MTV VMAs
If there’s anyone who knows about a showstopping kiss on the MTV VMAs stage, it’s Britney Spears — and she had some thoughts on Sabrina Carpenter‘s own viral VMA lip-lock with an alien at Wednesday night’s show.
Spears posted a selfie video to her Instagram account, where she brought up a few Carpenter moments from the awards show.
“Did you guys watch the VMAs?” she asked her 42 million followers. “I didn’t watch the VMAs, but I did see stuff on my phone from YouTube of Sabrina Carpenter. Why is she kissing an alien onstage? I adore her. I love her to death. I didn’t understand that part. Why didn’t she kiss a girl? Like, that was weird. But I also thought that, like, the whole thing was kind of, like, weird.”
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The pop star then went on a tangent about taking a “really long bath” on VMA night and doing some coloring — “I’m into coloring right now. I like to color and I like to trace.” — before circling back to Carpenter.
“This Sabrina girl, she said my name on the red carpet and I thought that was kind of cool,” Spears said. “Because I forget I’m famous sometimes. Because I’m a mom, I’m kind of old, blah-blah-blah, but that was kind of cool. … She made me cool. OK, maybe not,” she laughed.
Spears has had a lot of memorable moments on the VMA stage over the years, including her notorious kiss with Madonna at the 2003 show, when Brit and sometime rival Christina Aguilera joined the Queen of Pop onstage to perform “Like a Virgin” and share a three-way kiss.
Britney’s presence was felt throughout Wednesday’s show, like when host Megan Thee Stallion wore a re-creation of Spears’ 2001 “I’m a Slave 4 U” performance costume — complete with a yellow snake wrapped around her arms — or when Tate McRae paid tribute to the sheer, lacy Dolce & Gabbana minidress Spears wore on the red carpet that same year.
Carpenter herself even had an onstage reference to Spears, when she played an audio snippet from Britney’s “Oops!…I Did It Again” music video during the transition between “Please Please Please” and new single “Taste” for her debut VMA performance.
Watch Spears’ reaction to the 2024 VMAs below:
Eminem opened the 2024 VMAs on Wednesday (Sept. 11) with his recent hit “Houdini.” As it turns out, the show delivered a pretty neat magic trick of its own. In an era of flat, or even declining, ratings for awards shows, the VMAs delivered their biggest audience in four years, with more than 4 million viewers.
MTV reports that combined ratings for the premiere and encore showings were up 8% compared to a year ago (4.09 million vs. 3.78 million). Ratings for the premiere simulcast at 8 p.m. ET/PT were up 25% compared to a year ago (3.11 million vs. 2.49 million).
That premiere broadcast was simulcast across 13 networks in the U.S., the same number as last year – BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Nick at Nite, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1 and Univision. That means that the casual music fan who may have been channel-surfing came across the show multiple times. That sheer repetition may have stirred their interest and made it seem like this was an event.
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The black-carpet pre-show at 6:30 p.m. aired on four networks. The first encore at 11:18 p.m. (the show ran over, as awards shows tend to do) aired on 10 networks. (Two other networks started their first encore showings within that hour.) The second encore at 2:34 a.m. aired on four networks.
MTV reports that the 2024 VMAs were the No. 1 most social entertainment telecast in history, with 66.7 million interactions. The only program that beat it was the second presidential debate of the 2024 campaign season, which aired the previous night, between VP Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
The show rang up 829 million video views (an 18% increase over last year) and 76.3 million engagements (a 25% increase over last year) across global owned accounts.
VMAs trended No. 1 worldwide on X (formerly Twitter) for 10 hours. Media impressions were up 8% — 107.5 billion impressions this year vs. 99.5 billion impressions last year.
The 2024 VMAs had an impressive artist lineup, including host/performer Megan Thee Stallion and such other red-hot artists as Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan and Benson Boone. Taylor Swift didn’t perform, but she was in the audience (or onstage accepting awards) from start to finish. It seems fair to say that artists support the VMAs at this point more than MTV supports music videos, other than on this one night a year. Maybe, given these healthy ratings for their flagship program, the channel can address putting music videos back into its programming mix.
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Source: Mike Coppola / Getty / Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion turns into a snake in one of her videos, but that didn’t matter to a real snake that didn’t see eye-to-eye with her during the VMAs.
The Houston artist who has dropped records named “HISS,” “Cobra,” and “BOA” had a hilarious moment with an actual snake while hosting the VMAs on Wednesday night.
Paying tribute to Britney Spears’ iconic 2001 VMAs performance of her song “Im A Slave 4 U,” Thee Stallion rocked a similar look, including an albino Burmese python wrapped around her, just like Spears, who danced with the reptile briefly before handing it off.
Spears admitted she was “scared” during the performance. Fast-forward to this year’s VMAs, Megan Thee Stallion can also relate to Spears’ feelings.
In her attempt to relive that moment, Thee Stallion quickly realized she and the snake would not get along.
“OK. OK. Stop the music, stop the music. I’m just playin’. Come get this snake,” Megan Thee Stallion shouted as handlers came and relieved her of the snake.
“I don’t know this snake. This snake don’t know me. Oh my god. I tried to hold it down for Britney.”
That was the only hiccup in what was a great night for Megan Thee Stallion, who hosted this year’s VMAs, performed, and won two awards: “Trending Video” for the latest smash hit, “Mamushi,” featuring Yuki Chiba, and “Art Direction” for “BOA.”
She also gave the hotties what they wanted with a medley performance of “BOA,” “HISS,” “B.A.S,” “Mamushi,” and more.
Megan Thee Stallion also closed out the night urging people to vote. Unlike many others in her profession, she has been very vocal in supporting Vice President Kamala Harris, performing at a rally in Atlanta and calling out people who will sit out this presidential election in a recent Billboard cover story.
Of all the pop stars in the world, who could rule the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards without being nominated for any awards or even setting foot on the premises? That would be Britney Spears, b—h.
This year’s awards on Wednesday (Sept. 11) were chock full of small and large tributes to the 43-year-old pop icon, from references to Spears’ most legendary performances to subtle nods to her music videos and fashion. The most direct example was when host Megan Thee Stallion came out dressed in a recreation of the famous green bra and blue skirt the superstar wore at the same ceremony 23 years prior while performing “I’m a Slave 4 U,” complete with a yellow snake around her shoulders.
But while Brit was able to look totally cool and collected while singing with the 7-foot albino Burmese python on her shoulders in 2001, the Houston rapper was a lot less calm. “I don’t know this snake, this snake don’t know me,” Meg said nervously, instructing her crew to promptly get the reptile off of her. “Oh my god! I tried to hold it down for Britney.”
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The “WAP” musician’s discomfort with the snake was even funnier considering the reptilian theme of her latest album Megan — which reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — and its hit singles “Hiss,” “Boa” and “Cobra.” It might make her feel better to know that secretly, Spears was also terrified of her nonhuman performance partner back in 2001, with the “Toxic” singer tweeting in 2023, “I still remember how scared I felt when I was handed this snake and took the stage !!!”
At the same VMAs where Brit sang “I’m a Slave 4 U,” she also wore a sheer, lacy Dolce & Gabbana minidress on the red carpet. Twenty-three years later, another pop star wore almost the exact same look to the 2024 event: Tate McRae, who also addressed having fans compare her to Spears.
“I honestly take it as a compliment,” she told The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet before the show. “I think she’s one of the most incredible performers of the 2000s. I remember watching her as a kid all the time.”
Spears’ impact was also evident in Sabrina Carpenter‘s performance later that night, with the latter playing an audio snippet of the former’s spacey “Oops!…I Did It Again” music video during the transition between her Billboard Hot 100-topping hit “Please Please Please” and new single “Taste.” Plus, Carpenter at one point pulled in a female dancer dressed like an alien for a sensual kiss, carrying on a tradition set by Spears’ culture-shocking smooch with Madonna on the VMAs stage in 2003.
See the ways Britney Spears was honored at the 2024 VMAs below.
Suffice it to say that Wednesday night’s (Sept. 11) 2024 MTV VMAs was a lot. The 40th anniversary celebration of the former music video channel’s signature awards ceremony handed out around two Moonpersons per hour during its 190-minute run time, but you might have not noticed since it also packed in 16 star-studded performances that […]
Noah Kahan may say that “I just like to play the victim,” but he’s not afraid to applaud fellow artist Chappell Roan for calling out unacceptable behavior. Roan made headlines on the red carpet of the 2024 MTV VMAs Wednesday (Sept. 11), when she confronted a photographer who appeared to tell her to “shut the […]
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Eminem appeared to be putting the Slim Shady persona away for good but it appears that the Detroit rapper still has some use for the character. During an opening set at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, Eminem took it back to his 2000 MTV VMAs performance and slapped on a blonde wig surrounded by several look-a-likes for a performance of his track “Houdini.”
Eminem first employed this performance strategy back in 2000 with a performance of “Real Slim Shady” and “The Way I Am” and repeated it for this year’s performance of “Houdini” from his latest studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).
The Slim Shadys in the back were dressed similarly to Em, who wore a blonde wig, Black jeans, and a Black tee alongside another doppelganger dressed similarly to how he was in 2000.
Eminem was nominated at this year’s MTV VMAs under the categories of Video Of The Year, Artist Of The Year, Best Hip Hop, Best Direction (Director Rich Lee for “Houdini”), Best Visual Effects (Visual Effects by Synapse Virtual Production, Louise Lee, Rich Lee, Metaphysic, Flawless Post), Best Editing (Editing by David Checel), Song Of Summer (“Houdini), and VMAs Most Iconic Performance (for the 2000 MTV VMAs performance).
Check out the performance in the video below.
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Photo: Michael Loccisano / Getty
Katy Perry‘s career-spanning medley and passionate Vanguard acceptance speech at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday (Sept. 11) kept fans on their toes — including Taylor Swift, whose jaw dropped more than once during the showcase.
One of the “Anti-Hero” singer’s biggest reactions came when the night’s main honoree said something that definitely needed censoring during the ceremony’s live broadcast: “… and the LGBTQ community, who I recognize I wouldn’t be here without, and who showed me that you can be both kind and c—.”
At hearing the C-word come out of Perry’s mouth, Swift froze in the middle of clapping, opened her mouth in disbelief, then turned around to look at longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, who pointed at the 14-time Grammy winner as she smiled and nodded.
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Other memorable moments came when the “Woman’s World” artist started her speech by saying she’d done her entire performance while “on the first day of [her] period,” which also made Swift stop in her tracks before nodding with dazed encouragement. Moments before, when Perry was performing her medley to celebrate winning 2024’s Video Vanguard honors, the Eras Tour headliner totally stopped dancing as her jaw dropped with shock as the former American Idol judge started kissing her “I’m His, He’s Mine” collaborator, Doechii, in a position that would make the most flexible yoga enthusiasts envious.
Swifties — many of whom were watching the pop star’s reactions on the VMAs‘ live audience cam more than the actual show itself — were totally here for it. “Taylor Swift’s reaction to Doechii and Katy Perry kissing is priceless,” one person wrote, while another added, “taylor gagged over ‘you can be both kind and c—‘ is SENDING ME.”
At other points in the night, Swift took home seven different Moon People — including video of the year for “Fortnight” — which ties her with Beyonce for most-awarded in history with 30 awards total over the past two decades. But fans of both the “Karma” artist and Perry were perhaps most heartened to see the former dancing along to the latter’s set and cheering her on as the “Roar” vocalist accepted the Vanguard prize from partner Orlando Bloom.
That’s because the two pop stars have a storied past, involving a yearslong feud that the pair eventually settled in 2018. A year later, Perry joined Swift in her “You Need to Calm Down” music video, solidifying their friendship once more.
Watch Swift react to Perry’s Vanguard showcase below.
On Wednesday (Sept. 11), the MTV Video Music Awards celebrated its 40th anniversary with a star-studded telecast led by first-time host Megan Thee Stallion.
In addition to Thee Hot Girl Coach’s fiery Megan medley — which featured her Billboard Hot 100 hits “Hiss” (No. 1), “Boa” (No. 39) and “Mamushi” (with Yuki Chiba, No. 36) — the three-hour telecast also featured electrifying performances from Eminem, Jelly Roll, Shawn Mendes, Karol G, LISA, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Katy Perry, Doechii, Anitta, Fat Joe, DJ Khaled, Rauw Alejandro, Benson Boone, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Halsey, Lenny Kravitz, Quavo, Camila Cabello, GloRilla, Teddy Swims and Jessie Murph.
Taylor Swift, who was joined by “boyfriend” Travis Kelce, was the night’s biggest winner. By clinching seven Moonpeople from her 12 overall nominations, Swift tied Beyoncé as the biggest VMAs winner of all time. Carpenter took home her first Moonperson (song of the year for “Espresso”), as did fellow 2024 breakout star Roan (best new artist). Perry reigned as the night’s biggest honoree as she became the latest artist to receive the coveted Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Introduced by her fiancé Orlando Bloom, Perry delivered a bombastic career-spanning medley that notably featured two selections from her forthcoming 143 album: “Lifetimes” and the Doechii-assisted “I’m His, He’s Mine.”
Of course, no single television program can capture everything that happens on a night when so many stars come out to play — but Billboard has you covered. From the ground floor of Long Island’s UBS Arena to a VIP suite hosted by Bacardí Rum, the official spirits partner of the 2024 MTV VMAs which also boasts a global partnership with Cabello, Billboard was a true fly on the wall.
Here are five things you missed on the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards telecast.
Taylor Swift & Shaboozey Link Up
The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards took over the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on Wednesday (Sept. 11). Hosted by Megan Thee Stallion, the 2024 VMAs boasted a surprisingly consistent, inventive and impressive run of performances. This year’s broadcast marks 40 years of the VMAs, which had its inaugural show at Radio City Music […]