As the only awards show dedicated to celebrating the very best music videos, MTV's VMAs sure does an awful job of just that. Things started off poorly from the very beginning when, in 1984, Video of the Year went to The Cars' "You Might Think" over Michael Jackson's "Thriller." And it didn't get better from there. Here are the ten worst decisions MTV has made in the biggest category of the night.
1984
WHAT WON: The Cars' "You Might Think"
WHAT SHOULD HAVE WON: Michael Jackson's "Thriller"
WHY: Not only was this a 13-minute short film and the first of its kind to ever be produced, it's also the most iconic fucking music video of all time.
1989
WHAT WON: Neil Young's "This Note's for You"
WHAT SHOULD HAVE WON: Madonna's "Like a Prayer"
WHY: I get it, Neil: you don't dig corporations—specifically beverage companies. But Madonna's video was so provocative it actually caused Pepsi to cancel an advertisement in which she starred.
1992
WHAT WON: Van Halen's "Right Now"
WHAT SHOULD HAVE WON: Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
WHY: This is the song that defined MTV's most relevant era. Also: that foggy, sepia high school assembly. Also: that janitor rocking the fuck out.
1994
WHAT WON: Aerosmith's "Cryin"
WHAT SHOULD HAVE WON: Beastie Boys' "Sabotage"
WHY: Mustaches and "Nathan Wind as Cochese"
2000
WHAT WON: Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady"
WHAT SHOULD HAVE WON: D'Angelo's "Untitled (How Does it Feel)"
WHY: D'Angelo's abs.
2006
WHAT WON: Panic! at the Disco's "I Write Sins Not Tragedies"
WHAT SHOULD HAVE WON: Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie"
WHY: The world should collectively wipe its memory of Panic! at the Disco and replace it with Shakira.
2007
WHAT WON: Rihanna's "Umbrella"
WHAT SHOULD HAVE WON: Beyonce's "Irreplaceable"
WHY: Queen Bey.
2011
WHAT WON: Katy Perry's "Firework"
WHAT SHOULD HAVE WON: Tyler, the Creator's "Yonkers"
WHY: This is one of the most deeply unsettling videos I've ever seen.
2014
WHAT WON: Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball"
WHAT SHOULD HAVE WON: A tie between Pharrell Williams's "Happy" and Sia's "Chandelier"
WHY: Pharrell's had the first-ever 24-hour video, and Sia's had that awesome dancing kid.
2015
WHAT WON: Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood"
WHAT SHOULD HAVE WON: Kendrick Lamar's "Alright"
WHY: MTV should've celebrated a song and video that acted as a rallying cry for Black Lives Matter, not a short action flick staring Swift and her squad.
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