MTV Video Music Awards Top Performances - Take 40 Decides!

06 September 2012

The MTV Video Music Awards are almost here for another year, and we can't wait till they kick off in LA!

For fans of music videos, it's an inspiring and outrageous time of year. Get ready for crazy outfits, girl on girl staged pashes, and dresses made out of meat (hopefully).

Check out the 2012 MTV VMA Nominations!

Along with paying tribute to the best music icons in the business, viewers also enjoy some epic and career-defining performances from various popular artists.

As we gear up to the prizegiving ceremony, we have chosen our top 5 VMA performances from years gone by. What is your top moment?

Madonna -- Like A Virgin (1984)



No-one else has made a wedding dress look so slutty since this epic performance and accompanying music video. Madge performed her iconic pop hit at very first MTV Video Music Awards and it was as controversial as it was impressive. It also lead up to the pash with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera 20 years later!

Lady Gaga -- Paparazzi (2009)



Lady Gaga's conceptual performances are always showstoppers and this was no exception. Playing a song called 'Paparazzi' to the media, and then bleeding out on stage is not something most performers could get away with. Although it received a mixed reception it definitely was a career-defining performance for Gaga!

Marilyn Manson - "The Beautiful People" (1997)



The 1997 Video Music Awards marked Marilyn Manson's television debut. The brash shock-rocker's bold anti-American and anti-Christian statements at the top of the performance, and general ass flashing made for an unforgettable show. Love or hate Marilyn Manson, he definitely makes an impression!

Eminem - The Real Slim Shady / The Way I Am (2000)



After having the biggest selling album of the year in 2000, Eminem was carrying out a victory lap of sorts with his VMA performance that year. Marshall recreated all the lookalikes from his "The Real Slim Shady" video and turned it into a monumental performance!

Britney Spears - I'm a Slave 4 U (2001)



This performance was back when Britney Spears was a pop music staple, everyone loved her, and she was a total hottie. While lots of her VMA performances had unforgettable moments, we like this one as it shows the moment she left behind the bubblegum pop of 'Hit Me Baby' and became something more... 'not a girl, not yet a woman' perhaps (cringe). She also completed a lot of male fantasies by dancing half naked with a gigantic snake.