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On This Day in 1984, MTV Aired the First Video Music Awards Show

The year was 1984, the era of leg warmers, neon spandex, and the rise of music videos to prominence. In the heart of New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, on September 14, MTV aired its first-ever Video Music Awards show. The event was hosted by the iconic Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler, and the night marked a defining moment in the history of music and television. 

Ready to take a trip down memory lane and relive the magic of MTV in 1984?

The Big Winners of the Night

The first-ever MTV Video Music Awards set out to honour the best music videos from May 2, 1983, to May 2, 1984. The stage was set, and the excitement was palpable.

In a night filled with stars, Herbie Hancock emerged as the biggest winner, clinching five awards for his ground-breaking video Rockit

Michael Jackson followed closely, securing three awards for the legendary Thriller.

Surprisingly, the coveted Video of the Year award went to The Cars for their hit You Might Think, a rarity in award show history.

Nominations and Contenders

Hancock’s Rockit and The Police’s Every Breath You Take led the nominations with eight nods each. 

Cyndi Lauper, another prominent icon of the 80s, received nine nominations for her videos, including Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Time After Time

Other heavyweights like ZZ Top, Billy Idol, and David Bowie also vied for the Moonman statuette.

Category Breakdown

The awards spanned various categories, which is exactly what you’d expect from the diversity of music videos in the 80s. 

Video of the Year

  • The Cars – You Might Think (winner)
  • Herbie Hancock – Rockit
  • Michael Jackson – Thriller
  • Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
  • The Police – Every Breath You Take

Best Male Video

  • David Bowie – China Girl (winner)
  • Herbie Hancock – Rockit
  • Michael Jackson – Thriller
  • Billy Joel – Uptown Girl
  • Lionel Richie – All Night Long (All Night)

Best Female Video

  • Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun (winner)
  • Pat Benatar – Love Is a Battlefield
  • Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time
  • Bette Midler – Beast of Burden
  • Donna Summer – She Works Hard for the Money

Best Group Video

  • ZZ Top – Legs (winner)
  • Huey Lewis and the News – The Heart of Rock & Roll
  • The Police – Every Breath You Take
  • Van Halen – Jump
  • ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man

Best New Artist in a Video

  • Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (winner)
  • Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
  • Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time
  • Madonna – Borderline
  • Wang Chung – Dance Hall Days

Best Concept Video

  • Herbie Hancock – Rockit (winner)
  • The Cars – You Might Think
  • Michael Jackson – Thriller
  • Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
  • The Rolling Stones – Undercover of the Night

Most Experimental Video

  • Herbie Hancock – Rockit (winner)
  • The Cars – You Might Think
  • Thomas Dolby – Hyperactive!
  • The Alan Parsons Project – Don’t Answer Me
  • Neil Young – Wonderin’

More categories below!

Memorable Performances

While the awards were the highlight of the night, it was the electrifying performances that truly captivated the audience. Madonna, who is known for pushing boundaries on stage, delivered a performance that left tongues wagging. Her act was the talk of the town for days after the award show, and this effectively solidified her status as a pop culture icon.

Video Vanguard and Special Recognition Awards

The Video Vanguard Award, now known as a prestigious accolade for outstanding contributions to the art of music videos, was given to the legendary David Bowie

A Special Recognition Award went to Quincy Jones for his profound influence on the music industry.

Continuing the category breakdown:

Best Stage Performance in a Video

  • Van Halen – Jump (winner)
  • David Bowie – Modern Love
  • Duran Duran – The Reflex
  • Bette Midler – Beast of Burden
  • The Pretenders – Middle of the Road

Best Overall Performance in a Video

  • Michael Jackson – Thriller (winner)
  • David Bowie – China Girl
  • Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
  • The Police – Every Breath You Take
  • Van Halen – Jump

Best Direction in a Video

  • ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man (Director: Tim Newman) (winner)
  • The Bongos – Numbers with Wings (Director: Juliano Waldman)
  • Ian Hunter – All of the Good Ones Are Taken (Director: Martin Kahan)
  • Billy Idol – Dancing with Myself (Director: Tobe Hooper)
  • Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time (Director: Edd Griles)
  • Huey Lewis and the News – I Want a New Drug (Director: David Rathod)
  • The Police – Every Breath You Take (Directors: Godley & Creme)
  • ZZ Top – Gimme All Your Lovin’ (Director: Tim Newman)

Best Choreography in a Video

  • Michael Jackson – Thriller (Choreographers: Michael Jackson and Michael Peters) (winner)
  • Toni Basil – Over My Head (Choreographer: Toni Basil)
  • Elton John – I’m Still Standing (Choreographer: Arlene Phillips)
  • Bette Midler – Beast of Burden (Choreographer: Toni Basil)
  • Donna Summer – She Works Hard for the Money (Choreographer: Arlene Phillips)

Best Special Effects in a Video

  • Herbie Hancock – Rockit (Special Effects: Godley & Creme) (winner)
  • The Cars – You Might Think (Special Effects: Charlex)
  • Thomas Dolby – Hyperactive! (Special Effects: David Yardley)
  • Billy Idol – Dancing with Myself (Special Effects: Eric Critchley)
  • Talking Heads – Burning Down the House (Special Effects: David Byrne and Julia Hayward)

Best Art Direction in a Video

  • Herbie Hancock – Rockit (Art Directors: Jim Whiting and Godley & Creme) (winner)
  • The Cars – You Might Think (Art Director: Bob Ryzner)
  • Billy Idol – Dancing with Myself (Art Director: Kim Colefax)
  • The Police – Every Breath You Take (Art Directors: Kim Colefax and Godley & Creme)
  • Queen – Radio Ga Ga (Art Director: Bryce Walmsley)

Best Editing in a Video

  • Herbie Hancock – Rockit (Editors: Roo Aiken and Godley & Creme) (winner)
  • Duran Duran – The Reflex (Editor: Steven Priest)
  • Billy Idol – Eyes Without a Face (Editor: Kris Trexler)
  • Elton John – I’m Still Standing (Editor: Warren Lynch)
  • The Police – Every Breath You Take (Editors: Roo Aiken and Godley & Creme)
  • ZZ Top – Legs (Editors: Sim Sadler and Bob Sarles)
  • ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man (Editor: Sim Sadler)

Best Cinematography in a Video

  • The Police – Every Breath You Take (Director of Photography: Daniel Pearl) (winner)
  • David Bowie – China Girl (Director of Photography: John Metcalfe)
  • Billy Idol – Eyes Without a Face (Director of Photography: Tony Mitchell)
  • Kiss – All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose (Directors of Photography: Tony Mitchell and Jim Crispi)
  • John Cougar Mellencamp – Authority Song (Director of Photography: Daniel Pearl)
  • Stray Cats – (She’s) Sexy + 17” (Director of Photography: Harry Lake)

Viewer’s Choice

  • Michael Jackson – Thriller (winner)
  • The Cars – You Might Think
  • Herbie Hancock – Rockit
  • Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
  • The Police – Every Breath You Take

Oh, what a night it was!

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