The 2016 MTV Video Music Awards Were Full of Iconic Artists, Videos & Moments — Has It Been Matched Since? Greatest Pop Stars Podcast
Drake presents Rihanna with the The Video Vanguard Award during the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on August 28, 2016 in New York City. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
The MTV Video Music Awards of 2016 represented the culmination of an era of pop music and culture, with career-apex-type performances from Beyoncé and Rihanna and huge moments for Drake and Kanye West, among plenty of other on-stage appearances from some of the biggest names of the period. A decade later, it also seems to have been the end of an era for the VMAs, and maybe for music award shows in general, as we moved into a period where it became more and more difficult to get so many superstars in the same building at the same time.
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On this Great Moments in Pop Star History episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, we look at one of the most memorable Video Music Awards in the show’s history, with moments that continue to delight, fascinate and confuse 10 years on. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard deputy editor, digital Katie Atkinson to recall our memories of the event, as well as the new takeaways we now have revisiting the ceremonies a decade later.
Along the way, we answer all the most still-pressing questions about the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards — what was the context behind all these A-listers still showing up at the VMAs at once, and why did so many of them decline to show up again? Did it make sense to split the Rihanna Video Vanguard performance into four parts (and which was our favorite)? What impact did her decision to (arguably) curve Drake’s kiss attempt when presenting her the award have on both of their mythologies? Was Beyoncé’s Lemonade medley performance a new high point for award-show performances in general? How much is G-Eazy to blame for Britney Spears’ comeback performance not landing as hoped? Did Nick Jonas’ “Bacon” get a raw deal? And perhaps most importantly: Have the VMAs ever managed to match 2016 in the years since?
Check it out above, along with a YouTube playlist of some of the most memorable 2016 VMAs moments discussed in our conversation, and subscribe to the Greatest Pop Stars podcast on Apple Music or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts) for weekly discussions every Thursday about all things related to pop stardom!
And as we say in every one of these GPS podcast posts — if you have the time and money to spare, please consider donating to any of these causes in the fight for trans rights:
Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe
Human Rights Campaign – In Your Area
Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on 5Calls.org.
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