The Video Music Awards do still exist, and that is surprising because MTV doesn't play music videos anymore, a critique you will hear from many. With that said, artists still make videos, and this kudos fest still occurs. Over the years this show has provided with some draw dropping, water cooler moments at work. With spoilers abound this year's big spoiler has been just well, spoiled, N'Sync is going to appear together. Many of these moments are centered on icons like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Britney Spears, and while some started careers, others were at the downturns. Here are some of the most memorable moments throughout the years at the VMAs.
1984-Madonna rolling around the stage "Like a Virgin?"
1994-Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie-The MOST awkward kiss ever
1999-Diana Ross feels up Lil' Kim
2003-Madonna Returns even less Virginal kissing Britney and Christina
2007-Britney Spears 2007 Post Meltdown (trying to recover)
Today the MTV Video Music Awards or VMAs as they are often referred to turn 28, they are the same age as me (or the same age I will be in November). Throughout the the years there have been some outrageous hosts, performances, and crazy things that have happened while you least expect them to. From the show's inception these awards were seen as providing youth to get their fix, and revel in the joy of their favorite musicians and their music videos. I am not going to to get on a rant about MTV and the fact that they don't even play these videos any more, and how they celebrate teen pregnancy, and idiots from New Jersey now instead. This award show has also lost steam just like MTV itself, but I guess I am no longer in the key marketing demographic anymore. Yet even though this award show has lost a lot of flavor there are some great moments from this award show.
Without a doubt, two of the most controversial/important artists to grace the stage at the VMAs, are Madonna and Michael Jackson. These two artists helped define music videos, and two of the most respected artists at this award show.
In the shows first year, 1984, Madonna crawled all over the stage in her bustier/wedding gown claiming she was "Like a Virgin." This moment not only helped solidify the award shows future theme, but helped launch Madonna even further.
In 1988 Michael Jackson performed for the first time ever on this award show; he was the most celebrated musician at the time, and his videos were already getting more recognition than any other artist in just a few short years, from Thriller to Bad this guy knew the power of the music video. During this ceremony he won the Video Vanguard Award.
Back to Madonna again (she has had many fun moments at this show) one of the best was her thanking Pepsi when she the now obsolete Viewer's Choice awards in 1989. The Material Girl was canned by Pepsi for the strong/controversial video "Like a Prayer" which Pepsi decided to help launch the video, that's how big music videos used to be. The Viewer's Choice award was actually sponsored by Pepsi, irony of all ironies., and help her come full circle with her goal to win out over the soft drink company. Her performance of Express Yourself also helped kick off one of her most popular tours ever The Blonde Ambition Tour.
The birth of the cone bra helped further put Madonna on the map as that out there edgy pop icon in 1990. During her 18th Century style performance of her song "Vogue" Madonna and her corset dressed dancers made one of the coolest videos come to life with one of the most unique VMA performances ever.
One year later in 1991, the Video Vanguard Award was renamed the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Michael made such an important impact on music videos that this award honored his legacy as not only the "King of Pop" but as the King of the music video. This name provided validation to a legacy that would eventually become tarnished.
Both 1994 and 1995 were interesting years for MJ at this award show. In 1994 MJ stepped out with Lisa Marie Pressley announcing their love and sharing one awkward ass kiss, twas the kiss that he wanted to be seen around the world. Watching the "King of Rock's" daughter smooch the "King of Pop" was interesting.
Michael Jackson's performance in 1995 was what had everyone talking; he put on a 15 minute performance for his song "Scream" with his sister Janet, and "Black and White." Scream" was one of the best of the decade, and the performance while long showed people this guy still had it in him to move. This was a performance so memorable the paid tribute to this after he passed in 2009.
As the years passed these two remained part of the show more so as icons brought back to the stage to become part of the future generation of music's night. Michael Jackson showed up in 2001 to be part of the end of N'Sync's performance of their song "Pop" where he dance his heart out. In 2003 Madonna returned to be the groom at her "wedding" singing "Like a Virgin and "Hollywood" with her brides Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera (Missy Elliot played another groom), and the three way kiss between Madonna, Brit, and Christina became one of the most talked about moments ever on the VMAs!
These two artists have provided some of the most entertaining moments at the VMAs, but they have also provided some of the most creative videos, and are two of the most nominated artists/winners in VMA history. Madonna is the reigning champ with the most wins; she has 20 wins including one Video of the Year for "Ray of Light" and the most wins in the Best Female Video category with 3 for "Take a Bow" "Ray of Light" and "Papa Don't Preach." While Jackson only has 8, and shockingly "Thriller did not win Video of the Year; he is still regarded as the King of the music video, a title no one can take away. Here's to hoping that tonight's show can provide some new entertainment.
Last night i had the privilege of seeing Madonna for the first time in concert. I have loved the Queen of pop since I was young boy. My first CD that I ever bought or received as a gift was The Immaculate Collection her first greatest hits CD. I have every CD she has made since then (even American Life). Not having seen her I knew I needed to break down and get tickets to her show. Last February when tickets went on sale I spared no expense, and have been eagerly anticipating her show since then. One of the things that kept me on the edge of my seat, was well, where my seats were. When you purchase through the VIP Live Nation site you do not find out until the night of the show. The picture below shows just how close I was, I gasped.
At around 9:00 her opening DJ came out and did some spinning for about an hour. The DJ was Joe Bermudez; he got the crowd pumped spinning tracks ranging from David Guetta and Sia's "Bulletproof" to Rihanna's "We Found Love." Bermudez was a fun and entertaining way to prepare for the main event.
Madonna's elaborate opening entitle The Prayer Overture: An Act of Contrition set this tone using her own Catholic past, which she has rebelled against. In my head all I kept thinking was 'Oh my God Madonna, Oh my God, Madonna!' With that said Madonna came out with her own words stating "Oh my God, and went into one of the most fun on her recent album MDNA entitle "Girls Gone Wild." Madonna followed up this with an incredibly choreographed number with another MDNA track "Revolver"; she paraded around the stage with guns and her gals, but also danced and shot her dancers with a fake gun while blood spattered in the electronic background (what great visual effects).
Throughout the night Madonna continued to wow, with her moves, and stage theatrics. Each part of the show was broken down in parts that connected her most recent music from MDNA to a lot of her classic songs like "Papa Don't Preach" "Vogue" and "Like a Virgin." One of my favorite moments of the night was during the Madonna's majorettes section when she had drummers come in who were hanging on wires from the ceiling, so crazy! I also love having her blend her song "Express Yourself" with Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." I remember when Gaga's track was released, my friends and I asked "Isn't this just Madonna's Express Yourself?" I wonder if the Queen was asserting her dominance here? I like Gaga, but I was happy Madonna did this.
The MDNA tour is for true fans who have followed Madge from the beginning to the present! Madonna fans who love her early work may be disappointed (although they shouldn't) that they do not get to see see more classic Madonna. The MDNA tour is about her exploring further cultures, and her evolution with her current album MDNA, which she performed every track on the album. One woman sitting behind me stated she had listened to the album once, but did not buy it, and that she was excited for classic Madonna. I did not get to ask her her thoughts on the concert, but I am curious if the Queen lived up to her expectation. I am sure she did.
Pop concerts like this are some of the most fun experiences, and this show did not disappoint! Madonna knows how to keep her fans happy, be true to her own artistic sensibility, and create one hell of an entertaining show. Madonna stated that she had been in the industry for 30 years! The fact that she put on a show that kept her going for 2 hours with intense dancing, and topping Britney Spears who is at least 20 years younger than her is no small feat. People say so much about this woman, but she is one of the biggest pop stars ever, and last night's concert proved this fact!
I am going to see Madonna in concert for the first time, and I am beyond excited to finally get to see her! I was trying to think of a song of hers that celebrated her music, and my excitement that RA training, and new student move-in was over. What better than one of her most recent songs on her third greatest hits album Celebration!
While Celebration is not one of my favorite Madonna songs, and I loathe Akon. This song fits my mood at the moment. RA training provides some of the longest working days of the year during the year, working 12 hour days often from 8:30 am until 9 at night.Throughout this entire time I am also preparing my building to be ready for 404 first year students, and 56 upper class students to move into their perspective buildings. Once RA training ends we go right into move in and there is no chance to re-cooperate. Throughout the last week I have been working some long days, and yesterday was my last official day. I celebrated yesterday with a nap, and going to bed early. The real celebration comes tonight! Last March I decided to treat myself to seeing the Queen of Pop Madonna.
I am ready for a true Celebration tonight, and even though the song is only three years old it fits my mood, and I am beyond excited I have finished one of my last fall move ins! Time to celebrate.
At tonight's game after the New York Giants and the New England Patriots finish the first half there will be commentary from former football legends, and the a halftime show with Madonna. Radio stations, and advertisers are pulling out the big bucks to promote her new bland single "Gimme All Your Luvin"and get people on board with her performance.
As the game draws nearer and as Packers fan I honestly do not care who wins, I guess as a New Yorker I am going to root for the Giants. The other thought/question that went through my mind was when did the halftime show become such a huge production? In looking at the history of the Super Bowl the half time show did not have a major pop act until 1991 with New Kids on the Block. Prior to 1991 the half time show was performed by a college marching band, and it may have included a big named variety star from the past like George Burns.
After 1991 the half time appears to have become a much bigger production. In 1992 Gloria Estefan did a performance which centered around the Olympics that year. 1993 may have been the biggest of the early years with Michael Jackson. 1994 went the country route, and 1995 and 1996 went way old school with the likes of Patti Labelle, Tony Bennett (1995), and Diana Ross (96).
The show started to evolve into this megamix of performances and really took off in 2001 with the most meorable halftime (without a nipple) when Aerosmith, N'Sync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly performed. This was a great combination of an eclectic variety of music that worked. 2002 was also great with U2. 2003 was an odd mix of Shania Twain, No Doubt, and Sting. Then all this youthful momentum was burst, when in 2004 they got Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, P.Diddy, Nelly and Kid Rock. They all sang songs that were old, and not relevant to the time. Yet the worst part was when Justin Timberlake created the wardrobe malfunction that got right wing America in a tizzy, and while many should have blamed Timberlake people seemed to put the blame on Ms. Jackson. This not only changed the look and feel of the Super Bowl half time show, but it made the FCC take a stronger stance on stupid issues.
After 2004 the Super Bowl went back an older demographic with Paul McCartney in 2005, The Rolling Stones in 2006, Prince in 2007, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 2008, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in 2009, and The Who is 2010.
2011 and 2012 have proved to be another changing direction. With one of the worst half time shows ever in 2011 The Black Eyed Peas moved toward pulling in the younger demographic, but gave one of the worst performances ever. This year the Queen of Pop Madonna is going to give us all her loving, and will hopefully give a good performance that makes me forget about some of the boring and awful years past.
Today the MTV Video Music Awards or VMAs as they are often referred to turn 28, they are the same age as me (or the same age I will be in November). Throughout the the years there have been some outrageous hosts, performances, and crazy things that have happened while you least expect them to. From the show's inception these awards were seen as providing youth to get their fix, and revel in the joy of their favorite musicians and their music videos. I am not going to to get on a rant about MTV and the fact that they don't even play these videos any more, and how they celebrate teen pregnancy, and idiots from New Jersey now instead. This award show has also lost steam just like MTV itself, but I guess I am no longer in the key marketing demographic anymore. Yet even though this award show has lost a lot of flavor there are some great moments from this award show.
