What Is 2019 MTV Video Music Awards

Overview

The 2019 MTV Video Music Awards celebrated the most impactful music videos and pop culture moments from the eligibility period of June 1, 2018, to June 21, 2019. The ceremony was held on August 26, 2019, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, marking a return to the Northeast after several years of New York City and Los Angeles-based shows.

MTV positioned the event as a celebration of artistic innovation, inclusivity, and digital virality, reflecting how platforms like TikTok and YouTube were reshaping music trends. The show featured high-energy performances, surprise collaborations, and a tribute to long-standing industry influence through the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

• Sebastian Maniscalco served as the official host, bringing a comedic edge to the ceremony—the first comedian to headline the VMAs solo since 2011.
• The event honored Taylor Swift with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, recognizing her two-decade career and groundbreaking visuals like 'You Need to Calm Down'.
• Lil Nas X won Video of the Year for 'Old Town Road (Remix)' featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, a track that spent a record-breaking 19 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.
• Ariana Grande and Victoria Monét won Best Collaboration for 'Monopoly', a fan-favorite anthem released during a peak year for pop-R&B fusion.
• Missy Elliott received the Artist of the Year award, becoming one of the few women to win the honor in the 2010s, highlighting her enduring influence on hip-hop and music video artistry.

Performances and Highlights

The 2019 VMAs delivered a mix of live renditions, medleys, and debut performances that fueled social media buzz and streaming spikes.

• Lil Nas X opened the show with a surreal, genre-blending performance of 'Old Town Road', featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, Diplo, and even a brief appearance by Orville Peck.
• Taylor Swift performed a medley of 'You Need to Calm Down' and 'Lover', debuting her album Lover just days before its release.
• Ariana Grande delivered a powerful rendition of 'Break Free' and '7 Rings', showcasing her vocal range and stage production value.
• Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello performed 'Señorita', their first televised duet, which went viral on social media with over 5 million tweets during the broadcast.
• Missy Elliott received a 10-minute tribute performance featuring her greatest hits, with dancers recreating iconic choreography from 'Get Ur Freak On' and 'Work It'.
• Halsey premiered her song 'Graveyard' live, staging a dramatic, theatrical set piece with pyrotechnics and symbolic imagery reflecting themes of heartbreak and resilience.

Comparison at a Glance

Here's how the 2019 VMAs compared to the 2018 and 2020 ceremonies in key categories:

The 2019 VMAs saw a slight increase in viewership compared to 2018, likely due to the viral success of 'Old Town Road' and Taylor Swift's high-profile Vanguard award. However, the 2020 show's drop in ratings reflected the shift to remote formats during the pandemic, underscoring the importance of live spectacle in award show appeal.

Why It Matters

The 2019 MTV VMAs captured a cultural turning point in music, where internet virality, genre-blurring, and LGBTQ+ visibility became central to mainstream success. The show highlighted how digital platforms were reshaping stardom and creative expression.

• 'Old Town Road' winning Video of the Year signaled the mainstream embrace of meme-driven music and genre fusion, breaking country-hip-hop boundaries.
• Taylor Swift's Video Vanguard Award reinforced her status as a visual storyteller, with 'You Need to Calm Down' promoting LGBTQ+ rights and inclusivity.
• The show featured record LGBTQ+ representation, including non-binary performers and same-sex dance pairings, reflecting broader cultural shifts.
• MTV integrated social media metrics more heavily into fan-voted categories, acknowledging platforms like Twitter and TikTok as cultural barometers.
• Performances by Missy Elliott and Shawn Mendes bridged generational gaps, honoring legacy artists while spotlighting emerging talent.
• The event boosted post-show streaming, with 'Old Town Road' gaining over 2 million Spotify plays in the 24 hours following the broadcast.

The 2019 VMAs demonstrated that music awards could remain relevant by embracing digital culture, diversity, and bold artistic statements, setting a template for future ceremonies in an increasingly online world.