MTV VMAs 2014: The Winners List + Performances

Even if the MTV VMAs are more about jaw-dropping performances and unexpected moments (um…Katy Perry and Riff Raff channeling Britney & Justin) than handing out awards, the annual MTV ceremony still finds a lot of artists taking home hardware.

Ariana Grande kicked off the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards with “Break Free,” her sophomore album’s collaboration with Zedd. Grande emerged from a spaceship-like contraption before walking to the center of the stage and belting out her hit.

After Grande performed a couple verses from “Break Free,” Nicki Minaj took the stage performing her latest single, “Anaconda,” wearing a sparkly green two-piece, in front of a jungle backdrop. Minaj writhed around the floor with a group of dancers dressed in head-to-toe green. After Minaj raised eyebrows and broke Vevo’s most-views-in-24-hour record with the explicit video for the song, her VMA performance seemed tame in comparison. And despite rumors that a live snake was going to be involved in the performance, there wasn’t one seen onstage.

The two performers then quickly changed into new costumes to finish off the medley alongside Jessie J with the trio’s first-ever performance of “Bang Bang,” the collaboration set to be featured on Grande and J’s upcoming studio albums.

Ed Sheeran, an early VMA winner for best male video, joked that while he “liked” the opening performance, “there a lot of body parts everywhere.” He was particularly impressed when Grande, Minaj and Jessie J took the stage together at the end, giving a thumb’s up to the “impressive” vocal performance.

Immediately after the trio’s performance, Beats by Dr. Dre and Target debuted the track’s music video online at BangBang.mtv.com. The video was directed by Hannah Lux Davis and includes an easy-to-learn dance that Jessie J made up.

Sam Smith brought his breakthrough single “Stay With Me” to the MTV Video Music Awards.

The 22-year-old British crooner delivered a bare-bones performance, just singing into a microphone in the spotlight, accompanied by a piano and backing musicians. The audience could also be heard singing along with Smith on the chorus.

Smith, who was introduced by Kim Kardashian West, is up for two VMAs: best male video and MTV artist to watch. Smith’s track peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Pop Songs chart.

Common got serious at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night, prefacing his presentation of the award for best hip-hop video by urging those in the audience and at home to take a moment to remember what happened this week in Ferguson, Missouri.

After saying that people’s attention has been drawn to the civil rights protests, he called for a moment of silence “for Mike Brown and for peace in this country and in the world.”

The audience at the Forum complied with Common’s request, and, as the camera panned across the crowd, Snoop Dogg could be seen flashing a peace sign as he had his head bowed.

Beyonce reaffirmed her title as the Queen of Pop.

Fresh off her On the Run Tour with husband Jay Z, the 32-year-old entertainer showcased all her hits from her latest album, Beyonce. with a memorable 15-minute medley during her Video Vanguard performance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday evening.

Dressed in a bejeweled bodysuit, Beyonce opened her performance with an interlude from “Mine,” surrounded by her dancers in front of stained-glassed window visuals. “MTV, welcome to my world,” she said, before launching into a smoke-filled rendition of “Haunted,” followed by “Jealous,” backed by clips. Jay Z watched from the audience, with daughter Blue Ivy on his lap.

Her dancers then rejoined her for “Blow,” and a booty-popping performance of “Drunk in Love” complete with the audience echoing her in the chorus. She then danced atop a chair and among the smoke during “Rocket.” And for the sultry “Partition,” the singer seized the pole-dancing moment.

When launching into “Flawless,” the words of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TEDx message flashed on the big screen behind her and her dancers: “We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller,” it read. She proudly asked the audience, “How did you wake up this morning?” as the audience shouted back, “Flawless!” And she wore a big smile during a riff of “Yonce.”

She showed home videos while singing “Blue” and dedicated “XO” to her fans.

Jay Z and Blue Ivy — who told the performer, “Good job, Mommy,” — came onstage to present her with the award. “I am so full. I have nothing to say. I am filled with so much gratitude,” she told the audience before closing the show with a kiss for her husband. “Thank you and good night!”

Beyonce is the latest in an elite list of Video Vanguard honorees such as Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Madonna and last year’s recipient, Justin Timberlake, who drew a standing ovation following a 15-minute performance that included a ‘N Sync reunion.

A 14-time VMA winner (including two Moonmen with Destiny’s Child), Beyonce leads this year’s pack with eight nominations, including video of the year for “Drunk in Love” and best female video. Always making a big splash, back in 2011, the singer announced that she was expecting her first child with Jay Z at the VMAs.

Here’s who’s won a Moonman award on night:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball” (WINNER)
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Beyonce ft. Jay Z – “Drunk in Love”
Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
Sia – “Chandelier”

BEST LYRIC
5 Seconds of Summer – “Don’t Stop” (WINNER)
Katy Perry – “Birthday”
Demi Lovato – “Really Don’t Care”
Austin Mahone ft. Pitbull – “Mmm Yeah”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”

MTV ARTIST TO WATCH
Fifth Harmony – “Miss Movin On” (WINNER)
Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”
5 Seconds of Summer  -“She Looks So Perfect”
Charli XCX – “Boom Clap”
Schoolboy Q – “Man of the Year”

BEST ROCK
Lorde – “Royals” (WINNER)
Imagine Dragons – “Demons”
Arctic Monkeys – “Do I Wanna Know”
The Black Keys – “Fever”
Linkin Park – “Until It’s Gone”

BEST HIP HOP
Drake ft. Majid Jordan – “Hold On (We’re Going Home)” (WINNER)
Eminem – “Bezerk”
Childish Gambino – “3005”
Kanye West – “Black Skinhead”
Wiz Khalifa – “We Dem Boyz”

BEST POP
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem” (WINNER)
Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz – “Talk Dirty”
Avicii ft. Aloe Blacc – “Wake Me Up”

BEST MALE
Ed Sheeran ft. Pharrell – “Sing” (WINNER)
Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
John Legend – “All of Me”
Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”
Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Monster”

BEST FEMALE
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J – “Dark Horse” (WINNER)
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Beyonce – “Partition”
Lorde – “Royals”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”

BEST COLLABORATION
Beyonce ft. Jay Z – “Drunk in Love” (WINNER)
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”
Pitbull ft. Kesha – “Timber”
Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Tyga – “Loyal”
Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Monster”
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J – “Dark Horse”

MTV CLUBLAND AWARD
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down for What”
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”
Calvin Harris – “Summer”
Martin Garrix – “Animal”
Disclosure – “Grab Her!”

BEST VIDEO WITH A SOCIAL MESSAGE
Beyonce – “Pretty Hurts” (WINNER)
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 CINEMATOGRAPHY
Beyonce – “Pretty Hurts” (WINNER)
30 Seconds to Mars – “City of Angels”
Arcade Fire – “Afterlife”
Gesaffelstein – “Hate or Glory”
Lana Del Rey – “West Coast”

BEST EDITING
Eminem – “Rap God” (WINNER)
MGMT – “Your Life Is a Lie”
Zedd  ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”
Beyonce – “Pretty Hurts”
Fitz and The Tantrums – “The Walker”

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Sia – “Chandelier” (WINNER)
Beyonce – “Partition”
Usher – “Good Kisser”
Michael Jackson ft. Justin Timberlake – “Love Never Felt So Good”
Jason Derulo ft. 2Chainz – “Talk Dirty”
KIESZA – “Hideaway”

BEST DIRECTION
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down for What” (WINNER)
OK Go  – “The Writing’s on the Wall”
Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball”
Beyonce – “Pretty Hurts”
Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”

BEST ART DIRECTION
Arcade Fire – “Reflektor” (WINNER)
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Eminem – “Rap God”
Tyler, The Creator – “Tamale”

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
OK Go – “The Writing’s On the Wall” (WINNER)
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
Disclosure – “Grab Her!”
Eminem – “Rap God”
Jack White – “Lazaretto”