Taylor Swift dominates and breaks records at the 2024 VMAs

September 16, 2024 | 12:00am

The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) was held last Sept. 12 at the UBS Arena in New York. It was a fun, entertaining star-studded event which honored the best of music and the accompanying videos of the past 12 months.

Of course, Taylor Swift won the most Moonpersons up for grabs that evening. This piece of news is starting to get boring. But then I think why fault the girl for being talented, hardworking and likeable. That last one is of most importance at the VMAs where fans vote for their favorites to win and she really has millions of them.

Anyway, Taylor who had 12 nominations brought home seven trophies, the biggest haul of the night and also broke some records. She now has 30 VMA Moonpersons at home, the most by any other artist. Beyoncé also has 30 but two of them are for her work with Destiny’s Child and two for The Carters.

Taylor was again Artist of the Year and for Fortnight, her collaboration with Post Malone, she won the top plum, the Burger King Video of the Year Award. She also won this last year for Anti-Hero and for All Too Well, the long version, in 2022.

Fortnight also won for Best Direction, Taylor’s second after Anti-Hero; Best Collaboration; Best Pop Video; Best Cinematography and not surprisingly, for Song of the Summer. Thanks to Fortnight, Malone also got the most awards for a male artist at this edition of VMAs.

Downplayed by Taylor’s wins is the fact that the VMAs is marking its 40th anniversary this year. That is why the show featured nods to memorable performances and images from the past.

Katy Perry is recognzied for Iconic VMA Performance (Roar) from the past 40 years.

Photos by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for MTV

Opener Eminem did a medley of his hits surrounded with hundreds of his Shady look-alikes just like he did in 2000. A special category named Iconic had Video Vanguard of the Year winner Katy Perry besting Madonna’s Like a Virgin; Taylor’s You Belong with Me; Miley Cyrus twerking with Robin Thicke; and Michael Jackson kissing Lisa Marie Presley.

Oh and rapper-turned-actor LL Cool J, the first Vanguard winner was also present to perform a rousing hip-hop number with classic acts Def Jam and Public Enemy. Then the event’s able host Megan Thee Stallion paid homage to Britney Spears with I’m a Slave for You draped in an albino python.

Lisa of Blackpink wins Best K-POP Video for Rockstar.

The kids were also treated to something they love. This year’s first time winner Sabrina Carpenter performed an effervescent medley of her hit songs, Espresso, Taste and Please Please Please with aliens and a Moonman in tow.

Check out the rest of 2024 VMA honor roll.

Song of the Year: Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter.

Best New Artist: Chappell Roan.

Best Group Video: SEVENTEEN

Best Hip-Hop Video: Eminem, Houdini.

Best Rock Video: Lenny Kravitz, Human.

Best Alternative Video: Benson Boone, Beautiful Things.

Best R&B Video: SZA, Snooze.

Best Latin Video: Anitta, Mil Veces.

Best K-POP Video: LISA, Rockstar.

Video for Good: Billie Eilish, What was I Made for from the soundtrack of the Barbie movie.

Push Performance: LE SSERAFIM from June 24, 2024, Easy.

Best Cinematography: Ariana Grande, we can’t be friends (wait for your love).

Best Choreography: Dua Lipa, Houdini.

Best Visual Effects: Eminem, Houdini.

Best Art Direction: Megan Thee Stallion, BOA.

Trending Video: Mamushi by Megan Thee Stallion and Yuki Chiba.

Iconic VMA Performance from the past 40 years: Katy Perry, Roar.

Now, I wonder, will Taylor Swift be again the big winner at the 2025 VMAs? There is no sign yet that she will be. So, the wait is now on for whatever recording she will drop next. Then maybe we will know, because one cannot really predict things with Taylor, aside of course from her winning awards.