At the MTV Video Music Awards, the announcements of the winners were possibly the least memorable moments of the show.
It is usually the live performances and celebrity on-stage appearances that make the show entertaining and this year was no exception.
In lieu of Michael Jackson’s death, the show was dedicated to the self-proclaimed, “King of Pop,” with an opening speech given by Madonna.
Despite some uncomfortable moments in her drawn-out story of how she and Michael became friends, it was heart-felt and exposed a sensitive side of Jackson that fans may not have been aware of.
The tribute performance was strategically planned and well organized. At first, I was disappointed there weren’t any celebrity performances, until Janet Jackson.
Her “Scream” performance was emotional and exactly what everyone was expecting to be: on point. Janet was the only celebrity performer needed for this tribute. And no one else could’ve done it better.
The most talked about moment (and the first award of the night) was Kanye West’s attack on Taylor Swift as she accepted her “Best Female Video” award.
His claim was Beyonce’s video for, “Single Ladies” was, “one of the best videos of all time.” His outburst in the midst of Swift’s acceptance speech caused quite a stir as there were boos for the rest of the night whenever his name was announced.
In any case, Swift humbly accepted her award, gave a one-of-a-kind performance in the New York City subway platform and was given another opportunity to shine by the “Video of the Year” recipient herself, Beyonce.
Taylor definitely came out on top for the night.
West made an effort to redeem himself when he posted an apology on his blog following the awards show.
Another woman who came out on top was Lady Gaga. The “Best New Artist” winner rocked extravagant outfits for the night and gave a dramatic performance for her newest single, “Paparazzi,” with blood and all.
Beyonce, a veteran Moonman award recipient, gave a subpar performance of “Single Ladies” compared to other female performances. She had the crowd moving, but Pink had the crowd amazed as she sang “Sober” upside down.
The former gymnast went back to her roots with a Cirque de Soleil–like set-up. Despite all the swinging, she did not lip-sync and her voice never missed a beat.
There was a live band performance given by Washington, D.C., native, Wale. The acts kept the audience entertained during show intermissions, but what didn’t work were the Tracey Morgan and Eminem skits. They were just not funny. A good closing for the show was Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’s performance.
Award shows are designed to display the artists’ hard work and are appreciated, but fans really want to see controversial moments. that will have talking for years.
At the 2003 VMAs, Madonna and Britney Spears kissed. That was a “VMA moment.” And this year, West took over Swift’s time to shine, another VMA moment.
This year’s awards show had its highs and lows, but even the low moments gave the show its high comments on Twitter and Facebook.