10 of the most chaotic moments in MTV VMA history

Award shows are famous for their chaotic, cringe and shocking — yet also iconic — moments. Remember Selena Gomez’s rap for the 2011 MTV European Music Awards? Or Kendall Jenner being unable to read at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards? But none have given us a montage of deranged celebrity behaviour quite like the MTV Video Music Awards. Established in 1984 and considered the Super Bowl for those of us who don’t care about sports, the awards ceremony has reliably given us high-concept, visually-stunning performances; the best drama, shade and fights; and the most unhinged acceptance speeches. Each instalment forces us to re-evaluate our relationship to celebrity culture and, if we’re lucky, bring the potential to change the course of history. 

With Nicki Minaj being awarded the illustrious Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at this year’s proceedings, we’re predicting chaos. To get us all in the mood to watch that unfold, here are ten times the MTV VMAs gave us heart palpitations.

Madonna performing “Like A Virgin” in 1984

The Queen of Pop set the tone for VMA performances at the first ever ceremony. Standing on a 17ft wedding cake with a creepy mannequin groom at her side, Madonna sung “Like A Virgin” in a sheer white bustier, tulle skirt, chunky jewellery and a statement belt that said “BOY TOY”. Early in the performance, one of her heels went flying across the stage and in an effort to subtly get it back, she lay on the ground and sexily writhed over to where it had landed. In the process however, she also flashed the audience her underwear — not that the singer would care of course. The director yelled “cut” but Madonna heard “c*nt” and rolled with it. 

Kurt Cobain and Axl Rose’s fight in 1992 

When Guns ‘N’ Roses hard-rock ballad “November Rain” began to play, the crowd screamed as the band’s vocalist Axl Rose sat at a double-sided piano, the other side flanked by Elton John. Little did the audience, or either piano-player know though, that Elton’s fingers were playing keys coated in Kurt Cobain’s spit. Earlier in the evening, jabs and mocking had been flung between the two warring bands — Guns ‘N’ Roses and Nirvana — and the two lead vocalist’s partners backstage. Axl Rose had challenged Kurt to a fight while, during Nirvana’s performance, Dave Grohl taunted Axl in front of the crowd. While it never did fully kick off, Kurt did reportedly spit on what he thought were Axl’s piano keys before the band’s set and was shocked to see Elton sitting at the tainted instrument instead. Sorry really does seem to be the hardest word. 

Courtney Love in 1995

In one of her first performances after the death of her partner Kurt Cobain the year prior, Courtney’s band Hole performed their new song “Violet” from their acclaimed sophomore album Live Through This, dedicating it to Kurt as well as Hole bassist Kristen Pfaff, River Phoenix, actor Joe Cole and MTV employee Joni Abbott who all passed away. At the end of the performance, the rockstar energy culminated in Courtney throwing her guitar across the stage and the mic stand into the crowd, while her bandmates helped push over the speaker boxes. The chaos didn’t stop there though, and while Madonna was having a post-show interview, Courtney began throwing makeup compacts at the star hijacking the interview. “Courtney Love is in dire need of attention right now,” an obviously annoyed Madonna says, giving the drunk Hole singer death stares throughout the awkward interaction. 

Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey wearing the same outfit in 1998

The tabloid press loves to pit pop girls against each other, and playing up to that was Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey at the 1998 MTV VMAs. Wearing the same chocolate brown dress by Vera Wang to present the award for Best Male Video, they channelled their best Regina George energy before both tearing layers away to showcase a sexier, shorter look underneath. The moment was so iconic, it was recreated by Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion, both wearing the same Versace look, at the 2022 Grammys. 

Kelly Clarkson performing “Since You’ve Been Gone” in 2005

One of the best power pop ballads of the 00s, “Since You’ve Been Gone” is an anthem to belt in the shower, flicking your hair and screaming every lyric while you have a little cry over a boy who broke up with you back in high school. Kelly Clarkson’s performance of the song at the MTV VMAs in 2005 is very much a mood. Giving her hit a pop-punk twist, her vocal became increasingly screamo as the performance went on. As she belted the final chorus from the middle of the audience, rain poured down from the ceiling, soaking her and all those in the vicinity. Oh, to be in that damp crowd.

Lady Gaga performing “Paparazzi” in 2009

Lady Gaga has a long history of iconic moments at the MTV VMAs — from the meat dress and the seashell bikini, to winning the first ever Tricon Award (honouring an iconic artist across three disciplines, duh) in 2020. But she started as she meant to go in when, in 2009, she took to the VMA stage for the first time for a shocking string performance of “Paparazzi”. From playing the piano with her foot on the keys and bleeding out from her ribcage, to crying in agony before playing dead and being strung up by a rope from the ceiling, the four-minute performance has often been credited as a pivotal moment in Gaga’s career. The moment that much of the world realised she was more than just a popstar, she was a true artist.

Kanye interrupting Taylor Swift in 2009

The most infamous moment in VMA history was when an ecstatic Taylor Swift was presented her first VMA award — Best Female Video for the iconic “You Belong With Me” — by Taylor Lautner and Shakira, before Kanye West declared the award should’ve gone to Beyoncé instead. Though Taylor reclaimed her moment when the Renaissance artist brought her up on stage to finish her speech, the former country artist has has of course become one of the world’s most successful popstars and created what is arguably the greatest music video of all time in 2021. Yes, I’m talking about All Too Well: The Short Film. 

Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus’ beef in 2015

The drama started months prior, when the nominees for Video of the Year were announced and criminally, Nicki’s jungle workout video for “Anaconda” was left out of the running. Taking to Twitter to air her frustrations at the overlooking of Black women and their work in the industry, her posts were taken by Taylor Swift as a jab towards her nomination. The two made up and Taylor apologised, with Nicki bringing her out during her VMA performance of “The Night Is Still Young”. However, there was still bad blood with Miley Cyrus, the host of the year’s proceedings, who had earlier spoken out against Nicki’s comments in a New York Times interview, branding the rapper’s response to the lack of nomination “angry”, not coming at it “with love”, “not polite” and making it about Nicki herself rather than the issue of race. That’s why, after Nicki won the best hip-hop video award for the butt-bouncing, lap-dancing “Anaconda” video, she thanked her pastor before turning to a dreadlock-ridden Miley (the early 2010s were a cringe and problematic time for the ex-Disney star) and asked her the iconic line “Miley, what’s good?”. It is, of course, not the cringiest Miley at the VMAs story (the twerking 2013 performance takes that crown) but it is the only one I can bring myself to relive. 

Kanye West’s Speech, 2015

Winning the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award in 2015 — presented to him by on-again, off-again (at that time fleetingly on-again) friend Taylor Swift — Kanye gave a surreal 11-minute acceptance speech that nodded to the infamous 2009 moment, detailed extensively why he doesn’t understand award shows, and announced that he would be running for president in 2020. It was a moment of shock for all who watched. Was he ok? Would he actually run? The answer, it turned out, was yes. 

Fifth Harmony throwing ‘Camila’ off stage in 2017

One of the greatest moments of shade throwing in history came from Fifth Harmony eight months after ex-bandmate Camila left the group to go solo. When the lights went up and their new single, “Angel” began, five silhouettes stood on stage. Had Camila returned for a final one-off performance? Was there a reunion? Apparently not, because within moments the middle ‘Camila’ figure — actually a puppet — was violently yeeted off the stage faster than you can say “Havana ooh na-na”. To Camila herself, the actions were “petty”, while bandmate Ally said it was a message they weren’t going to get a new-fifth member — “the four of us are Fifth Harmony and we’re stronger and better than we’ve ever been” she told Good Morning America. Seconds after the violent act, the attention was back on Normani delivering the opening lyrics of the group’s new single: “who said I was an angel?” Apt.

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