en:2009 MTV Video Music Awards

{{Short description|American award ceremony}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2019}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}

{{Infobox award

| name = 2009 MTV Video Music Awards

| image = 2009 MTV Music Video Awards.png

| date = Sunday, September 13, 2009

| location = Radio City Music Hall (New York City)

| country = United States

| host = Russell Brand

| network = MTV and VH1

| producer = Jesse Ignjatovic
Dave Sirulnick

| director = Hamish Hamilton

| most_awards = Beyoncé, Green Day and
Lady Gaga (3)

| most_nominations = Beyoncé and Lady Gaga (9)

| previous = 2008

| main = {{nowrap|MTV Video Music Awards}}

| next = 2010

}}

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, honoring the best music videos from the previous year between June 2008 to June 2009, were presented on September 13, 2009, at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and televised by MTV. The ceremony was hosted by Russell Brand for the 2nd consecutive year.

Beyoncé, Green Day, and Lady Gaga were tied for the most-awarded acts of the night, winning three awards each. Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" won the award for Video of the Year, while Beyoncé and Lady Gaga were both tied for the largest number of nominations with nine, followed by Britney Spears with seven. In the aftermath of his June 2009 death, the show featured various tributes to Michael Jackson, including an opening act featuring a medley of Jackson's biggest hits and a special appearance by Janet Jackson to perform her duet "Scream", a eulogy from Madonna, and the premiere of a trailer for the posthumous documentary film Michael Jackson's This Is It.

The ceremony was marred by an incident in which Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance of the award for Best Female Video, in order to proclaim that despite her victory, Beyoncé still had "one of the best videos of all time", referring to the aforementioned "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". When Beyoncé was eventually awarded Video of the Year, she acknowledged the moment when she had won her first VMA as part of Destiny's Child, and invited Swift back onstage to finish her acceptance speech. The incident was highly publicized, with Rolling Stone naming it the "wildest" moment in the history of the VMAs in 2013.

The broadcast was seen by a total of 9 million viewers, a 17% increase over 2008, making it the most-watched VMAs since 2004.[https://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/09/15/mtvs-2009-vmas-pull-nine-million-viewers-best-ratings-since-04/ MTV's 2009 VMAS Pull Nine Million Viewers, Best ratings since '04] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919020301/http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/09/15/mtvs-2009-vmas-pull-nine-million-viewers-best-ratings-since-04/ |date=September 19, 2009 }}, Rolling Stone. 2009.[https://archive.today/20120703021348/http://www.hollyscoop.com/tv/kanye-west/2009-vmas-ratings-up-17_1904.aspx 2009 VMAs Ratings Up 17%], Hollyscoop.com. 2009.

Performances

=House band performances=

Rapper Wale and go-go band UCB served as the house band for the show, performing right before, during, and right after commercial breaks. Throughout the show they also had various special guests and performed the following songs:

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold text.{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2009/winners.jhtml |title=2009 MTV Video Music Award winners |publisher=MTV |access-date=October 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027115514/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2009/winners.jhtml |archive-date=October 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }}

class=wikitable style="width:100%"
style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Video of the Year

! style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Male Video

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Female Video

! style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best New Artist

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Pop Video

! style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Rock Video

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Hip-Hop Video

! style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Breakthrough Video

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Direction

! style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Choreography

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Special Effects

! style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Art Direction

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Editing

! style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Cinematography

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" | Best Video (That Should Have Won a Moonman)

! style="background:#EEDD85; width=50%" | Best Performance in a Pepsi Rock Band Video

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

{{anchor|Best Breakout New York City Artist Award}}

=Best Breakout Artist Awards=

Eight local MTV VMA Best Breakout Artist Awards were awarded. The table below lists the number of bands considered in each city, the three finalist nominees selected by MTV for each VMA, and the winner in bold.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090807041513/http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2nyc MTV VMA Best Breakout NYC Artist{{!}}OurStage.com]}}{{cite web|title=MTV Local Music Contests |url=http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv |publisher=OurStage |access-date=September 23, 2009 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090820211643/http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv |archive-date=August 20, 2009 }} The winners were featured on MTV on local cable during the live VMAs and received featured coverage on MTV and MTV2 (or MTV Tr3́s in the case of the LA contest).

class="wikitable"
New York CityBay AreaAtlantaChicagoBostonPhiladelphiaWashington, DCLos Angeles
* MeTalkPretty

  • Red Directors
  • The Shells

of over 190 entries

Presented by

:Time Warner Cable and MTV2

|

of 129 entries

Presented by

:Comcast and MTV2{{Cite web |url= http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2bayarea |title=MTV VMA Best Breakout Bay Area Artist |website= OurStage.com |access-date=October 17, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090704103431/http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2bayarea |archive-date=July 4, 2009 |url-status=usurped |df=mdy-all }}

|

  • Holla Front
  • Rantings of Eva
  • Tone G

of over 150 entries

Presented by

:Comcast and MTV2{{Cite web |url= http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2atlanta |title= MTV VMA Best Breakout Atlanta Artist |website= OurStage.com |access-date=October 17, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090705092548/http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2atlanta |archive-date=July 5, 2009 |url-status=usurped |df=mdy-all }}

|

of over 150 entries

Presented by

:Comcast and MTV2{{Cite web |url= http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2chicago |title= MTV VMA Best Breakout Chicago Artist |website= OurStage.com |access-date=October 17, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090706073031/http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2chicago |archive-date=July 6, 2009 |url-status=usurped |df=mdy-all }}

|

of over 150 entries

Presented by

:Comcast and MTV2{{Cite web |url= http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2boston |title= MTV VMA Best Breakout Boston Artist |website= OurStage.com |access-date= October 17, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090715073512/http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2boston |archive-date=July 15, 2009 |url-status=usurped |df=mdy-all }}

|

  • Atlantic Avenue
  • DaCav5
  • Rushmore

of over 150 entries

Presented by

:Comcast and MTV2{{Cite web |url= http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2philly |title= MTV VMA Best Breakout Philly Artist |website= OurStage.com |access-date= October 17, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090905044904/http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2philly |archive-date= September 5, 2009 |url-status=usurped |df=mdy-all }}

|

of over 170 entries

Presented by

:Comcast and MTV2{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090707032626/http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtv2dc MTV VMA Best Breakout DC Artist {{!}} OurStage.com]}}

|

  • La Banda Skalavera
  • No Way Jose
  • South Central Skankers

of 116 entries

Presented by

:Time Warner Cable and MTV Tr3́s{{Cite web |url= http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtvtr3sla |title= MTV Tr3s Best Breakout LA Artist |website= OurStage.com |access-date=October 17, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090705232519/http://www.ourstage.com/go/mtvtr3sla |archive-date=July 5, 2009 |url-status=usurped |df=mdy-all }}

Artists with multiple wins and nominations

class="wikitable" rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"

|+ Artists who received multiple awards

scope="col" style="width:55px;" |Wins

! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" |Artist

rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" |3

| Beyoncé

Green Day
Lady Gaga

class="wikitable" rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"

|+ Artists who received multiple nominations

scope="col" style="width:55px;" |Nominations

! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" |Artist

rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" |9

| Beyoncé

Lady Gaga
style="text-align:center" |7

| Britney Spears

rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" |4

| Coldplay

Eminem
Kanye West
rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" |3

| Gnarls Barkley

Green Day
rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" |2

| Cobra Starship

Jay-Z
Asher Roth

Appearances

=Pre-show=

=Main show=

<span class="anchor" id="Kanye West controversy and debated incidents"></span>Kanye West–Taylor Swift incident

{{See also|Kanye West–Taylor Swift feud}}

File:Kanye-West-grabs-the-mic-2009-vma.jpg

As Taylor Swift was giving her Best Female Video acceptance speech for "You Belong with Me", Kanye West went on stage, took the microphone from her, and said: "Yo, Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!", referring to the music video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". As the live audience booed, West shrugged his shoulders, handed the microphone back to Swift, and walked off stage.{{cite news |first= Lisa |last= Respers |title= Anger over West's disruption at MTV awards |date= September 14, 2009 |access-date=September 15, 2009 |publisher= CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/09/14/kanye.west.reaction/index.html| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090926191354/http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/09/14/kanye.west.reaction/index.html| archive-date= September 26, 2009 | url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|last=Kreps|first=Daniel|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kanye-west-storms-the-vmas-stage-during-taylor-swifts-speech-20090913?rand=84857|title=Kanye West Storms the VMAs Stage During Taylor Swift's Speech|date=September 13, 2009|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=September 13, 2009|archive-date=January 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119133749/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kanye-west-storms-the-vmas-stage-during-taylor-swifts-speech-20090913?rand=84857|url-status=dead}}

West was subsequently removed from the show. Later in the show, Beyoncé won Video of the Year for "Single Ladies" and called Swift back onstage to let her finish her speech.[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621389/20090913/west_kanye.jhtml Kanye West Crashes VMA Stage During Taylor Swift's Award Speech. Kanye continues his history of onstage award-show rants] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213065632/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621389/20090913/west_kanye.jhtml |date=December 13, 2010 }}, MTV. 2009.

Various celebrities and industry figures,{{cite web|title= The Ten: Tweets From Industry Peeps Over Kanye Controversy |url=http://fashionindie.com/the-ten-tweets-from-industry-peeps-over-kanye-controversy/ |access-date=March 16, 2010 |url-status= dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201223028/http://fashionindie.com/the-ten-tweets-from-industry-peeps-over-kanye-controversy/ |archive-date=February 1, 2010}}[http://perezhilton.com/2009-09-14-celebs-tweet-support-for-taylor Celebs Tweet Support For Taylor] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922190504/http://perezhilton.com/2009-09-14-celebs-tweet-support-for-taylor |date=September 22, 2009 }}, Perez Hilton. 2009.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.tampabay.com/popmusic/2009/09/taylor-swift-calls-up-the-mj-morning-showand-then-all-hell-breaks-loose.html |title= Taylor Swift calls up the MJ Morning Show... and then all hell breaks loose |work= Tampa Bay | last =Daly | first = Sean |date= 2009-09-18 |access-date= 2014-03-07 |url-status= dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626081148/http://blogs.tampabay.com/popmusic/2009/09/taylor-swift-calls-up-the-mj-morning-showand-then-all-hell-breaks-loose.html |archive-date= June 26, 2010}} as well as prominent political figures including then United States President Barack Obama,{{cite news |last=MacAskill |first=Ewen |date=15 September 2009 |title=Obama calls Kanye West a 'jackass' over MTV outburst |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/15/obama-kanye-west-mtv |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119173217/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/15/obama-kanye-west-mtv |archive-date=November 19, 2021 |access-date=19 November 2021 |work=The Guardian}} former President Jimmy Carter,{{cite news |title= Jimmy Carter weighs in on Kanye West's VMA stunt |publisher= CNN |date= September 15, 2009 |access-date= September 17, 2009 |url= http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/17/carter.kanye.west/index.html |archive-date= September 23, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090923094002/http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/17/carter.kanye.west/index.html |url-status= live }} and future President Donald Trump{{cite web |last1=Kimble |first1=Lindsay |title=Donald Trump Once Called for a Boycott of Kanye West in 2009 |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/donald-trump-once-called-boycott-184259266.html |website=People|date=December 13, 2016 }} condemned West for his verbal outburst at Swift. West apologized on his blog and during an appearance on The Jay Leno Show.{{cite news| first1 =Todd | last1 = Martens | first2 =Yvonne | last2 = Villarreal |name-list-style=amp |title= Kanye West expresses Swift regret on blog and 'The Jay Leno Show' | work = The Los Angeles Times |date= September 15, 2009 |access-date=September 15, 2009 |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-kanye-fallout15-2009sep15,0,4346169.story |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090927092357/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-kanye-fallout15-2009sep15%2C0%2C4346169.story |archive-date=September 27, 2009 |url-status=live }}

Emil Wilbekin, managing editor of Essence magazine, argued that West went too far with his actions, compared to the past: "I think that it was not Kanye's place to speak for Beyoncé or to ruin Taylor Swift's moment... It's OK for Kanye to rattle off about himself, but I think he crossed the line when he decided to speak for other people." Los Angeles Times contributor Ann Powers opined that "from one vantage point, it was a case of chivalry gone horribly wrong" as West meant to "stand up for" Beyoncé.{{cite news |first= Ann |last= Powers |title= Beyonce and Taylor Swift: Sisterhood is powerful, especially when male-directed |date= September 14, 2009 |access-date= September 15, 2009 |work= Los Angeles Times |url= http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/09/beyonce-and-taylor-swift-sisterhood-is-powerful-especially-when-maledirected.html |archive-date= February 6, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110206235703/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/09/beyonce-and-taylor-swift-sisterhood-is-powerful-especially-when-maledirected.html |url-status= live }} Powers was cynical about the onstage embrace Beyoncé and Swift shared, calling it "staged" and stating that it added "another layer of meaning to an already complicated moment. Now this controversy was about women sticking up for each other, too."

In 2013, Rolling Stone named the incident the wildest moment in VMA history.{{cite magazine|last=Hyman|first=Dan|title=The 24 Wildest Moments in VMA History |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-24-wildest-moments-in-vma-history-20130820|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820222531/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-24-wildest-moments-in-vma-history-20130820|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 20, 2013|magazine= Rolling Stone|access-date= August 20, 2013|date= August 16, 2014}} The outburst resulted in a meme consisting of images of West being superimposed onto other images with text in the style of his interruption as a snowclone ("X is one of the greatest Y of all time", or variants thereon, in some cases preceded by "I'm really happy for you" and/or "I'mma let you finish")."{{cite web|access-date=October 3, 2009|url=http://newsroom.mtv.com/2009/09/16/kanye-wests-vma-interruption-photos/|title=Kanye West's VMA Interruption Gives Birth To Internet Photo Meme|publisher=MTV|date=September 16, 2009|author=Anderson, Kyle|archive-date=October 1, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001234936/http://newsroom.mtv.com/2009/09/16/kanye-wests-vma-interruption-photos|url-status=dead}} West later referenced the incident in his 2016 single "Famous", controversially claiming that he made Swift famous through it.{{cite news |last1=Grady |first1=Constance |date=26 August 2019 |title=How the Taylor Swift-Kanye West VMAs scandal became a perfect American morality tale |language=en |work=Vox |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/8/26/20828559/taylor-swift-kanye-west-2009-mtv-vmas-explained |access-date=12 October 2023 |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221202230610/https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/8/26/20828559/taylor-swift-kanye-west-2009-mtv-vmas-explained |url-status=live }}

See also

References

{{reflist}}