5 Really Good Moments From the 2012 MTV VMAs

This year's VMAs wasn't the most spectacular and jaw-dropping show in MTV's history, but it was still good... it was still.
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LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 06: Rihanna performs at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards at Staples Center on September 6, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 06: Rihanna performs at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards at Staples Center on September 6, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

If you weren't watching the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards last Thursday, you were probably either watching President Obama's speech during the last night of the Democratic National Convention or you were shopping, getting free stuff, and taking photos with designers and celebs at your local Fashion's Night Out (I missed the one in New York City this year for the first time, but I'll be back!).

This year's VMAs wasn't the most spectacular and jaw-dropping show in MTV's history, but it was still good... it was still really good.

But despite it being really good, Billboard recently reported that this year's VMAs had its ratings plummet 50 percent in comparison to last year's show...interesting.

This year's VMAs made me nostalgic of past VMAs and it made me reminisce of how it was for me growing up watching the VMAs... the usual long VMAs which aired on Sunday nights. My VMA night usually consisted of me watching a two or three hour preshow, then the actual show which was like three or four hours long, and then the after show... and then me subsequently rushing to bed because I had the school the next day! This year's VMAs was like two hours long and it was on a Thursday night!

Let's further compare the 2012 VMAs to the 2011 VMAs. This year's VMAs had watching President Obama, shopping all night, getting free stuff, and taking photos with Marc Jacobs and Sarah Jessica-Parker as competition last Thursday...and it didn't have last year's fair share of entertaining and memorable moments.

As I wrote in an article last year for Lovelyish.com, last year's show had Lady Gaga dressed up as her male alter-ego Jo Calderone (and really owning that character like the entire time), the legendary Miss Britney Spears being presented with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award, the tribute to the late and great Amy Winehouse, and Queen Beyonce announcing her pregnancy with the now newborn heir to her and King Jay-Z's powerful throne, Blue Ivy Carter.

The aforementioned royal couple Jay-Z and Beyonce, Britney Spears, and Lady Gaga didn't attend this year's VMAs. Neither did Adele, Justin Bieber, and Kanye West and his current girlfriend Kim Kardashian, even though Yeezy and Kim K appeared in a promo for this year's show with host Kevin Hart. No Biebz. No Kimye.

But alas, the 2012 VMAs were still really good, so here are five really good moments from the show:

1) One Direction Wins, Performs, and Is Basically Fantastic

As a proud Directioner, I had to mention this moment first of course! The most popular boy band in the world right now, One Direction (who were well-dressed as usual), won three VMAs: Best Pop Video for "What Makes You Beautiful," Best New Artist, and Most Shareworthy Video for "WMYB." Harry, Louis, Zayn, Niall, and Liam also made their debut VMA performance with their new single "One Thing." I'm so proud. Watch and enjoy their performance below:

2) Andy Samberg and Rashida Jones Hilariously Present Best Hip-Hop Video VMA

OH Andy and Rashida. Do I like them as comedians? YES. Do I like them as a hip-hop collaboration who rap about their feelings? DOUBLE YES. Watch their natural talent for yourself below. YOLO.

3) Frank Ocean Performs and Is Perfect

Best New Artist nominee Frank Ocean, whose debut album Channel Orange came out this year to critical acclaim, performed single "Thinkin Bout You" (amidst fire and a lot of dry ice) and made everyone fall in love with him all over again. The trend on Twitter after his VMA performance was "Frank Ocean is Perfect." Enough said. Watch it below:

4) Rihanna Performs, Wins, Greets Chris Brown, and Is Cute with Katy Perry

Rihanna won the biggest VMA at the end of the night, Video of the Year, for the epic video that is the music video for "Where Have You Been." RiRi had earlier opened the show with a performance of "Cockiness" and "We Found Love" with rapper A$AP Rocky, greeted ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, and was sitting next to and being cute with BFF Katy Perry. Watch her acceptance speech for Video of the Year below:

5) Taylor Swift Is Never Ever Getting Back With You (Joe Jonas, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Mayer, Taylor Lautner, etc.)

The finale VMA performance of the night went to Taylor, who performed her hit single and ode to bad breakups "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." Swift, who is currently dating 18-year-old Conor Kennedy (Yes, of that Kennedy family), performed in true T-Swizzle fashion with one of her exes and fellow Taylor, Twilight star Taylor Lautner, watching with the audience. Watch below:

Please feel free to watch the entire 2012 MTV VMAs on demand here and here's to next year's VMAs...

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