MTV

United States

September 14, 1984–Present

Current Award Categories

Video of the Year

Best Male Video

Best Female Video

Best New Artist

Best Pop Video

Best Rock Video

Best Hip-Hop Video

Best Dancing in a Video

Best Direction in a Video

Best Choreography in a Video

Best Special Effects in a Video

Best Art Direction in a Video

Best Editing in a Video

Best Cinematography in a Video

Best Story

MTV Video Vanguard Award

Previous Award Categories

Best Overall Performance in a Video (1984-1987)

Most Experimental Video (1984-1987; replaced by Breakthrough Video)

Best Concept Video (1984-1988)

Best Stage Performance in a Video (1984-1989)

Best Post-Modern Video (1989-1990)

Best Long Form Video (1991)

Best Alternative Video (1991-1998)

Best Artist Website (1999)

Best Video from a Film (1987-2003)

International Viewer's Choice (1990?-2003; awards for individual regions were created and eliminated in different years)

Breakthrough Video (1988-2005)

Best Rap Video (1989-2006)

Best R&B Video (1993-2006)

Best Dance Video (1989-2006)

MTV2 Award (2001-2006)

Viewer's Choice (1984-2006)

Best Video Game Soundtrack (2004-2006)

Best Video Game Score (2006)

Ringtone of the Year (2006)

Best Group Video (1984-2007)

Monster Single of the Year (2007)

Quadruple Threat of the Year (2007)

Best Collaboration (2007)

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The MTV Video Music Awards were established in the end of the summer of 1984 by MTV to celebrate the top Music Videos of the year. Originally beginning as an alternative to the Grammy Awards, the MTV Video Music Awards is now a respected pop culture awards show in its own right. They are presented annually and broadcast live on MTV. Past broadcasts have been held in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Las Vegas. In 2008, the MTV Video Music awards will be held in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California at Paramount Pictures Studios on September 7th.


The statues given to winners is an astronaut on the moon, one of the earliest representations of MTV. The eligibility period for the Video Music Awards currently begins July 1. Before 2002, the VMAs were traditionally held on the first Thursday of September. It was decided to move the awards back a week so that it wouldn't conflict with the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.


The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards Nominations will be announced every week on FNMTV Premieres from July 25, 2008, to August 15, 2008.