411 Music Ten Deep 9.11.09: Top Ten VMA Performances

Posted by Andrew Moll on 09.11.2009

With the big show just a couple days away, Ten Deep looks back at the best Video Music Award performances off all-time! From Bon Jovi going unplugged to Puff Daddy's tribute to Madonna writhing around in her wedding dress, take a look at the VMA's best moments in this week's Ten Deep!


(Disclaimer: All opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of 411 Music and its staff.)


Hello everybody and welcome to the eighth edition of 411 Music Ten Deep, my name is Andrew Moll and we've got another great list for you this week. Hopefully you enjoyed your Labor Day, perhaps the most pointless of all the major holidays that's notable mainly for reminding us that summer is pretty much over even though where I live it never really began anyway. Of course, ironically, I worked on Labor Day so it wasn't much of a holiday for some of us anyway. Anyway, I mentioned the quality list this week so let's flashback to last week's list of the Top Ten EPs.




Sap by AIC is also amazing. I prefer that one over Jar of Flies and i LOVE Jar of Flies
Posted By: Jcon (Guest) on September 04, 2009 at 01:04 AM

Oh yeah, and don't forget Opiate by Tool
Posted By: Jcon (Guest) on September 04, 2009 at 01:06 AM

I put Opiate on the list of honorable mentions because while I think it's pretty good, and an indicator of how good they'd become, I just didn't think it was quite on the level as the ones that made the top ten.

As for AIC, I don't think Sap has the depth that Jar of Flies has. "Brother" and "Got Me Wrong" are both amazing of course, but not enough to make it their best EP.

godspeed really
Posted By: Guest#5187 (Guest) on September 04, 2009 at 01:17 AM

Yep.

Pretty good list, at least as far as the ones I've heard of. To that, I could add Metallica's Garage Days Revisited, which was a solid collection of covers, and was a nice way to introduce Jason to the fans. However, that EP is pretty much obsolete these days, as all of the tracks were put on the Garage Inc project from 1998
Posted By: Michael L (Guest) on September 04, 2009 at 02:15 AM

I actually completely forgot about Garage Days partially because of the reason you mentioned. The same thing happened to Pavement's Watery, Domestic since it was included on the two disc version of Slanted and Enchanted. They unfortunately blend in with the other stuff instead of standing out like they should.

Yes, Godspeed, really. Excellent band, and easily one of the best live shows I've ever seen.
Posted By: Commie (Guest) on September 04, 2009 at 03:11 AM

I don't think I could have handled Godspeed live but I'm still jealous you got to see them.

Sugar - Beaster
Posted By: Bob Mould (Guest) on September 05, 2009 at 03:53 PM

Good choice, Bob.



Top Ten VMA Performances


The Video Music Awards have been MTV's annual celebration of themselves since 1984 and every year since the show has provided moments that have entered the pop culture consciousness that make it a must watch just to see what might happen. The actual awards themselves are somewhat unimportant as it's the performances that dominate each show with some standing out over the years as great and memorable for one reason or another, like either being great (the ones listed below) or for being a trainwreck (Britney). But we'll focus on the good stuff this week with a list of the Top Ten VMA Performances. As always though, we first look at those that didn't quite make the cut.

Some Honorable Mentions: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - "The Rising" (2002); Hole - "Violet" (1995); Jay-Z - "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" (2001); Madonna w/Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Missy Elliott - "Like a Virgin"/"Hollywood"/"Work It" (2003); Nine Inch Nails - "The Fragile" (1999); Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Give It Away" (1992); Britney Spears - "Oops, I Did it Again" (2000); Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers w/ Axl Rose - "Free Fallin" (1989)

(Some photos courtesy of MTV.com)



10. Kanye West w/ Jamie Foxx - "Gold Digger" (2005)


"Gold Digger," having only been released a month or so earlier, had already become a massive hit that established Kanye West as the hip-hop artist of the moment, while at the same time Jamie Foxx was still riding high off of his Oscar winning performance as Ray Charles. When the two took to the stage together for the 2005 VMAs, it felt like two titans engaging in the most intense and triumphant victory lap you'll ever see. With both men clad in tuxedos West and Foxx own the arena right from the beginning of the performance as they stood victorious in the center of the stage before Kanye launches into the song full force. Foxx makes away across each part of the stage, soaking in all the adulation and enjoying it all immensely.





This isn't a performance that features a crazy moment or publicity stunt; the money falling from the ceiling is a nice touch and a cool visual but it only enhances the stellar performance that both were delivering anyway. Instead, we see two pros doing what they do best: entertaining. No controversy, no random make-out sessions and no unnecessary frills, just one hell of a performance of probably the best hip-hop song of the decade. I realize that this performance doesn't necessarily have the historical cache of a lot of other performances, but it's the one on the list that I probably got the most pure enjoyment out of. West and Foxx have enough inherent talent and charisma to make it all work simply by going on stage and performing, especially when they know that they're the best and can outshine anyone they're paired with.





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


I'm not really much of a fan of Eminem, but there's no denying that he was on top of the world in 2000 as he inspired plenty of like-minded kids and revealed a cynicism and dark humor to the masses, so it made sense for his performance that year to reflect the numbers of fans who were so eager to be like him; hence the "Slim Shady" look-alikes that marched with him into Radio City Music Hall. The result was an awesome visual with all the white t-shirt and jean wearing bleached blondes entering the building like an invading force of Marshall Mathers clones or something. Eminem leads the way as the defiant force, positioning himself as the anti-hero of sorts, spitting in the face of not only pop music conventions on how to act, but also in the face of people actually in the building at the same time. Someone had infiltrated the system and was going to take it over by doing it his way, like it or not. (Of course, this all makes sense so long as we all agree to ignore the moment where he gives mad props to Carson Daly of all people, an act not easy to forget.)





After "The Real Slim Shady" he goes into "The Way I Am," a song not as good as the first song but one that shows off the other side of Eminem, the angrier side that balances out the class prankster side that was seen in the first half of the performance. He's even more defiant here though, standing on stage and daring anyone and everyone to say something against him. Obviously the performance of "The Real Slim Shady" is more memorable because of the clone army following Eminem but both songs are needed to show the divergent personalities of Eminem and also to see why he was so successful. Clearly he was as good a rapper as anybody at the time but he was also blessed with enough charisma to make something more out of it, and that was on full display with this performance.





8. Marilyn Manson - "Beautiful People" (1997)


Sure, Antichrist Superstar had already made Marilyn Manson an alternative star, but his real coming out party as a shock rock icon came at the 1997 VMAs. (And as we'll find out, 1997 was quite a year for performances.) From the moment Manson was played to a podium by "Hail to the Chief" it was pretty clear that this wasn't going to be a run of the mill performance. And if it wasn't clear to some people, it became obvious when Manson said this:

"My fellow Americans: We will no longer be oppressed by the fascism of Christianity! And we will no longer be oppressed by the fascism of beauty. As I see you all sittin' out there trying your hardest not to be ugly, trying your hardest not to fit in, trying your hardest to earn your way into Heaven, but let me ask you: Do you want to be in a place that's filled with a bunch of assholes?"

I'm pretty sure you won't be hearing anybody say anything like that at this year's show. Nor will any guy sport a black corset like Manson did, skillfully showing off his pasty white ass.





Manson and his band proceeded to deliver a performance that probably left most in attendance shocked at what they were watching, which is exactly the way Manson wants it. The song's pounding beat afforded Manson the opportunity to maximize his intensity while stalking and owning the stage, and also looking to scare, intimidate and astonish as many people as he possibly could. Manson has always been a brilliant marketer who knows how to push people's buttons and he never did better than he did here, using his biggest audience to shock people and establish himself as the voice of a generation. And after that performance, that idea unsurprisingly terrified a lot of people. It's still the defining moment of Manson's career and in many ways the one he's been trying to match ever since, but nothing can match that performance and its aftermath where nobody knew quite how to react. Thankfully, host Chris Rock stepped in and told us to "run to church right now!" Well said, Chris.





7. Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora - "Livin' on a Prayer"/"Wanted Dead or Alive" (1989)


Rarely has a performance led to so much for a television network, but that was the case with Bon Jovi's stripped-down renditions of their hits "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive." The response to the performance was overwhelming and it is one of the reasons that MTV created Unplugged, a show that featured acts playing acoustic-only versions of their songs. At the time of the performance, Bon Jovi were one of the biggest rock bands in America with people eagerly eating up anything the band gave them, and this performance was no different. But deservedly so, because Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora proved that they were more than just a hair-metal band, but instead a real rock band who excelled at writing catchy songs that permeated with a large number of people. This format also allowed the band to showcase a more emotional side to their songs that might not have always been present.





A band like Bon Jovi hadn't really been seen in this kind of light before, as if they had been folk troubadours masquerading as a pop band all this time. That's probably overstating it a bit, but this performance did show that it was really all about the music, and not about the frills and such that came along with a lot of music in the 1980s. All of a sudden, it was not only OK but encouraged for a band to show this side of themselves and let the music speak for itself, and that's how Unplugged became such a success. Not surprisingly, the bands that couldn't perform in this setting faded into oblivion, while Bon Jovi is still popular, even without the acoustic guitars.





6. Snoop Dogg - "Murder Was the Case" (1994)


It's always interesting when life imitates art, and it's usually not as direct as it was when Snoop Dogg performed "Murder Was the Case" at the 1994 show while facing murder charges himself. The song itself is actually about Snoop's own death, but the timing of the performance obviously changes its context as Snoop is defiant in the face of his predicament. The whole thing sounds like a movie or something, and that's the approach that was taking here, turning the performance into a spectacle with a full choir, a funeral setting with a casket and mourners, and Snoop making his way out in a wheelchair before standing up and letting loose. It's all a little over-the-top but simultaneously appropriate, since Snoop probably wanted to make a grand statement considering the situation he was in at the time.





Like with a lot of the performances on the list, it's tough to imagine MTV letting a similar moment happen; in this case, giving a rapper facing murder charges a platform to perform. There was no chance that Snoop would let the opportunity pass him by, as at the end of the performance he declared "I'm innocent. I'm innocent." It's one of the show's more famous moment and a great moment of drama that fused together art and real-life. Of course little of this would matter if the performance itself didn't deliver, but three's no doubt that it did. Snoop has never sounded better than he did here, with his natural flow mixed with a sense of passion looking for vindication. He would end up getting it while also giving one of the VMA's best performances ever.





5. Puff Daddy w/ Faith Evans & Sting - "I'll Be Missing You" (1997)


Puff Daddy (aka Sean Combs, aka P. Diddy, aka Diddy) had deep motives for his VMA performance like Snoop, but in Puff's case he wanted to celebrate his friend Notorious B.I.G., who had been murdered earlier in the year. After the shooting, he went and recorded a tribute song called "I'll Be Missing You," which sampled and borrowed from The Police hit "Every Breath You Take." When the time came to perform the song at the VMAs, Puffy knew he had to do what he does best, and that's pull out all the stops. To do that he got a choir dressed all in white like him for the performance, but immediately the performance jumped to another level when Sting appeared to add vocals from his band's previous hit. Just having Sting perform on stage made the whole thing memorable and managed to add to the emotional weight, which was pretty hefty to begin with.





Biggie's widow Faith Evans also joined them on stage and together they all managed to turn the Radio City Music Hall audience into a congregation, and the performance into a celebration of not only Notorious B.I.G. but also anybody that had been lost. In fact, the whole thing seems like a spiritual event, designed to mark the end of the "east coast/west coats feud" that left not just Biggie but also Tupac Shakur dead. When Puffy stood on stage with Evans and Sting, having the entire audience clap along with him, it turned into one of the most emotional moment MTV ever had, since the situation was so real. Never again have they been able to recreate such a moment, since something like that can be forced but instead has to be organic, which is what Puff Daddy's tribute was.





4. Pearl Jam w/ Neil Young - "Animal"/"Rockin' in the Free World" (1993)



1993 was the year of Pearl Jam at the Video Music Awards as their clip for "Jeremy" garnered a number of awards, including Best Video of the Year. So it was natural for the band to perform at the show; maybe not so natural for the band, though. They had already decided not to make any videos for their upcoming album, and decided to publicly debut a new song, "Animal" for their performance. Luckily for MTV, the band also provided Neil Young who joined them for a raucous performance of Young's "Rockin' in the Free World." But don't forget the performance of "Animal," unfortunately not included in the YouTube clip below. It's intense and powerful, and also notable for Eddie Vedder managing not to move for three solid minutes, which is impressive. But while he was certainly uncomfortable with the whole thing, Vedder still delivered a great vocal performance on both songs.





But it's "Free World" that steals the show, and rightfully so. I've come to believe that it's such a great song and such amazing rock anthem that it's probably impossible to have a bad performance of it; additionally, when you have people like Pearl Jam and Neil Young performing it, then you're probably going to have something special. That was the case in 1993 as everybody on stage delivers one hell of a performance. Although Pearl Jam were the stars of the awards portion of the evening, "Free World' belonged to Young on this night as he infuses it with plenty of passion and gives a lesson in guitar playing. The whole group destroying the microphone stand and the guitar amps made for a fitting end to a spirited performance that remains one of the best not only from the Video Music Awards, but one of the better ones I can remember from Pearl Jam.





3. Nirvana - "Rape Me"/"Lithium" (1992)


The story behind Nirvana's performance at the 1992 VMAs is actually somewhat famous and a prime example of Kurt Cobain's sense of humor. MTV, understandably, wanted the band to perform "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Nirvana had a different idea: they wanted to perform their new song "Rape Me." MTV, understandably, wasn't too keen on that idea. After a bit of back and forth between the two parties, it was agreed upon that the band would play "Lithium." When their performance began, Cobain couldn't help but have a little fun at the expense of MTV executives, as he began playing a few bars from the aforementioned new song and sang "Rape me." MTV, understandably, freaked out a bit. But from there, the band launched into "Lithium" and all was right with the world.





The performance was everything Nirvana was: loud, intense, a little haphazard, but generally awesome. But the highlight of the whole thing came at the end thanks to bassist Krist Novoselic's amp not working. With nothing else to do, Novoselic thought it would be a good idea to play rock star and toss his instrument sky high into the air and catch it. Unfortunately for him, the bass came down and connected square with his forehead leaving him dazed to say the least. That left Cobain and Dave Grohl to finish things on their own, and they did so by destroying their instruments and amps. They followed that up by giving a shout-out to Axl Rose, who Cobain had gotten into a verbal confrontation with earlier in the evening. All in all, this was Nirvana at their best and most chaotic, especially when they made sure the corporate suits couldn't get too comfortable.





2. The Wallflowers w/ Bruce Springsteen - "One Headlight" (1997)


By joining The Wallflowers for "One Headlight" Bruce Springsteen managed to do three things: 1) Start his comeback; 2) Completely own the song and performance; and 3) End Jakob Dylan's career. That last one was most likely unintentional, but it happened anyway; The Wallflowers never gained the same level of fame they had at their peak and never recovered from having Bruce take ownership of their best song. The idea behind it was a good one, though. Have Springsteen, the man once called the "next Bob Dylan" play with Dylan's son and his band at the Video Music Awards. But when you give Bruce a quality rock song, he's going to give it absolutely everything he has, which means plenty of "Bruce faces," (you know what I mean by that) and lots of microphone seizing. These are the things that make him such a great live act, and it was all on display with "One Headlight."





I've watched that YouTube clip a bunch of times, and the thing that strikes me is just how good a song "One Headlight" is. I mean, it's a legitimately great rock song. That just makes it more of a shame that they never had another hit since this, and other songs from their debut, are really good and seemed to indicate that they'd be around for while. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from the VMA performance, and that's the risk you pay when you willingly give Bruce a live microphone; he might not only steal the show, but more. Actually, forget everything I just said about Bruce ruining things or whatever; watch the video and enjoy the performance. It's not often anymore that MTV allows a good young rock band and a rock legend the opportunity to just play and let them deliver on their own. "One Headlight" is a great song, enhanced by a great performance that paved the way for one of rock's greats to take his rightful place back at the top.





1. Madonna - "Like a Virgin" (1984)


It is not only one of the most iconic moments in the history of both the VMAs and MTV, but it also serves as the moment that Madonna went from pop star to cultural icon. Never before had a musician so smartly used television to their advantage. From the moment she appeared at the top of that wedding cake in her wedding dress and "Boy Toy" belt, Madonna was more than a popular recording artist, but someone willing to take chances, push buttons, make statements, and be somebody who people had to know everything about them at all times. The sexual psychology behind a young woman singing "Like a virgin, touched for the very first time," while seductively stepping down a wedding cake in a white dress is obvious, and Madonna milked it for everything it was worth. MTV hadn't been overtly and directly sexual before; there were no euphemisms, allusions, or decoys. This song was about sex, and the performance was its manifestation, a woman dripping with sexuality and using to her every advantage.





If anybody still wasn't sure what all of it meant, Madonna left no doubt when she got down on the stage and rolled around, giving everyone a view of what she was wearing underneath the dress. This is the kind of smartly calculated move that has kept her relevant through the years since as she's made a career out of shocking people and their preconceptions. It's also the type of moment that MTV has attempted to recreate at every Video Music Awards since, to varying degrees of success. You can have Madonna kiss Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, but while that may have more shock value, it doesn't have the same impact or importance of a young Madonna writhing and moaning in her dress in 1984. No other performance will ever be as iconic, since few other pop stars will ever be as iconic as Madonna. She not only made her own career with her performance of "Like a Virgin" but she made MTV in the process, and that is why it's the best VMA performance of all-time.



That'll do it for this week folks, thanks for reading. If you have any questions, comments or concerns feel free to let me know, and make sure to leave your own lists in the comments. I'll see you all next week. And if you're out on your bike tonight, do wear white.