VMAs 2024: Best and worst moments, from Taylor Swift and Eminem to Sabrina Carpenter and Katy Perry

After two years at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, the 2024 Video Music Awards moved back to New York — but not Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan or Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Instead, the VMAs were held at the UBS Arena in Elmont, NY.

Party train on the Long Island Rail Road!

But while New York has always brought out the best in the awards show — which began 40 years ago on Sept. 14, 1984 — the location probably wouldn’t have made much of a difference this year anyway with its decreasing relevance.

But while it’s no longer the must-attend affair that it once was — as MTV’s disconnect from music widens —  the VMAs are not dead yet. Although there was nothing on Wednesday night that approached the iconic moments of years past — and the awards themselves have become even more of an afterthought to the performances — they still had the almighty Taylor Swift, who won her fifth Video of the Year award for “Fortnight.”

Here are the best and worst moments from the 2024 VMAs.

Worst: Eminem

It made sense for Eminem to open the show: After all, he’s VMAs royalty — and he had six nominations coming into the night on the strength of his “Houdini” video from his album “The Death of Slim Shady  (Coup De Grace).” But his lookalike-laden throwback to his 2000 performance — which segued from “Houdini” to “Somebody Save Me” (with prerecorded footage of Jelly Roll) — was a reminder that, 24 years later, the VMAs aren’t the same anymore.

Best: Taylor Swift

First off, props to Tay for showing up at the VMAs, again adding much-needed relevance and star power to the proceedings. And leading with 10 nominations, she was most certainly assured of not going home empty-handed when she and Post Malone won the first televised award of the night: Best Collaboration for “Fortnight.” But a day after making a political statement by endorsing Kamala Harris for president, Swift also remembered 9/11 in a way that put all of the festivities into perspective.

Worst: Lisa

After getting an introduction by Paris Hilton — who threw in her catchphrase “That’s hot”— Lisa was absolutely not. This K-pop singer was more of a K-flop when she performed with an army of dancers who couldn’t save her from the pure cheesiness that left us all wondering how she even got the invite.

Best: Teddy Swims

Although it is a bit of a mystery why he was relegated to the Extended Play Stage, this singer-songwriter was a welcome rush of soulful vocals — and gritty feels — when he sang his mega-hit “Lose Control” and “The Door.” He certainly upstaged Shawn Mendes, who had a main-stage spot to perform his new single “Nobody Knows.”

Best: Sabrina Carpenter

In a performance that reminded you about how the VMAs have showcased the hot artists of the moment in the past, Carpenter performed a medley of “Please Please Please,” “Taste” and “Espresso” with some dancing astronauts making like Moonmen.

Worst: Katy Perry/Orlando Bloom

After the TMI the couple has been sharing, it was a little cringey for Orlando Bloom to introduce fiancée Katy Perry’s Video Vanguard performance and present her with the award. It felt a little too nepotistic when there had to be somebody who wasn’t her baby daddy who could do the honors. It took away from her moment — and, including that extended smooch, gave us more couple creepiness that we didn’t need. And her performance was nothing to roar about either.

Best: Chappell Roan

After getting into it with a photographer on the red carpet, breakout artist Roan brought a different kind of fire to the VMAs stage in her performance of “Good Night, Babe!” Along with Carpenter, Roan felt like the right kind of artist to be there at the right moment. It helped make up for the fact that other top acts — such as Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA — were MIA. And then, to boot, she went on to win Best New Artist, giving an empowering, queer-positive speech.

Worst: Megan The Stallion

From Nicki Minaj to Doja Cat, the VMAs have been doubling up with hosts as performers in recent years. It’s almost if they need to sweeten the deal to get someone to commit — or else they’re simply hurting for enough big names to go around. But Megan Thee Stallion was hardly worthy of pulling double duty. She simply wasn’t much of a host, although she fared better when she performed a medley. But it was all more Megan than we needed.

Best: Lenny Kravitz

On a night when rock was sorely missing, leave it to 60-year-old Kravitz to swoop in and crank it up with “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” “Human” — for which he won Best Rock Video — and a revamped “Fly Away” with Migos’ Quavo that had us vibing again 26 years later.

Worst: Camila Cabello

The former Fifth Harmony singer gave a melodramatic performance of  her new single “Godspeed” — a song that nobody knows or cares about yet — that was staged as if she was in a cage. It was almost enough to make you wish that her ex Mendes went up there and saved her with a bit of “Se?orita.”