The night that provides the public with THE most iconic pop-culture moments is back! Be it Kanye's interruption of Taylor's speech back in 2009, The Kiss shared between Britney, Madonna, and Christina in 2003, The Miley Cyrus performance in 2013, or Beyonce's pregnancy announcement, the list goes on. And this year too, was nothing less!

This year, musically, was phenomenal, to say the least. With almost all artists coming back with hits, the nominations list had us wondering who would walk back home with the Moonman in their hands. Additionally, this year's red carpet—and the award show retrospectively—seemed to have brought us back to all the iconic moments that took place. So, here's a comprehensive overview of the events of the night of September 10, 2024!

Image Credit: Anthony Quintano on Wikimedia Commons

An Introduction

MTV's Video Music Awards, or the VMAs, as abbreviated, is a yearly award show that takes place before the end of summer and “honors the best in the music video medium." Winners are awarded a statue of an astronaut on the moon, colloquially called the ‘Moonman’. Ever since its first appearance in 1984, it has remained one of the main nights of pop culture, with the artists this year paying ode to multiple significant moments of the past few decades.

This year's VMAs kept us entertained with amazing music and equally amazing performances, and of course, this year's fair share of iconic moments. So let's take a look:

Take the Quiz: Plan Your Perfect Day and We'll Reveal Your Aesthetic

This quiz will reveal the style that matches your lifestyle. Let’s plan your perfect day!

Performances, Fashion Choices, and More!

Image Credit: VOGUE Taiwan from Wikimedia Commons

Undeniably, Sabrina Carpenter has not only been this year's star musically but also won the hearts of fans with her outwardly performance that can only be described with sparkly milky white visuals, littered with red lips, accompanied by Sabrina's honeyed vocals. Descending like a nymphet surrounded by glitter, the Espresso singer took the stage and danced together with astronauts and aliens to her hit songs ‘Espresso’, ‘Please Please Please’ and from her latest album, ‘Taste’.

Carpenter made her VMA debut and rightfully bagged the “Song of the Year” for her Billboard-topping release, 'Espresso', which continues to remain in the Top 10 and may or may not have been snubbed for the title of “Song of the Summer.”

Iconic moments graced by Sabrina were her jaw-dropping kiss with the female blue alien and her red carpet look, where she donned a vintage bob and Madonna's white gown, exuding peak femininity all throughout her time on screen.

Image Credit: Justin Higuchi on Wikimedia Commons

Another young star who captivated audiences musically and performance-wise was Chappell Roan. Bringing back gothic 80s pop onto the stage as well as the red carpet. The 26-year-old Midwestern singer performed her hit song 'Good Luck, Babe!

', with a production design that was ripped straight out of the 1500s, rivaling that of a full-blown music video. Roan hit her notes, among a burning medieval castle and dancing knights, donned in faux metal and fiery red braided hair.

The starlet took home the award of “Best New Artist." With her meteoric rise in success in fame with her single and her subsequent album ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’ and its lead single ‘HOT TO GO!’, her win didn't surprise anyone. She walked the red carpet with a sword in hand and a Gothic-glam style aesthetic, reminiscent of a cross between Medieval-Wednesday Adams and Tapetza.

Performing this year's honorary Video Vanguard Medley, Katy Perry reminded us what pop actually was before the Clock App took over the music industry. The 7-time VMA winner took to stage, turning it upside down and hitting us with nostalgia from the mid-2010s.

Taking home the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, the singer performed a medley of her greatest hits, including 'Dark Horse', ‘E.T.’, 'I'm His, He's Mine' (with Doechii), ‘California Gurls’, ‘Teenage Dream’, ‘I Kissed a Girl’, a magical live vocal performance of 'Firework', and finally ending it with ‘Lifetimes’.

Perry appeared on the red carpet with her fiance Orlando Bloom, dressed in Who Decides War (May or may not be referring to the Israel-Gaza Conflict).

To know more about the conflict: Crisis in Gaza: What is happening? and how to help: Fundraiser

Image Credit: Valerie Albert on Wikimedia Commons

Megan Thee Stallion not only played host for the night, she also brought out her explosive energy from her album 'Megan' onto the VMA's stage and also took home awards! The Hot Girl Coach gave us a number of iconic moments this year, one of them being wrapped up in a white, yellow python, cosplaying Britney Spear's outfit from her 2001 “I'm A Slave” performance.

One of my personal favorite performances of the night (along with Sabrina's of course), Megan made the entire stage her playground, flaunting her natural afro and performing hit songs like ‘Boa’, ‘Miami Blue’, ‘B.A.S.’, ‘Rattle’, ‘Hiss’, and finally bringing out Yuki Chiba from Japan to perform ‘Mamushi’.

The star walked in on the red carpet with a sleek cut bob and a black bombshell gown and walked out with VMAs for "Best Art Direction" for ‘Boa (Brittany Porterand)’ and “Best Trending Video” for her collab with Yuki Chiba on ‘Mamushi’.

Another artist who dominated the night was Taylor Swift. Although the Reputation singer didn't perform, she danced all night and bagged 7 VMAs, becoming the most celebrated soloist in the Award Show's history. Swift won the Moonman for Artist of the Year" and “Best Pop” and won the “Video of the Year," “Song of the Summer," “Best Collaboration," “Best Editing,” and “Best Direction” for her collaboration with Post Malone on 'Fortnight' for her million-selling album, The Tortured Poets Department.

The one and only legend makes his comeback on the VMAs and summons all Eminem lookalikes with the Batman-styled "E-Signal,” referencing his own 2000 performance in, performing tracks from his 2024 album 'The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)'.

Eminem opened the show, rapping to ‘Houdini’ and ‘Somebody Save Me’ with a visual of Jelly Roll playing on screen along with footage of his daughter Hailey. Interestingly, Eminem took home only the awards for “Best Hip-Hop” and “Best Visual Effects.”.

Eminem's performance was not the only talk of the night; another star that has X in a frenzy was BLACKPINK's Lisa, performing her new song ‘Rockstar’ and her collaborative release with Rosalia, ‘New Woman’.

The Thai K-pop singer was dressed in red and strutting on stage, delivering a powerful performance, ending with the extended version of her first single, which she released under her own label, LLOUD, after leaving her previously signed label, YG Entertainment.

While some praised her for her presence on stage, the viral ‘Money’ singer was strewn in controversy and disappointment from fans and the general public alike. From lip-syncing the majority, if not the entire performance, to being awarded “Best Kpop” for a song that was sung entirely in English. With the performance and debut of her new song ‘Moonlit Floor’ in the Global Citizen Festival, Lilies and BLINKS eagerly wait for her next move.

Other K-pop acts who took home awards were SEVENTEEN and LE SSERAFIM, the 13-member boy group winning “Best Group,” while the latter won the “Push Performance of the Year” for June 2023 for their title track ‘Easy’. The girls performed their newly released tracks ‘1-800-Hot-N-Fun’ and ‘Crazy’.

Image Credit: VOGUE Taiwan

Other Winners:

Best R&B — SZA — Snooze

Best Alternative — Benson Boone — Beautiful Things

Best Rock — Lenny Kravitz — Human

Best Latin — Anitta — Mil Veces

Best Afrobeats — Tyla — Water

Video for Good — Billie Eilish — What Was I Made For?

Best Cinematography — we can’t be friends (wait for your love) — Ariana Grande

Best Choreography — Houdini — Dua Lipa

All in all, the 40th MTV VMAs wrapped up with yet another year of equal amounts of success and controversy. Leaving the internet once again, to discuss, debate, and war over who was snubbed (Sabrina, Ariana) and who were deserving of their awards (Tyla, Chappell), until next year, where all the chaos ensues again.