MTV VMA Countdown: I Feel OLD
So, as it has been pointed out to me repeatedly, often as an insult, I am one of the older users here on Buzznet. Yes, at 25 going on 26 I really should be thinking about settling down and giving up that online world that apparently no one over 30 is allowed access to.
Pete Wentz will be crushed when he finds this out.
Anyway, yeah, 25 years old, 10 years older than some of you whippersnappers out there. And nothing beats that into my head more than taking a look back at the past winners of the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.
The thing is, I had forgotten how many amazing and formative videos have won that award. REM’s “Losing My Religion” and Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” are both haunting in their own way, with their own messages. And keep in mind “Jeremy” was released in 1993, 6 years BEFORE the terrible Columbine High School incident, reiterating that issues leading to school shootings were not resolved (and sadly, even in our day and age, still are not).
Aerosmith’s “Cryin,” one of most awesome girl power videos in history, won in 1994. A young Alicia Silverstone (who would appear in two other Aerosmith videos) takes a chance to do things many women want to do after ending a bad relationship: redefine themselves, stand up for themselves and maybe get a measure of revenge.
The Smashing Pumpkins won for their 1996 video for “Tonight, Tonight,” which channeled classic cinema and had Billy Corrigan in one HELL of an awesome hat. For those of you young ‘uns who are only familiar with the cover by Panic at the Disco, listen to the orginal. I’m sorry, as much as I love Panic, they didn’t even come CLOSE to touching the original version. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the song that I want for my first dance if I ever find a guy crazy enough to marry me…that I would actually be interested in marrying as well. That’s an important caveat.
Surprisingly enough, Madonna, despite a history of provacative and eye catching videos (“Express Yourself,” “Vogue,” and “Like a Prayer” just to name a few) took until 1998 to win a Video of the Year VMA for “Ray of Light.”
Also interesting is that only ONE artist in history has won a Video of the Year VMA twice: hip hop star Eminem. In 2000 and then again in 2002, Eminem’s humerous and often self-parodying videos won him the prize. However, Missy Elliot has APPEARED in two winning videos: once for “Work It” and once for her work on the star studded cover of “Lady Marmalade” from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack.
So who’s gonna win this year? Will it be the soulful sounds and hot dance moves of Chris Brown? The “Hate Them But Not Really” Jonas Brothers? The scantily clad Pussycat Dolls? The seeming underdogs, the Ting Tings? Or will it be Miss Britney Spears herself?
Tune in Sunday to find out! And be sure to catch myself and Miss Gwen Artax as we liveblog the event from my place. Who knows, maybe we’ll have a celebrity guest or two!
…guys…guys, we can get celebrity guests, right?
