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30 Of The Greatest MTV VMA Moments Of All Time

30 Of The Greatest MTV VMA Moments Of All Time
By 

Deputy Director of News & Analytics, HuffPost

This year marks a milestone anniversary for the MTV Video Music Awards. Over the past 30 years, the music show has delivered some of the wildest and most memorable moments in pop culture history.

In 1984, the annual event debuted with a performance of "Like A Virgin" by Madonna. Michael Jackson, Nirvana and TLC, among many others, left their mark in the years that followed. Then, in 2000, Britney Spears stole the crown to become Queen of the VMAs with a half-naked rendition of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "Oops! ... I Did It Again!" Her reign would continue through a python performance and a kiss with Madonna.

It's clear the MTV VMAs -- with its hijacked speeches, meat dresses and surprise baby announcements -- rarely fail to deliver.

Check out some of the greatest moments from the show below. Watch the 2014 VMAs live from Inglewood, California, Sunday, Aug. 24, at 9 p.m. EST on MTV.

1984
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Madonna poses at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 14, 1984, in New York's Radio City Music Hall. The singer was nominated Best New Artist in a video. She performed "Like A Virgin" that year. (AP Photo)
1989
Jeff Kravitz via Getty Images
Andrew Dice Clay was given a "lifetime ban" after reciting some "dirty nursery rhymes" and some of George Carlin's "seven dirty words you can never say on television" at the VMAs in 1989. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
1990
Frank Micelotta via Getty Images
Madonna performing her song "Vogue" on the MTV Video Music Awards in September 1990. (Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect)
1991
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Prince performs his single "Get Off," surrounded by half-naked dancers, while clad in a see-through yellow suit at the 8th annual MTV Video Music Awards in Universal City, California, Sept. 5, 1991. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
1992
ASSOCIATED PRESS
An unidentified fan from the audience squeezes the bare bottom of shock-jock Howard Stern during the 9th annual MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 9, 1992, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
1992
Frank Micelotta via Getty Images
Kurt Cobain performs on stage with Nirvana at the MTV Video Music Awards, Sept. 10, 1992. (Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
1993
Vinnie Zuffante via Getty Images
Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love and daughter Frances Bean attend the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards at Universal City, California. (Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
1993
Frank Micelotta via Getty Images
Madonna performs the Girlie Show at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles. (Frank Micelotta/Getty Images).
1994
AFP via Getty Images
Michael Jackson and then-wife Lisa Marie Presley kiss on stage. (AFP/Getty Images)
1995
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC pose after winning in the Best R&B Video, Viewer's Choice and Best Video of the Year categories for "Waterfalls." (AP Photo/Paul Hurschmann)
1996
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Alanis Morissette performs at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York City on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1996. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
1997
Ron Galella via Getty Images
Victoria "Posh Spice" Adams, Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell, Melanie "Scary Spice" Brown, Emma "Baby Spice" Bunton and Melanie "Sporty Spice" Chisholm attend the 14th annual MTV Video Music Awards on September 4, 1997, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. (Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)
1998
Barry King via Getty Images
Rose McGowan attends the VMAs with Marilyn Manson at the Universal Amphitheater in Universal City, California. (Barry King/WireImage)
1998
KMazur via Getty Images
Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston appear together on stage. (Photo by KMazur/WireImage)
1999
Frank Micelotta via Getty Images
Mary J. Blige, Diana Ross and Lil' Kim -- wearing only a pasty on her left breast -- present the award for Best Hip-Hop video during the 1999 MTV Music Video Awards at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York City. (Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect)
2000
KMazur via Getty Images
Britney Spears performs a medley of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "Oops!... I Did It Again" at the VMAs. (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
2000
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera prove they have no feud in 2000. (AP Photo/Suzanne Plunkett)
2000
KMazur via Getty Images
Tim C from Rage Against the Machine was arrested after he tried do make a statement during the 2000 MTV Video Awards (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
2001
Kevin Kane via Getty Images
Britney Spears performs "I'm a Slave 4 U" at the 2001 VMAs, with python. (Photo by Kevin Kane/WireImage)
2002
Jim Smeal via Getty Images
Christina Aguilera debuts a new look at the 2002 VMAs. (Jim Smeal/WireImage)
2003
J. Shearer via Getty Images
Britney Spears and Madonna kiss during their 2003 performance. (John Shearer/WireImage)
2003
Kevin Kane via Getty Images
Beyonce descends from the rafters to perform "Baby Boy" and then "Crazy In Love" at the 2003 VMAs. (Kevin Kane/WireImage)
2005
Jeff Kravitz via Getty Images
Green Day performs "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" during the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
2007
Kevin Winter via Getty Images
Britney Spears makes her VMAs comeback with a performance of "Gimme More" at The Palms Hotel and Casino, in 2007, in Las Vegas. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
2008
Lester Cohen via Getty Images
Russell Brand made headlines for his controversial political comments while hosting the VMAs in 2008. (Lester Cohen/WireImage)
2009
Kevin Mazur via Getty Images
Kanye West takes the microphone from Taylor Swift onstage during the 2009 MTVs in New York City to say Beyonce should've won Best Female Video. (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
2010
Gregg DeGuire via Getty Images
Lady Gaga wears a meat dress to the 2010 VMAs. (Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)
2011
Kristian Dowling via Getty Images
Beyonce performs "Love On Top" onstage at the 2011 MTV VMAs and uses the moment to announce her pregnancy. (Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)
2012
MARK J. TERRILL/INVISION/AP
Taylor Swift surfs the crowd at the MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill/Invision/AP)
2013
Andrew H. Walker via Getty Images
Robin Thicke and a twerking Miley Cyrus perform together at the 2013 VMAs at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Andrew H. Walker/WireImage)
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