Editing. The Artist of the Year category was introduced in 2017 as a gender-neutral category that replaced two categories: Best Male Video and Best Female Video.
As of 2017, artists with most wins include Beyonce (24 awards), Madonna (20 awards), Lady Gaga (13 awards), Peter Gabriel (13 awards), R.E.M (12 awards), Eminem (12 awards), Justin Timberlake (11 awards), Green Day (11 awards), and Aerosmith (10 awards).
Photo: mtv.com
