Even if MTV doesn’t air music videos anymore, the iconic broadcast channel still supports the music industry. The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 11 in Elmont, New York. Honoring the best music videos, artists, and songs released from June 22, 2023 to June 20, 2024, the ceremony saw its biggest audience in four years. 4.08 million viewers tuned in to see major names such as Taylor Swift and rising stars, like Chappell Roan, receive awards for their contributions to the music industry.
American rapper Megan Thee Stallion hosted the awards, and also performed during the event. Other performers at the ceremony included Eminem, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan. Def Jam Records celebrated their 40th anniversary at the event with a special performance that featured multiple influential hip-hop artists. The event featured two new categories, the VMAs Most Iconic Performance Award and the Best Trending Video Award.
A select few artists dominated the awards themselves, as a group of six artists received a combined 52 nominations. These artists are Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Eminem, Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, and Sabrina Carpenter. Swift won seven of her 12 nominations, including Video of the Year and Artist of the Year. Fans voted on a majority of the awards, with six being selected by professionals in the music video industry. Foreign music also saw high levels of success at the awards, with K-Pop and Latin performers winning four awards total.
The VMAs were particularly special for Katy Perry, who received the coveted Video Vanguard Award which is reserved for artists deemed to have “profound impact or outstanding contributions on music videos and popular culture.” Perry also gave a performance during the ceremony which saw her play a medley of her greatest hits before being presented with the Video Vanguard Award.
An abridged list of award winners can be found below.
Video of the Year: “Fortnight” by Taylor Swift and Post Malone
Song of the Year: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter
Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift
Best New Artist: Chappell Roan
Best Pop Artist: Taylor Swift
Best Hip-Hop Song: “Houdini” by Eminem
Best R&B Song: “Snooze” by SZA
