1996 MTV Video Music Awards

The 1996 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 4, 1996, honoring the best music videos from June 16, 1995, to June 14, 1996. The show was hosted by Dennis Miller at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The show centered on The Smashing Pumpkins, who led the night with nine nominations. Having lost their touring keyboardist days before to a heroin overdose, and original drummer Jimmy Chamberlin having been fired from the band, the band opened the show as a three-piece, performing a version of "Tonight, Tonight." Additionally, the band ended up winning seven of the awards they were up for: "Tonight, Tonight" earned six wins out of its eight nominations, including Video of the Year, thus making it the night's most nominated and biggest winning video; while their video for "1979" earned the one Moonman it was nominated for: Best Alternative Video.

The next biggest nominee and winner that night was Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, who won three out of her six nominations for her video "Ironic." Tying with her in terms of nominations was Icelandic singer Björk, who also received six; however, her video for "It's Oh So Quiet" only took home one Moonman for Best Choreography. Closely following with five nominations each were Coolio, the Foo Fighters, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Out of these, though, only the former two ended up taking home Moonmen for their videos. Coolio won three, as "Gangsta's Paradise" won two out of its three nominations, and "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" won one out of its two nominations, while the Foo Fighters' "Big Me" took home one Moonman for Best Group Video. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, meanwhile, went home empty-handed.

Highlights of the show included a pre-show set by No Doubt, who performed on the entrance marquee of Radio City Music Hall. There was also a short-lived reunion of the four original members of Van Halen, who had not appeared together at that time for more than a decade, presenting the award for Best Male Video, as well as a live interlink with astronauts on the Mir space station. The show also marked Tupac Shakur's final public appearance before being shot four times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, three days later on September 7, dying of his wounds on September 13.

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Background

MTV announced in June that the 1996 Video Music Awards would be held at Radio City Music Hall for the third consecutive year on September 4.^[1] Nominees were announced at a press conference hosted by Hootie & the Blowfish and MTV president Judy McGrath on July 30.^[2] Dennis Miller was announced as the host on August 14.^[3] The ceremony broadcast was preceded by the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards Opening Act. Hosted by Kurt Loder and Tabitha Soren with reports from Serena Altschul, Chris Connelly, John Norris, and Alison Stewart, the broadcast featured red carpet interviews, pre-taped interviews with The Smashing Pumpkins and Oasis, a report on the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry, and performances from Beck and No Doubt.

Performances

List of musical performances
Artist(s)	Song(s)
Pre-show
Beck	"Where It's At"^[4]
No Doubt	"Spiderwebs" "Just a Girl"^[5]
Main show
The Smashing Pumpkins	"Tonight, Tonight"
Fugees	Medley "Killing Me Softly" "Fu-Gee-La" "Ready or Not" "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" (featuring Nas)
Metallica	"Until It Sleeps"
LL Cool J	"Doin' It"
Neil Young	"The Needle and the Damage Done"^[a]
Hootie & the Blowfish	"Sad Caper"
Alanis Morissette	"Your House"
Bush	"Machinehead"
The Cranberries	"Salvation"
Oasis	"Champagne Supernova"
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony	"Tha Crossroads"
Kiss	"Rock and Roll All Nite"^[b]

^ Live from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland
^ Live from beneath the Brooklyn Bridge

Presenters

Main show

Mariah Carey – presented Best Group Video
Kevin Bacon and Rosie O'Donnell – presented Best New Artist in a Video
Claudia Schiffer and Red Hot Chili Peppers (Anthony Kiedis and Flea) – presented Best Dance Video
Béla Károlyi – appeared in several backstage vignettes with Lars Ulrich and Hootie & the Blowfish
Toni Braxton and Dennis Rodman – presented Breakthrough Video
Norm Macdonald (as Bob Dole) – appeared in a pre-commercial vignette about Viewer's Choice voting
Beck and Chris Rock – presented Best R&B Video
Michael Buffer – introduced LL Cool J
Geena Davis – presented Best Direction in a Video
Cosmonauts Valery Korzun and Aleksandr Kaleri – interviewed by host Dennis Miller live via satellite from the Mir space station
Jenny McCarthy and Damon Wayans – presented Best Rap Video
2Pac and Snoop Doggy Dogg – presented Best Hard Rock Video
Seal – introduced Alanis Morissette
Darrell Hammond (as Bill Clinton) – appeared in a pre-commercial vignette about Viewer's Choice voting
Beavis and Butt-head – introduced the International Viewer's Choice Award winners
VJs Rahul Khanna (India), George Williams (Japan), Eden Harel (Europe), Sabrina Parlatore (Brasil), Edith Serrano (Latin America), Mike Kasem (Asia) and Stacy Hsu (Mandarin) – announced their respective region's Viewer's Choice winner
Tim Robbins – presented Best Alternative Video
Janeane Garofalo – introduced The Cranberries
Gwyneth Paltrow – introduced the winners of the professional categories
Aerosmith (Steven Tyler and Joe Perry) – presented Viewer's Choice
Ewan McGregor and Ewen Bremner – introduced Oasis
Van Halen – presented Best Male Video
Susan Sarandon – presented Best Female Video
Jay Leno – appeared in a "coming up" vignette hyping the Video of the Year award and the Kiss performance
Sharon Stone – presented Video of the Year

Post-show

John Norris and Alison Stewart – presented Best Video from a Film

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold text.

Video of the Year	Best Male Video
The Smashing Pumpkins – "Tonight, Tonight" Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – "Tha Crossroads" Foo Fighters – "Big Me" Alanis Morissette – "Ironic"	Beck – "Where It's At" Bryan Adams – "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You" Coolio – "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" R. Kelly (featuring Ronald Isley) – "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" Seal – "Don't Cry"
Best Female Video	Best Group Video
Alanis Morissette – "Ironic" Björk – "It's Oh So Quiet" Tracy Chapman – "Give Me One Reason" Jewel – "Who Will Save Your Soul"	Foo Fighters – "Big Me" Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – "Tha Crossroads" The Fugees – "Killing Me Softly" Hootie & the Blowfish – "Only Wanna Be with You"
Best New Artist in a Video	Best Hard Rock Video
Alanis Morissette – "Ironic" Tracy Bonham – "Mother Mother" Garbage – "Stupid Girl" Jewel – "Who Will Save Your Soul"	Metallica – "Until It Sleeps" Alice in Chains – "Again" Marilyn Manson – "Sweet Dreams" Rage Against the Machine – "Bulls on Parade"
Best R&B Video	Best Rap Video
The Fugees – "Killing Me Softly" Toni Braxton – "You're Makin' Me High" Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men – "One Sweet Day" D'Angelo – "Brown Sugar"	Coolio (featuring L.V.) – "Gangsta's Paradise" 2Pac (featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman) – "California Love" Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – "Tha Crossroads" LL Cool J – "Doin' It"
Best Dance Video	Best Alternative Video
Coolio – "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" Everything but the Girl – "Missing" La Bouche – "Be My Lover" George Michael – "Fastlove"	The Smashing Pumpkins – "1979" Bush – "Glycerine" Everclear – "Santa Monica" Foo Fighters – "Big Me"
Best Video from a Film	Breakthrough Video
*Coolio (featuring L.V.) – "Gangsta's Paradise" (from Dangerous Minds)* Brandy – "Sittin' Up in My Room" (from Waiting to Exhale) Bush – "Machinehead" (from Fear) Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. – "Theme from Mission: Impossible" (from Mission: Impossible)	The Smashing Pumpkins – "Tonight, Tonight" Björk – "It's Oh So Quiet" Busta Rhymes – "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check" Foo Fighters – "Big Me" Garbage – "Queer" Radiohead – "Just"
Best Direction in a Video	Best Choreography in a Video
The Smashing Pumpkins – "Tonight, Tonight" (Directors: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris) Björk – "It's Oh So Quiet" (Director: Spike Jonze) Foo Fighters – "Big Me" (Director: Jesse Peretz) Alanis Morissette – "Ironic" (Director: Stéphane Sednaoui)	Björk – "It's Oh So Quiet" (Choreographer: Michael Rooney) Janet Jackson – "Runaway" (Choreographer: Tina Landon) George Michael – "Fastlove" (Choreographers: Vaughan and Anthea) Quad City DJ's – "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" (Choreographers: Quad City DJ's)
Best Special Effects in a Video	Best Art Direction in a Video
The Smashing Pumpkins – "Tonight, Tonight" (Special Effects: Chris Staves) The Beatles – "Free as a Bird" (Special Effects: Johnny Senered, Kristen Johnson and Ben Gibbs) Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – "Tha Crossroads" (Special Effects: Cameron Noble) Green Day – "Walking Contradiction" (Special Effects: Jefferson Wagner and Brian Boles)	The Smashing Pumpkins – "Tonight, Tonight" (Art Directors: K. K. Barrett and Wayne White) Björk – "It's Oh So Quiet" (Art Director: Teri Whitaker) The Cranberries – "Salvation" (Art Director: William Abelo) R.E.M. – "Tongue" (Art Director: Clam Lynch)
Best Editing in a Video	Best Cinematography in a Video
Alanis Morissette – "Ironic" (Editor: Scott Gray) Beck – "Where It's At" (Editor: Eric Zumbrunnen) Red Hot Chili Peppers – "Warped" (Editor: Hal Honigsberg) The Smashing Pumpkins – "Tonight, Tonight" (Editor: Eric Zumbrunnen)	The Smashing Pumpkins – "Tonight, Tonight" (Director of Photography: Declan Quinn) Brandy (featuring Wanya Morris) – "Brokenhearted" (Director of Photography: Martin Coppen) Eric Clapton – "Change the World" (Directors of Photography: Peter Nydrle and Marco Mazzei) Madonna – "You'll See" (Director of Photography: Adrian Wild)
Viewer's Choice	International Viewer's Choice: MTV Asia
Bush – "Glycerine" Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – "Tha Crossroads" Coolio (featuring L.V.) – "Gangsta's Paradise" Metallica – "Until It Sleeps" Alanis Morissette – "Ironic" The Smashing Pumpkins – "Tonight, Tonight"	Seo Taiji and Boys – "Come Back Home" Dewa 19 – "Cukup Siti Nurbaya" IE – "Chan Tang Jai" Put3ska – "Manila Girl"
International Viewer's Choice: MTV Brasil	International Viewer's Choice: MTV Europe
Skank – "Garota Nacional" Fernanda Abreu – "Veneno da Lata" Baba Cósmica – "Sábado de Sol" Barão Vermelho – "Vem Quente Que Eu Estou Fervendo" Chico Science & Nação Zumbi – "Manguetown" Engenheiros do Hawaii – "A Promessa" Os Paralamas do Sucesso – "Lourinha Bombril" Pato Fu – "Qualquer Bobagem" Raimundos – "Eu Quero Ver o Oco" Renato Russo – "Strani Amori" Sepultura – "Roots Bloody Roots" Titãs – "Eu Não Aguento"^[6]	George Michael – "Fastlove" Björk – "It's Oh So Quiet" Die Fantastischen Vier – "Sie Ist Weg" Jovanotti – "L'Ombelico del Mondo" Pulp – "Disco 2000"
International Viewer's Choice: MTV India	International Viewer's Choice: MTV Japan
Colonial Cousins – "Sa Ni Dha Pa" Asha Bhosle – "Piya Tu Ab To Aja" Biddu – "Boom Boom" Indus Creed – "Sleep" Shaan and Style Bhai – "Roop Tera Mastana" Sagarika – "Disco Deewane"	Kuroyume – "Pistol" Ken Ishii – "Extra" Toshinobu Kubota – "Funk It Up" The Mad Capsule Markets – "Walk!" Seiko – "Let's Talk About It"
International Viewer's Choice: MTV Latin America	International Viewer's Choice: MTV Mandarin
Soda Stereo – "Ella Usó Mi Cabeza Como un Revólver" Los Fabulosos Cadillacs – "Mal Bicho" Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas – "Abarajame" Maldita Vecindad y los Hijos del 5to. Patio – "Don Palabras" Eros Ramazzotti – "La Cosa Más Bella"	Nana Tang – "Freedom" Dou Wei – "Outside the Window" Andy Lau – "Truly Forever" Eric Moo – "Love Is So Heavy" Regina Tseng – "From Dark to Light"

External links

Official MTV site

References

^ Huff, Richard (June 11, 1996). "MTV Awards stay here". New York Daily News – via Newspapers.com.
^ Jolson-Colburn, Jeffrey (August 1, 1996). "Smashing Pumpkins rule MTV's video nominations". The Commercial Appeal. The Hollywood Reporter – via Newspapers.com.
^ Slewinski, Christy (August 15, 1996). "Dot's all..." New York Daily News – via Newspapers.com.
^ "MTV Music - VMA RED CARPET". MTV. Archived from the original on 2009-06-10. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
^ "YouTube - No Doubt - Just A Girl 1996 VMA Preshow". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2015-07-06. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "2/3 - Skank recebe prêmio "escolha da audiência" no VMB 1996 por Hortência". YouTube.

v t e MTV Video Music Awards
Years	1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Awards	Video of the Year Artist of the Year Song of the Year Album of the Year New Artist Group of the Year Pop Rock R&B Hip-Hop Alternative Latin K-Pop Collaboration Direction Choreography Visual Effects Art Direction Editing Cinematography Song of Summer Show of the Summer Video for Good Global Icon Award Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award✯
Defunct	Artist Website Breakthrough Video Concept Video Dance Female Video International Viewer's Choice Awards Latino Artist Longform Video Lyric Video Male Video Metaverse Performance Monster Single of the Year Most Experimental Video Most Share-Worthy Video MTV2 Award Overall Performance Performance in a Pepsi Rock Band Video Post-Modern Video Quadruple Threat of the Year Rap Video Ringtone of the Year Stage Performance UK Video Video Game Score Video Game Soundtrack Video from a Film Video (That Should Have Won a Moonman) Viewer's Choice Award
Key: ✯ Have special significance and are not necessarily awarded annually

This page was last edited on 28 March 2024, at 19:36