MTV VMAs 2014 Wrap: It Was Pretty Much All About Beyoncé

By Tom Williams

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The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards took place in Inglewood, California today and as we’ve come to expect from the annual awards show, it was filled with some very interesting moments but dominated by one very strong presence. Last year it was Miley, Robin, a tongue and a foam finger. This year, it was all about Beyoncé.

From trotting out Blue Ivy, to recapping the entirety of her massive self-titled album live, to looking damn fine doing it, Beyoncé was all over the show. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t a lot of other stuff to love, though. From unexpected winners, mammoth performances, touching acceptance speeches and, of course, questionable fashion choices, below we’ve collated a few of the highlights from the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards.

Beyoncé performs a 17-minute medley and kisses away those divorce rumours

Pop music’s Queen B, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, performed a 17-minute medley (below) of her surprise visual album, Beyoncé, including tracks Mine, No Angel, Drunk In Love, XO and many more. “This song is for my incredible fans,” she said. “If it weren’t for you guys I wouldn’t be on this stage,” she told the crowd.

Beyoncé took out two awards, and was also awarded the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, joined on stage by husband Jay-Z and young daughter Blue Ivy. Beyoncé and Jay-Z shared an on-stage kiss, dispelling the rumours that their relationship has been a little shaky of late. After all, as Jay-Z himself noted, his wife is “the greatest living entertainer”. No-one’s going to disagree after that show.

Watch: Beyoncé’s 2014 MTV VMA Medley

Lorde Wins Best Rock Video For Royals, Confuses Many

New Zealand pop star Lorde became the first woman to win the Best Rock Video award, beating fellow nominees Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys, Imagine Dragons and Linkin Park with the video for her smash-hit song Royals. The fact that Lorde once again took home a “rock” award left some viewers disillusioned with the category, and gave them time to post about it on social media. Lorde managed to swear during her acceptance speech though, which is pretty rock’n’roll.

Miley Cyrus Accepts Award Via Young Homeless Man

When talk show host Jimmy Fallon announced Miley Cyrus as the winner of the Video of the Year award for Wrecking Ball, the singer directed a young homeless man to the stage. “Thank you, all,” he said, “My name is Jesse.” Jesse went on to explain that there are more than 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth in North America. “I’m one of these people,” Jesse said.

Cyrus became emotional as the speech continued, as a call-to-action to raise awareness and funds to stop youth homelessness. Cyrus then shared a video (below) via her Facebook page, encouraging her fans to show their support for My Friend’s Place, a homeless centre for young people in Hollywood. Jesse closed the acceptance speech by saying, “A dream you dream alone is only a dream, but a dream we dream together is reality.”

Post by Miley Cyrus.

23-second Robin Williams tribute confuses and angers viewers

The broadcast’s tribute to the late comedian Robin Williams was met with confusion and even anger by some viewers, unsure how to react to the underwhelming segment. The “tribute” was unannounced and consisted of a 23-second montage of a handful of images of the star set to a snippet of Coldplay‘s Sky Full Of Stars. It ended as abruptly as it began.

Katy Perry and Riff Raff’s throwback to Britney and Justin

Pop star Katy Perry and rapper Riff Raff surprised the VMA red-carpet with a throwback to Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake‘s 2001 all denim, rhinestone encrusted American Music Awards couple ensemble. “I must admit my outfit is a result of my love for nostalgia and my tumblr addiction,” tweeted Katy Perry.

Rap mogul “Suge” Knight shot at pre-VMAs party

The founder of Death Row Records, rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight was shot in a packed Hollywood nightclub just hours before MTV’s Video Music Awards, at a party hosted by Chris Brown. Knight, 49, was one of three club goers struck by gunfire around 1:30am local time on Sunday and is reportedly recovering from surgery in intensive care.

Knight was involved in a similar incident in 2005, when he was shot in the leg at a party in Miami hosted by Kanye West just before that year’s VMAs. Knight founded Death Row Records in 1991 with Dr. Dre, and together went on to discover and sign some of the biggest stars of that decade, including Snoop Dogg and Tupac.

Iggy Azalea raps through a stage tumble

Australian-born rapper Iggy Azalea managed to continue rapping after falling off the stage during the MTV Video Music Awards benefit show in Los Angeles. The Mullumbimby native fell mid-verse during Fancy, but continued to finish the song. “I know I laughed,” Azalea later said on her Instagram account, proving she has a sense of humour.

Watch: Iggy Azalea Falls Off Stage During Fancy Performance

http://youtu.be/gnYfneMCnf8

MTV airs 15-second spot following tensions in Ferguson, Missouri

As the Associated Press reports, MTV President Steph Friedman revealed that the broadcaster would air a 15-second television spot during its VMA programming to show its support for discussion about the events on 9th August 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri, during which police shot dead unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown. “It’s a call to action to our audience that we have to confront our own bias head-on before we can truly create change,” Friedman said. Watch the short, below.

Watch: MTV’s “Look Different – Facing Change” Video

MTV VMA Winners

Video of the Year

Beyoncé ft. JAY Z – “Drunk In Love”

Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”

Pharrell Williams – “Happy”

Sia – “Chandelier”

Winner: Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball”

Best Male

Winner: Ed Sheeran ft. Pharrell – “Sing”

Pharrell Williams – “Happy”

John Legend – “All Of Me”

Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”

Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Monster”

Best Female

Winner: Katy Perry ft. Juicy J – “Dark Horse”

Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”

Beyoncé – “Partition”

Lorde – “Royals”

Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”

Best Hip Hop

Eminem – “Bezerk”

Winner: Drake ft. Majid Jordan – “Hold On (We’re Going Home)”

Childish Gambino – “3005”

Kanye West – “Black Skinhead”

Wiz Khalifa – “We Dem Boyz”

Best Pop

Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”

Pharrell Williams – “Happy”

Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz – “Talk Dirty”

Winner: Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”

Avicii ft. Aloe Blacc – “Wake Me Up”

Best Rock

Linkin Park – “Until It’s Gone”

Imagine Dragons – “Demons”

Arctic Monkeys – “Do I Wanna Know”

The Black Keys – “Fever”

Winner: Lorde – “Royals”

Best New Artist (a.k.a MTV Artist to Watch)

Charli XCX – “Boom Clap”

Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”

5 Seconds of Summer -“She Looks So Perfect”

Schoolboy Q – “Man Of The Year”

Winner: Fifth Harmony – “Miss Movin On”

Best Video With a Social Message

Winner: Beyoncé – “Pretty Hurts”

Angel Haze ft. SIA – “Battle Cry“

Avicii – “Hey Brother”

J. Cole ft. TLC – “Crooked Smile”

Kelly Rowland – “Dirty Laundry”

David Guetta ft. Mikky Ekko – “One Voice”

Best Collaboration

Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Monster”

Winner: Beyoncé ft. JAY Z – “Drunk In Love”

Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”

Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – “Timber”

Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Tyga – “Loyal”

Katy Perry ft. Juicy J – “Dark Horse”

MTV Clubland Award

Winner: Zedd ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”

DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”

Calvin Harris – “Summer”

Martin Garrix – “Animal”

Disclosure – “Grab Her!”

Best Cinematography

30 Seconds to Mars – “City of Angels”

Winner: Beyoncé – “Pretty Hurts”

Arcade Fire – “Afterlife”

Gesaffelstein – “Hate or Glory”

Lana Del Rey – “West Coast”

Best Choreography

Winner: Sia – “Chandelier”

Beyoncé – “Partition”

Usher – “Good Kisser”

Michael Jackson ft. Justin Timberlake – “Love Never Felt So Good”

Jason Derulo ft. 2Chainz – “Talk Dirty”

KIESZA – “Hideaway”

Best Editing

Winner: Eminem – “Rap God”

MGMT – “Your Life is a Lie”

Zedd ft. Hayley Williams -“Stay the Night”

Beyoncé – “Pretty Hurts”

Fitz and The Tantrums – “The Walker”

Best Direction

OK Go – “The Writing’s On the Wall”

Winner: DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”

Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball”

Beyoncé – “Pretty Hurts”

Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”

Best Art Direction

Winner: Arcade Fire – “Reflektor”

DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”

Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”

Eminem – “Rap God”

Tyler, The Creator – “Tamale”

Best Visual Effects

DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”

Winner: OK Go – “The Writing’s On the Wall”

Disclosure – “Grab Her!”

Eminem – “Rap God”

Jack White – “Lazaretto”

Tom Williams
Tom Williams

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