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The MTV Europe Music Awards (originally named MTV European Music Awards, commonly abbreviated as MTV EMA) are awards presented by
Paramount International Networks Paramount International Networks (PIN) is the international division of Paramount Global. The division oversees the production, broadcasting and promotion of key Paramount's brands outside of the United States. These brands include Paramount Net ...
to honour artists and music in
pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * Pop (Gas al ...
. It was originally conceived as an alternative to the MTV Video Music Awards, which are hosted annually in the United States. The Europe Music Awards are held every year in a different country; it has been hosted mostly in the United Kingdom. The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and the presentation of those awards that have a more popular interest. The awards are a reflection of the international and continental music scene. They are representative of geographical origin and of achievement in diverse musical genres and disciplines, indicative of the diversity and scope of the show. Since the 2007 ceremony, viewers are able to vote for their favourite artists in all general categories by visiting MTV's website. The 1st Europe Music Awards ceremony was held in 1994 at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, five years after the fall of the
Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall (german: Berliner Mauer, ) was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and East Germany (GDR). Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the government ...
. The annual ceremony broadcast live on
MTV Europe MTV Global (formerly as MTV Europe) is the international version of the American TV channel MTV, a 24-hour music and entertainment TV channel that began broadcasting on August 1, 1987, as part of the worldwide MTV network. Initially, MTV serve ...
, Channel 5 and most of the international MTV channels as well as online.


Notable moments


1990s


1994–1999

1994: The first Europe Music Awards took place in Berlin, Germany, at the Brandenburg Gate and were held on 24 November 1994, five years after the
fall of the Berlin Wall The fall of the Berlin Wall (german: Mauerfall) on 9 November 1989, during the Peaceful Revolution, was a pivotal event in world history which marked the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the figurative Iron Curtain and one of the series of eve ...
. Hosted by Tom Jones, the show featured performances by Aerosmith, Ace of Base,
Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
,
Roxette Roxette was a Swedish pop rock duo, consisting of Marie Fredriksson (vocals and keyboards) and Per Gessle (vocals and guitar). Formed in 1986, the duo became an international act in the late 1980s, when they released their breakthrough second a ...
,
Take That Take That are an English pop group formed in Manchester in 1990. The group currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The original line-up also featured Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. Barlow is the group's lead singe ...
and George Michael, who performed "
Jesus to a Child "Jesus to a Child" is a song by British singer and songwriter George Michael. It was released in January 1996 the first of six singles from his third studio album, ''Older'' (1996). The song peaked at number one in Australia, Finland, Hungary, ...
" and "
Freedom Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...
" surrounded by many famous
models A model is an informative representation of an object, person or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin ''modulus'', a measure. Models c ...
including
Naomi Campbell Naomi Elaine Campbell (born 22 May 1970) is an English model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her career at the age of 15, and established herself amongst the most recognisable and in-demand models of the past four decades. Cam ...
. Presenters included
East 17 East 17 are an English pop boy band started by Tony Mortimer, Brian Harvey, John Hendy, and Terry Coldwell in 1991. As of 2020, the group consists of Coldwell, Robbie Craig, and Joe Livermore. East 17 have undergone multiple lineup changes, wi ...
,
Jean Paul Gaultier Jean Paul Gaultier (; born 24 April 1952) is a French haute couture and prêt-à-porter fashion designer. He is described as an "enfant terrible" of the fashion industry and is known for his unconventional designs with motifs including corset ...
,
Pamela Anderson Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series ''Baywatch'' (1992–1997). Anders ...
and
Helena Christensen Helena Christensen (born 25 December 1968) is a Danish model and photographer. She is a former Victoria's Secret Angel, clothing designer and beauty queen. Christensen was also the co-founder and original creative director for ''Nylon'' magazine, ...
, who kissed
INXS INXS (a word play, phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian Rock music, rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band's founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboar ...
's
Michael Hutchence Michael Kelland John Hutchence (22 January 1960 – 22 November 1997) was an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Hutchence co-founded the rock band INXS, which sold over 75 million records worldwide and was inducted into th ...
live on stage.
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
received the Free Your Mind Award on behalf of
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
. 1995:
French nuclear testing ''Gerboise Bleue'' (; ) was the codename of the first French nuclear test. It was conducted by the Nuclear Experiments Operational Group (GOEN), a unit of the Joint Special Weapons Command on 13 February 1960, at the Saharan Military Experimen ...
in the South Pacific got the most attention at the 1995 ceremony. During his acceptance speech after winning the award for Best Rock,
Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...
lead singer Jon Bon Jovi stated, "The only enemy is ignorance. Peace, people. Let's get rid of all this nuclear testing", while U2's
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
said, "What a city, what a night, what a crowd, what a bomb, what a mistake, what a wanker you have for a President." referring to nuclear testing.
Greenpeace Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving Stowe and Dorothy Stowe, immigrant environmental activists from the United States. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth t ...
, the environmental group that has staged creative and controversial protests around the testing site at
Mururoa Atoll Moruroa (Mururoa, Mururura), also historically known as Aopuni, is an atoll which forms part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is located about southeast of Tahiti. Administratively Moruroa Atoll i ...
, took the Free Your Mind award for its campaign against the underground nuclear blasts. "Stop abusing the Earth," urged Madonna in a videotaped segment before designer
agnès b. agnès b. (born Agnès Andrée Marguerite Troublé, 1941) is a French fashion designer known for her self-named brand, which includes fashion and film interests. Life and early career Agnès had mixed twins at 19 and she separated from their ...
picked up the award for
Greenpeace Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving Stowe and Dorothy Stowe, immigrant environmental activists from the United States. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth t ...
. 1996: During their performance
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
performed the songs "
Last Caress "Last Caress" is a song by American punk rock band Misfits, first released on their 1980 EP '' Beware''. Written by vocalist Glenn Danzig, the song was later included on the compilation album ''Collection II'', released in 1995, as well as on t ...
" and " So What?" instead of performing their single "
King Nothing "King Nothing" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica from their 1996 album '' Load,'' released on January 7, 1997. The song was written by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and Kirk Hammett. The song starts on a bass riff which develops ...
" as scheduled. The MTV executives told the band that they weren't allowed to use any curse words during their time on live TV, and upset with the scripted, family-friendly MTV antics, Metallica simply played non-TV friendly songs. The song " So What?" is known for its amount of expletives and references to bestiality among many other controversial lyrics while "
Last Caress "Last Caress" is a song by American punk rock band Misfits, first released on their 1980 EP '' Beware''. Written by vocalist Glenn Danzig, the song was later included on the compilation album ''Collection II'', released in 1995, as well as on t ...
" has lyrics pertaining to murder and rape. As a result of their performance Metallica's performance and references to Metallica have been removed from future broadcasts of the ceremony. 1997: U2 opened the show performing " Mofo" dressed in boxing gowns.
The Prodigy The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music band formed in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by producer, keyboard player and songwriter Liam Howlett. The original line-up also featured dancer and singer Keith Flint and dancer and occasional l ...
were the big winners of the night, receiving three awards including Best Video.
Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
became the first artist to be nominated in the category of Best Female for four consecutive years. The
Landmine Survivors Network Survivor Corps, formerly known as the Landmine Survivors Network, was a global network of survivors helping survivors to recover from war, rebuild their communities, and break cycles of violence. The organization currently operated programs in Alb ...
received the Free Your Mind Award for helping survivors to recover from war, rebuild their communities, and break cycles of violence. 1998: Six new categories were introduced that year, including the MTV Selects; UK & Ireland, Northern, Central and Southern. Faithless opened the show with " God is a DJ" and Madonna performed "
The Power of Goodbye "The Power of Good-Bye" is a song by American singer Madonna, taken from her seventh studio album ''Ray of Light'' (1998). It was written by Madonna and Rick Nowels, and was produced by the singer with William Orbit and Patrick Leonard. The ...
". The big winner of the night were the Spice Girls and Madonna with two awards each. Melanie C and
Emma Bunton Emma Lee Bunton (born 21 January 1976) is an English singer, songwriter, actress, and media personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Baby Spice. With over 100 million recor ...
collected the trophy on behalf of the group. On receiving the award, Mel C shouted, "We've done it again. And a big hello from the other two", referring to Mel B and Victoria Adams, both of whom were pregnant and did not attend the ceremony.
The Prodigy The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music band formed in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by producer, keyboard player and songwriter Liam Howlett. The original line-up also featured dancer and singer Keith Flint and dancer and occasional l ...
won Best Dance but according to their frontman,
Liam Howlett Liam Paul Paris Howlett (born 21 August 1971) is an English record producer, musician, songwriter, co-founder and leader of the British electronic band The Prodigy, and an occasional DJ. Early years Howlett was born in Braintree, Essex, En ...
, they had not done anything to deserve the accolade that year. 1999:
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
was the big winner of the night winning four awards, including Best New Act and Best Song for " ...Baby One More Time". She also performed during the ceremony, entertaining the crowd with a medley of her songs "...Baby One More Time" and " (You Drive Me) Crazy". The Free Your Mind Award, which honours an individual or organisation for aiding in humanitarian efforts and fighting prejudice, was given to
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
for his world peace work. Puff Daddy performed "My Best Friend" backed by a full gospel choir, followed by
Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...
, who stagedived into the crowd during the track " Lust for Life".
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
sang a medley of "Get It Back" and "
My Love Is Your Love ''My Love Is Your Love'' is the fourth studio album by American singer Whitney Houston, released worldwide on November 17, 1998. It was Houston's first studio album in eight years, following ''I'm Your Baby Tonight'' (1990) although she had part ...
", while Mariah Carey performed "
Heartbreaker Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to: Film and television *''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle *''The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff * ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American f ...
". Marilyn Manson, who wore nothing but a
G-string A G-string is a type of thong, a narrow piece of fabric, leather, or satin that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a waistband around the hips. A G-string can be worn both by men and by women. It may ...
, closed the show with a performance of " Rock Is Dead".


2000s


2000–2004

2000: The show was hosted by
Fugees Fugees (; sometimes The Fugees) is an American hip hop group formed in the early 1990s. Deriving its name from a shortening of the word "refugees", the group consists of Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel, and Lauryn Hill. The group rose to fame with i ...
's
Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine, Jean immigrated to the United States with his family. He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees, a ...
, who presented a variety of stars and outfits, including one consisting of boxer shorts only, after he jumped into the crowd and had his red leather suit ripped from him. The performance of the Spice Girls during the ceremony was the last before their breakup. The most elaborate appearance was probably by Jennifer Lopez, who literally landed on stage in an aeroplane. The performance was a world premiere of her new song, " Love Don't Cost a Thing", taken from her forthcoming album, ''
J.Lo Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
''. Madonna paid tribute to fellow performer
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
by appearing on stage in a
T-shirt A T-shirt (also spelled tee shirt), or tee, is a style of fabric shirt named after the T shape of its body and sleeves. Traditionally, it has short sleeves and a round neckline, known as a ''crew neck'', which lacks a collar. T-shirts are general ...
bearing the name "Kylie".
Sacha Baron Cohen Sacha Noam Baron Cohen (born 13 October 1971) is an English actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his creation and portrayal of the fictional satirical characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral ...
made his career debut during the ceremony. Political issues were present as well during the night, with Nick Carter from
Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. Lou Pearlman formed the group in 1993 in Orlando, Florida. The gr ...
speaking against a recount of votes in the U.S. presidential election.
Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stud ...
won Best Song for " Rock DJ", but he told the audience: "I am not going to say anything bad about people's choices on this one, but I think it's a terrible song and a silly song." He also referred to his roots in Stoke-on-Trent, saying: "When I was growing up I dreamt of being a pop star and I would like to thank MTV for my three houses, my five cars and my supermodel girlfriend." 2001: The ceremony was the first entertainment broadcasts following the
September 11th attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. When
Damon Albarn Damon Albarn (; born 23 March 1968) is an English-Icelandic musician, singer-songwriter and composer, best known as the frontman and primary lyricist of the rock band Blur and as the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual ...
and
Jamie Hewlett Jamie Christopher Hewlett (born 3 April 1968) is an English comic book creator, illustrator, music video director, and songwriter. He is the co-creator of the comic book '' Tank Girl'' with Alan Martin and co-creator of the virtual band Gorilla ...
from Gorillaz walked onto stage to make a speech, Albarn sported a T-shirt with the
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is an organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuc ...
logo on it. Albarn, in a response to the recent invasion of Afghanistan said "So, fuck the music. Listen. See this symbol here, ointing to the tee shirtthis the symbol for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Bombing one of the poorest countries in the world is wrong. You've got a voice and you have got to do what you can about it allright?"
Fred Durst William Frederick Durst (born August 20, 1970) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and director. He is the frontman and lyricist of the nu metal band Limp Bizkit, formed in 1994, with whom he has released seven studio albums. He ap ...
took the stage with
Wes Scantlin Wesley Reid Scantlin (born June 9, 1972) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and only constant member of rock band Puddle of Mudd. He was named one of the "Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocali ...
and Jimmy Page to perform the classic
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
's song "
Thank You "''Thank you''" (often expanded to ''thank you very much'' or ''thanks a lot'', or informally abbreviated to ''thanks'' or alternately as ''many thanks''Geoffrey Leech, ''The Pragmatics of Politeness'' (2014), p. 200.) is a common expression of ...
". 2002: One of the highlights was the offer made by host Puff Daddy giving away a lush
ring Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
to the first woman to undress on stage. A lady took the stage take off her clothes and won the ring. When Moby came on stage to collect the award for Best Website he wished the best wishes to
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
, showing that he bore no grudge after the confrontation on the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.
Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stud ...
and
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
performed their songs "
Feel Feel may refer to: *Feeling Music Bands * Feel (New York band), a dance and R&B band * Feel (Polish band), a pop rock band Songs * "Feel" (Kendrick Lamar song), 2017 * "Feel", by Phora, 2018 *"Feel", by Mahmut Orhan, 2016 * "Feel" (Kumi Koda so ...
" and "
Whatchulookinat "Whatchulookinat" is a 2002 single released by American R&B/pop singer Whitney Houston. The song serves as the initial single from Houston's fifth studio album, ''Just Whitney''. "Whatchulookinat" has several remixes from Thunderpuss, Full Inte ...
" for the first time ever.
Enrique Iglesias Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (; (born 8 May 1975) is a Spanish singer and songwriter. He started his recording career in the mid-1990s on the Mexican indie label Fonovisa and became the bestselling Spanish-language act of the decade. By the ...
performed an acoustic version of his single " Maybe" and then a rock version of the track " Love to See You Cry" done to the music of
Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...
's "
White Wedding A white wedding is a traditional formal or semi-formal wedding originating in Great Britain. The term originates from the white colour of the wedding dress, which first became popular with Victorian era elites after Queen Victoria wore a whi ...
". 2003: During the pre-show,
Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
refused to walk the red carpet if
Kelly Osbourne Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne (born 27 October 1984) is an English television personality, singer, actress, model, and fashion designer. The daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, she appeared on the reality show '' The Osbournes'' (2002–2005) w ...
, a guest VJ for the event, was present. Kelly responded by calling Aguilera's music "
crap Crap or craps may refer to: * Crap, a slang term for feces * Craps, a dice game * ''Craps'' (album), by Big Dipper, 1988 * ''Commandos de recherche et d'action en profondeur'', the former name of France's Commando Parachute Group * "Create, ...
" and saying she was a "
cow Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...
." Later, a skit was aired of
Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
throwing
darts Darts or dart-throwing is a competitive sport in which two or more players bare-handedly throw small sharp-pointed missiles known as darts at a round target known as a dartboard. Points can be scored by hitting specific marked areas of the bo ...
at a board decorated with a picture of
Kelly Osbourne Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne (born 27 October 1984) is an English television personality, singer, actress, model, and fashion designer. The daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, she appeared on the reality show '' The Osbournes'' (2002–2005) w ...
. This irked the Ozzy offspring, who voiced her disapproval when she came onstage to present an award. Kelly stated, "If
Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
has to resort to throwing darts at my head after everything she's achieved and everything she's done, then she's a really sad, sorry person". Aguilera later retorted with a voice of mock sympathy, saying "Honey, if you can dish it out, you've got to learn how to take it back". During Travis' performance of "
The Beautiful Occupation "The Beautiful Occupation" is the second single from Scotland, Scottish indie rock band Travis (band), Travis' fourth studio album, ''12 Memories''. The single peaked at #48 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming their worst performing single to date ...
" an assembly of nude protesters marched onstage with signs that covered their private areas. At the end of the song, they lifted the signs. While near at the end of performing " Baby Boy",
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
and Sean Paul both were up on stage when their backing track suffered a technical difficulty. This went on for a near minute in which both artist and dancers exited the stage while the error went on. This also left confusion among presenter Christina Aguilera, who walked on stage to continue hosting which ended the backing track error. Both artists later decided to retake the performance again. The retake would later replace re-airings of the show and would be the first show to extend time with this retake. 2004: The show was held at
Tor di Valle Racecourse Hippodrome of Tor di Valle ( it, Ippodromo Tor di Valle) was an important horse racing venue in the city of Rome. The hippodrome took its name from the area in which it was located and included a racetrack, a training track and a right track. It w ...
in Rome. The outdoor stage was situated in front of the
Colosseum The Colosseum ( ; it, Colosseo ) is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world to ...
, where artists such as
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
,
Franz Ferdinand Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria, (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination in Sarajevo was the most immediate cause of World War I. Fr ...
,
Beastie Boys Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Mike D, Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (voca ...
, and
Anastacia Anastacia Lyn Newkirk ( ; born September 17, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter and former dancer. Her first two albums '' Not That Kind'' (2000) and '' Freak of Nature'' (2001) were released in quick succession to major success. Spurred o ...
performed to an attendance of over 400,000 people. Outkast received both Best Song and Best Video for their track "
Hey Ya! "Hey Ya!" is a song performed by American hip-hop duo Outkast, specifically group member André 3000, who wrote and produced the song. Along with "The Way You Move", recorded by Outkast's other member Big Boi, "Hey Ya!" was released by Arista ...
". Other multiple winners include Usher and
Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...
with two awards each. Presenters on the night included
Jamelia ' Jamelia Niela Davis (born 11 January 1981) is an English singer, songwriter and television presenter. She has released three studio albums, each of which has reached the Top 40 in the UK, which collectively have spawned eight UK top-ten singl ...
,
Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...
,
N.E.R.D N.E.R.D. (stylized as N⋆E⋆R⋆D and N.E.R.D, a backronym of No-one Ever Really Dies) is an American hip hop and rock band, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1999. Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were signed by Teddy Riley to Virgin Recor ...
,
Naomi Campbell Naomi Elaine Campbell (born 22 May 1970) is an English model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her career at the age of 15, and established herself amongst the most recognisable and in-demand models of the past four decades. Cam ...
, Andre 3000, Kid Rock and
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
.


2005–2009

2005 : Madonna opened the show in a giant disco ball performing "
Hung Up "Hung Up" is a song by American singer Madonna from her tenth studio album ''Confessions on a Dance Floor'' (2005). Initially used in a number of television advertisements and serials, the song was released as the album's lead single on October ...
".
Sacha Baron Cohen Sacha Noam Baron Cohen (born 13 October 1971) is an English actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his creation and portrayal of the fictional satirical characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral ...
hosted the ceremony as
Borat Sagdiyev Borat Margaret Sagdiyev ( kk, Борат Маргарет Сағдиев) is a Satire, satirical fictional character created and performed by Sacha Baron Cohen. He is supposedly a Kazakh television journalist and is the main protagonist of the m ...
, who greeted the audience by saying "Welcome to the
2005 Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest 2005 was the 50th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Kyiv, Ukraine, following the country's victory at the with the song "Wild Dances" by Ruslana. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (E ...
" and referring to Madonna, he stated, "It was very courageous of MTV to start the show with a genuine
transvestite Transvestism is the practice of dressing in a manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex. In some cultures, transvestism is practiced for religious, traditional, or ceremonial reasons. The term is considered outdated in Western ...
". Gorillaz used hologram-style technology to beam three-dimensional performing cartoon characters on stage. Madonna returned to the stage to present the Free Your Mind Award to
Bob Geldof Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof (; born 5 October 1951) is an Irish singer-songwriter, and political activist. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s as lead singer of the Rock music in Ireland, Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats, who achieved ...
. "You drive me crazy, but tonight you are everyone's hero," she said. He replied: "This means much more to me than many of the other things that are given to me". 2006: The 13th Europe Music Awards was hosted by
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
, who received Best Male and Best Pop. Timberlake joked that he only won because he agreed to present the event in Copenhagen.
Depeche Mode Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and co-songwriting) and Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, co-lead vocals and main songwriting). Depeche ...
said, "A big thank you to the fans and a big thank you to MTV for playing our videos for twenty-five years", after winning the award for Best Group. British comedian
Sacha Baron Cohen Sacha Noam Baron Cohen (born 13 October 1971) is an English actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his creation and portrayal of the fictional satirical characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral ...
entertained the audience with his English-mangling character
Borat ''Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan'' ( Kazakh / Russian: ''Борат'') (also stylized as ''BORДT'', or simply ''Borat'') is a 2006 mockumentary black comedy film directed by Larry Charle ...
and poked fun at Madonna who was at the time trying to adopt an African child adding: "My only concern is that this singing transvestite will not be such a good father." Despite winning the award for Best Hip-Hop,
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
apparently was so disappointed at not winning for Best Video that he crashed the stage when the award was being presented to
Justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...
and Simian for "We Are Your Friends". In a tirade riddled with expletives,
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
said he should have won the prize for his video " Touch the Sky", because it "cost a million dollars,
Pamela Anderson Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series ''Baywatch'' (1992–1997). Anders ...
was in it. I was jumping across canyons." He further said, "If I don't win, the awards show loses credibility". 2007:
Foo Fighters Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...
opened the show and front man
Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...
hosted the backstage area, interviewing celebrities live on air. Other performances on the night came from
Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A membe ...
,
Foo Fighters Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...
,
Babyshambles Babyshambles were an English rock band established in London. The band was formed by Pete Doherty (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) during a hiatus from the Libertines. As of 2013 the band includes Mick Whitnall (lead guitar), Drew McConnell (bas ...
,
My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance (commonly abbreviated to MCR or My Chem) is an American rock band from Newark, New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and bassist Mi ...
,
Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. At age 16, she signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records. Her debut studio album, ''Let Go (Avril Lavigne album), Let Go'' (2002), is the ...
, and
Mika Mika is a given name, a nickname and a surname. Notable people and fictional characters with the name include: People known just as Mika * Mika (singer) (born 1983), Lebanese-born British singer-songwriter Michael Penniman, Jr. * Mika (footbal ...
.
will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "Will-I-am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas. ...
paired up with
Nicole Scherzinger Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
from the
Pussycat Dolls Pussycat or Pussy Cat may refer to: * Cat, a domestic feline Music Bands * Pussycat (band), a Dutch country and pop group * The Pussycats, a 1960s Norwegian rock band * The Pussycats, a group signed to Kama Sutra Records Albums * '' Pussy Ca ...
to perform their duet "
Baby Love "Baby Love" is a song by American music group the Supremes from their second studio album, '' Where Did Our Love Go''. It was written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland and was released on September 17, 1964 ...
". Pete Doherty surprised his critics by being on great form for the whole show in preparation for his performance with
Babyshambles Babyshambles were an English rock band established in London. The band was formed by Pete Doherty (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) during a hiatus from the Libertines. As of 2013 the band includes Mick Whitnall (lead guitar), Drew McConnell (bas ...
. The show received a total of 78 million votes, the most in Europe Music Awards history. 2008:
Rick Astley Richard Paul Astley (born 6 February 1966) is an English singer, songwriter and radio personality, who has been active in music for several decades. He gained worldwide fame in the 1980s, having multiple hits including his signature song " Ne ...
was named Best Act Ever after an online campaign to orchestrate votes.
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
was the big winner of the night winning Best Album and Best Act. She did not attend the show but recorded a couple videos thanking her fans.
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
was awarded with the Ultimate Legend given by
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
. After picking up his honour, Sir Paul settled for thanking friends, family and bandmates
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
,
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
and
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
. "Many years ago, four little boys were born here in
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
and we went on to do quite well," he added. "So thanks, as I say, to all my family, to all of you for coming along, everyone in Liverpool, everyone in Britain, everyone in America – for voting in Mr Obama. I love you!" The show contained numerous references to
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
, most notably when
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
and Estelle finished their song "
American Boy "American Boy” is a song by British singer and rapper Estelle featuring American rapper Kanye West from the former's second studio album '' Shine'' (2008). The song was written by the artists, alongside Ethan Hendrickson, will.i.am, John Le ...
" with the
US President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
-elect's face projected onto a giant screen behind them. Jared Leto, Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević from Thirty Seconds to Mars wore Obama T-shirts, and Jared Leto also asked the crowd to stand in honour of the Democratic senator. Amid cheers, he said: "Liverpool, lets hear it for Barack Obama." Host Katy Perry remarked, "Maybe Europe will love us again now." 2009: Returning for the second time as host, Katy Perry opened the show and performed a medley of the nominees for Best Song. The Jonas Brothers introduced a tribute to Michael Jackson performed by Michael's fans in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. U2 and Jay-Z performed "Sunday Bloody Sunday" in front of the Brandenburg Gate with Jay-Z freestyling over the performance and rapped in the lyrics from Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up".
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
won three awards, the most awards that night. Pete Wentz was the host for the show webcast.


2010s


2010–2014

2010: The event was hosted by Eva Longoria, who had thirteen outfit changes, one of which was shaped like a huge Spanish ham. She introduced the crowd to a gang of hunks, pretending they were family. Lady Gaga was the big winner of the night – she won while performing in The Monster Ball Tour from Budapest, in Hungary, she thanked her fans via satellite after receiving Best Female, Best Song and Best Pop. Thirty Seconds to Mars opened the event at the pre-show featuring surprise guest
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
at the Puerta de Alcalá.
Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...
received the first ever Global Icon Award. During her acceptance speech for Best New Act, Kesha directly addressed her fans, saying: "Hopefully I can inspire you to give your finger to the cynics and fucking be yourself!". Newly married singer Katy Perry won Best Video for "California Gurls" and came to the event with her husband Russell Brand. This was the couple's first public appearance together as husband and wife. The event would also be remembered for the antics of Johnny Knoxville along with ''The Dudesons''. 2011: The show was held in Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the city's Odyssey Arena and hosted by Selena Gomez. For the second consecutive year, Lady Gaga was the biggest winner with four awards out of six nominations; she received Biggest Fans and Best Female, as well as Best Song and Best Video for "Born This Way (song), Born This Way". Queen (band), Queen received the Global Icon Award, and the band closed the awards ceremony, with Adam Lambert on vocals, performing "The Show Must Go On (Queen song), The Show Must Go On", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions". There was also a tribute to
Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A membe ...
, which was introduced by Jessie J. It was revealed that for the event MTV received 154 million votes from people around the globe. Hayden Panettiere's presentation of the award for Best Song was briefly interrupted by a streaker who joined her onstage. 2012: The event was hosted by Heidi Klum and Ludacris, and held in Frankfurt at the city's Festhalle Frankfurt, for the second time in the history of the awards. The show saw the addition of new regional categories to compete in the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Worldwide Act, Best Worldwide Act. Taylor Swift, Han Geng, Justin Bieber and One Direction were the biggest winners of the night, taking home three awards each. The show featured performances from
Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...
, Taylor Swift, No Doubt, Carly Rae Jepsen,
Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...
, and The Killers (band), The Killers, among others. There was also a tribute to
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
, which was introduced by Alicia Keys. Houston was also awarded with the Global Icon Award. 2013: The event took place in Amsterdam, at the city's Ziggo Dome. Several performances of the main show were performed at different locations in the city than the Ziggo Dome.
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
was the big winner of the night, winning his eighth Best Hip-Hop and receiving the Global Icon Award. He then performed the songs "Berzerk (song), Berzerk" and "Rap God". The show also included a controversial moment, when Miley Cyrus received Best Video for "Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus song), Wrecking Ball". The singer appeared to light up a joint on stage while accepting the award. 2014: It was the second time the awards took place in Scotland and overall the fifth time United Kingdom has hosted the show since 2011 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Ariana Grande opened the show, hosted by Nicki Minaj, with "Problem (Ariana Grande song), Problem" and "Break Free (Ariana Grande song), Break Free". One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer were the big winners of the night receiving three awards each, though both artists were unable to attend the show, and despite them sending pre-recorded videos to thank their fans, their absence was met with some boos. Ozzy Osbourne received the Global Icon Award from Slash (musician), Slash. Slash later closed the show performing "Crazy Train", along with The Conspirators, Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro and Myles Kennedy, as a tribute to him.


2015–2019

2015: The show, hosted by Ed Sheeran and Ruby Rose, was for the first time held in October. It took place at the Mediolanum Forum in Assago, near Milan. Throughout the second half of the year, Milan also hosted Expo 2015, which was a partner of the 2015 Europe Music Awards. In association with the event, MTV Italy organised an event called Music Week. Two concerts were held in Piazza del Duomo, Milan, Piazza del Duomo, one of which was related to MTV World Stage. International and Italian acts performed on both nights, including Ellie Goulding, Marco Mengoni, Duran Duran, Martin Garrix and Afrojack. Duran Duran was awarded the first ever Video Visionary Award. Over 500 million votes were cast for the event. In addition, it was the first award show to be aired with virtual reality. 2016: During the ceremony, host Bebe Rexha revealed the trophies had been turned purple in memory of Prince (musician), Prince, who died early that year. Multiple winners of the night included Lady Gaga, Twenty One Pilots, Shawn Mendes and Martin Garrix. Green Day were awarded with the Global Icon Award for their contribution to music. Collecting their award, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said it was "nice to be out of America just for a second because of this horrendous election that's going on right now", referring to the 2016 United States presidential election that saw Donald Trump being elected as the 45th president of the United States. He further said, "our entire country is about to have one big collective heart attack" and then the band performed the song "American Idiot (song), American Idiot". 2017: The show was hosted in London for the first time in 21 years. It was presented by British singer Rita Ora. Mayor Sadiq Khan attended the show, as he helped bring the event to the capital as part of his LondonIsOpen campaign.
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
opened the ceremony with a performance of the song "Walk on Water (Eminem song), Walk on Water" featuring Skylar Grey. The performance garnered mixed reactions due to the absence of
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
, who provided additional vocals on the original track. During his acceptance speech after winning the award for MTV Europe Music Award for Best Alternative, Best Alternative, Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto made a remark at American President Donald Trump's Immigration policy of Donald Trump, immigration policy as he stated: "We are Americans – a land of immigrants – and we just want to say that we welcome you with open arms and with open hearts, and we love you." U2, who performed a free gig at London's Trafalgar Square, received the Global Icon Award. A clip of George Michael's performance of Freedom at the 1994 MTV EMAs aired as an in memoriam segment, featuring Michael, Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington and Tom Petty 2018: The show was hosted by Academy Award-nominated actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld, who also performed "Back to Life (Hailee Steinfeld song), Back to Life" during the ceremony. It took place at the Bizkaia Arena, part of the Bilbao Exhibition Centre complex near Bilbao, Spain. Other performers included Nicki Minaj, Little Mix, flamenco star Rosalía (singer), Rosalía, Bebe Rexha, Jack & Jack, Jason Derulo, David Guetta, Marshmello or Panic! at the Disco, whose singer climbed down the venue's wall before emerging from the ceiling. Camila Cabello won four awards, becoming the most awarded artist of the night. Janet Jackson was awarded with the Global Icon Award, and collecting her award, Jackson dedicated her speech to "women's voices who have been stifled", stating she is "one of those women" and calling them to "speak up for justice". 2019: The show was hosted in Seville, Spain, making it the first time that a country hosted back-to-back editions of the award show. Dua Lipa opened the show with a performance of her song "Don't Start Now" accompanied by dozens of female dancers. Other performers included Halsey (singer), Halsey, Rosalía (singer), Rosalía, Niall Horan, Mabel (singer), Mabel, Ava Max, Green Day, and Becky G, who was also the host for the ceremony. Boy band NCT 127 became the first K-pop act to perform at the MTV EMAs. Former Oasis (band), Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher received the specially created Rock Icon Award. The night also saw Taylor Swift, FKA Twigs, Martin Garrix, Nicki Minaj, Billie Eilish and Shawn Mendes send out pre-recorded messages after winning their respective awards as they were absent from the event.


2020s


2020–2024

2020: The ceremony was hosted on 8 November. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the show was held for the first time ever virtually and the performances were filmed in various locations around the world. The ceremony was hosted by Little Mix, but only three members of the group, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall, appeared; Jesy Nelson did not participate due to health reasons. The event featured performances from Little Mix, Doja Cat (who performed a Rock version of her hit single "Say So"), David Guetta, yungblud, Sam Smith and DaBaby. South Korean Pop group BTS were the biggest winners of the night as they claimed 4 awards from the 5 categories they nominated in. Other winners of the night included Coldplay (for Best Rock), Hayley Williams of Paramore (for Best Alternative), Karol G (for Best Collaboration and Best Latin), DJ Khaled (for Best Video) and Doja Cat (for Best New) who also sent pre-recorded video messages to thank their fans. Later that evening, Formula One Driver Lewis Hamilton delivered a speech that touched upon the importance of music and how it remains a unifying force that brings hope and solidarity during a rather chaotic and challenging year. He then proceeded to present the Video For Good Award which went to H.E.R. 2021: The ceremony was held in Budapest, Hungary, in spite of the controversy triggered by the Hungarian anti-LGBT law, anti-LGBT law promoted by the Hungarian government. Chris McCarthy, CEO of MTV Entertainment Group Worldwide, explained that despite the law MTV decided not to move the show to promote through its support for the country's LGBT community. 2022: The ceremony was held at the PSD Bank Dome in Dusseldorf, Germany on 13 November, hosted by Rita Ora and Taika Waititi. Also Taylor Swift attended the EMAs for the first time in 10 years and won 4 awards including Best Video and Best Artist. The show also included performances from Ava Max, Bebe Rexha and GAYLE.


List of ceremonies


Award categories

There are 16 main categories ("Main Categories") and 31 local categories open for voting. The awards for Best Video and World Wide Act are chosen by the MTV Music Editorial Team and are not eligible for voting. At the time of voting, voters must be 13 years of age or older and cannot be an employee, agent, or representative of Viacom International Media Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc. ("VIMN"), or any of its parent companies, affiliates or related companies. ;Current main categories * Best Song * Best Video * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Artist, Best Artist * Best New Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Push Act, Best Push Act * Best Pop * Best Rock * Best Hip-Hop * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Electronic, Best Electronic * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Alternative, Best Alternative * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Live Act, Best Live Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best World Stage Performance, Best World Stage Performance * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Collaboration, Best Collaboration * MTV Europe Music Award for Biggest Fans, Biggest Fans * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Look, Best Look ;Regional Acts Europe * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Baltic Act, Best Baltic Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Belgian Act, Best Belgian Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Dutch Act, Best Dutch Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best French Act, Best French Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best German Act, Best German Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Hungarian Act, Best Hungarian Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Israeli Act, Best Israeli Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Italian Act, Best Italian Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Nordic Act, Best Nordic Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Polish Act, Best Polish Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Portuguese Act, Best Portuguese Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Spanish Act, Best Spanish Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Swiss Act, Best Swiss Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best UK & Ireland Act, Best UK & Ireland Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Ukrainian Act, Best Ukrainian Act Rest of the World * MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act, Best African Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Australian Act, Best Australian Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Brazilian Act, Best Brazilian Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Canadian Act, Best Canadian Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Indian Act, Best Indian Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Japanese Act, Best Japanese Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Korean Act, Best Korean Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Greater China Act, Best Greater China Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Latin America North Act, Best Latin America North Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Latin America Central Act, Best Latin America Central Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Latin America South Act, Best Latin America South Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Caribbean Act, Best Caribbean Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Zealander Act, Best New Zealander Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Southeast Asian Act, Best Southeast Asian Act * MTV Europe Music Award for Best US Act, Best US Act


Most nominated and winning artists

As of 2022, the record for most Europe Music Awards won is held by Justin Bieber, who has amassed 22 awards. For a female artist, the record for most Europe Music Awards won belongs to Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, who have collected 12 awards each. The record for most Europe Music Awards won by a single group and male group belongs to BTS with 14 awards. The record for the most awards held by a girl group belongs to Little Mix, with 7 award wins. Most nominations (as of 2022) 52 nominations * Justin Bieber 44 nominations * Taylor Swift 41 nominations * Lady Gaga 34 nominations * Ariana Grande 33 nominations *
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
* Katy Perry 32 nominations *
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
30 nominations * Rihanna 28 nominations * Coldplay 24 nominations *
Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stud ...
*Nicki Minaj 23 nominations *
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
22 nominations * Linkin Park 21 nominations *BTS 20 nominations *
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...


Performances & Nominees that Attended


See also

*MTV Video Music Award *Viacom International Media Networks Europe Comparable awards in other countries and regions: * TMF Awards (Belgium) * VIVA Germany, VIVA Comet Awards (Germany) * VIVA Hungary, VIVA Comet Awards (Hungary) * MTV Italian Music Awards * TMF Nederland, TMF Awards (Netherlands) * VIVA Poland, VIVA Comet Awards (Poland) * MTV Romania Music Awards * MTV Russia Music Awards * MTV Millennial Awards


Notes


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mtv Europe Music Awards MTV Europe Music Awards, Awards established in 1994 European music awards International music awards 1994 establishments in Europe