It’s Time for the VMAs to Bring Back the Pop Culture Chaos We’re Craving

Courtesy Kara MillerNot to sound like a drama queen, but the day I learned about the MTV Video Music Awards changed the course of my entire life. I was only seven during my first-ever trip to my current home base in New York City, where my untouchably cool older sister bought a customized tank top from a street vendor that read, “I’d rather be at the VMAs.” When I asked what it meant, she explained how crazy the celebrated awards show was thanks to unfiltered chaotic moments and larger-than-life performances. At the time, I had only grasped the concept of celebrity because of my Hilary Duff and Miley Cyrus obsessions, but I quickly understood the VMAs were one of the only ways I could see more of them.From that point on, I’d watch MTV in my friends’ computer rooms back in Florida, since my household had an on-again, off-again relationship with cable providers. By the time I was 10, my brain chemistry was fully altered by Kanye West’s infamous “I’ma let you finish” moment with Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga’s bloody spectacle that was her “Paparazzi” performance. At 27, I still credit the 2009 show as the catalyst for my professional life as an entertainment journalist.Jeff Kravitz//Getty ImagesIn the 17 years since, I can’t help but feel that the VMAs have unfortunately lost some of the flavor that made it one of the most iconic nights in pop culture. Of course, the night honors some of the biggest names in music and their impact on bringing their hit songs to life. But aside from the delayed start because of a Sunday Night Football game that went overtime, the 2026 VMAs fell short in the messiness that pushes culture forward, from celebs’ glam red carpet looks to more demure behind-the-scenes moments.Barry King//Getty ImagesRon Galella//Getty ImagesWe used to have Rose McGowan pulling up in a nearly nude look and Pam Anderson wearing two tons of blue eyeshadow with a furry pink hat. Long gone are the days of living legend Diana Ross jiggling Lil Kim’s exposed breast and Madonna’s messy interview interruption via Courtney Love’s chucked compact in the ’90s. Hell, there’s barely even room to push boundaries with steamy on-stage kisses, let alone someone wearing raw meat on the red carpet.That’s not to say that some new-gen stars aren’t making the effort. In 2024, Chappell Roan showed up in a stunning medieval look inspired by Joan of Arc (and rightfully handed a photographer’s ass to him in the process). That same year, Addison Rae pulled up in a feathered tutu to signify her legendary rebrand from TikTok dancer to Grammy-nominated pop princess.All this to say: The people yearn for the raw, messy, and unexpected moments! So much so that some even doctored clips of Charli xcx’s too-cool-to-care clapping at this year’s show to stir the pot in her reported feud with Taylor Swift.In a cultural landscape that feels more controlled and polished than ever, the VMAs have the opportunity to keep the delicious chaos we’ve been craving alive—except they’ve played it totally safe over the years.I mean, it’s great for business. When the show started simulcasting on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+ in 2025, its views were up 42 percent from the previous year. According to Deadline, last year’s ceremony earned 5.5 million viewers, which pales in comparison to the 12.4 million who watched in 2011. It’s not lost on me that the dip largely comes from the boom of platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok in the 2010s and 2020s. In other words: Video killed the radio star, which marked the birth of MTV. Then, the internet killed the video star as we once knew it.Media giants and networks like MTV used to swing the pendulum of pop culture. But as they try to keep up with every major moment through daily discourse and the amplification of stan culture, they’re starting to lose the plot in curating major moments.So, I say this out of admiration and respect: Instead of (understandably) chasing the glory days of legacy media, the network should embrace the chaos that inspires Halloween costumes and makes our group chats spiral. That’s when culture wins.