MTV VMAs: Sometimes it's also about the music [Video]

Let's admit it: the MTV Video Music Awards often have more to do with the outrageous moments that occur during the telecast than actual music. So it's easy to forget that the awards show also typically produces some stellar performances from artists, like Sunday's appearances by top-selling musicians including Drake, Paramore, Eminem and Taylor Swift.

"You have to be very balanced to perform at the VMAs. This stage is not any regular stage," B.o.b told us outside on the white carpet before heading into the Nokia Theatre to perform his hit single "Airplanes" with Hayley Williams. "It's like an environment, it's like a real interactive stage. It's got like, couture to it, so you have to be very balanced and a well-seasoned performer."

Travie McCoy, meanwhile, was trying to be calm about performing his song "Billionaire," which will be sung by the cast of "Glee" on the first episode of the hit show's new season. "I'm always relaxed, you know. This stuff is fun," he said, showing off some grillz on his bottom teeth. "I get a little nervous right before things go down. But other than that, I'm cool. Chillin'."

Deadmau5, who was the house artist spinning popular tracks throughout the telecast, also appeared laid back -- though of course we couldn't really tell, since he was wearing his trademark mouse head (of which he said he owns about six).

"This particular project gave me enough freedom and stuff where they were just like, 'Well, we want your interpretation,' " he said. "So we're not gonna send it back and forth a million times...it didn't happen like that at all. So it was really good, for a change."

For more video interviews with Bruno Mars, Robyn and Sean Kingston, go beyond the jump.

-- Amy Kaufman

Twitter.com/AmyKinLA

Caption: Eminem and Rihanna perform on the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Comments

[Cosmo Kramer]

The VMA's have turned into a joke. It used to be fun and exciting to watch. Now it's just a trail of drab and über-wanna-be's who think we all enjoy their music.

Nope, no more. The show has become ridiculous and an embarrassment to have in Los Angeles.

[James]

If anyone wants to have a laugh and a half you can read this article about the Sr editor of VH1 "discovering" Florence at coachella

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-hirschhorn/what-do-goodfellas-social_b_701181.html

[mag]

It's sad that MTV dictates what popular music is nowadays. There are no more talented musicians anymore; just a relentless stream of manufactured robots programmed to proliferate the image of "pop culture" to today's youth.

[James]

To be fair to pop culture, MTV has no say in it. It happens to expand on a moving trend but has not one credible finger in its progress or gestation.

Outer cusp acts (I dare not say outsiders as they are a part of the stratus of pop culture as a whole, not just the part that affects *you*) like deadmau5 and Florence have been building out quite well without MTV help. Florance can sell out shows, deadmau5 can help sell out a stadium (full disclosure: deadmou5 sucks). They don't need acknowledgement of subsidiaries of viacom to do so.

[Hollywood101]

What happend to music awards is that they have them for artist that I have to clue who listens to them. Jesus bring back the 80s and even 90s music back!

[k]

I have to agree on this one, mag, but I'd apply it to all awards shows to some degree. Today's pop music industry is almost all about marketing and almost nothing about talent. Matter of fact, the almost total lack of talent is precisely why these characters feel compelled to come up with something to distract us from noticing that they have almost no talent. Lady Gag (not a typo) is the founder and president of this club. She's a marginal performer at best, but she's a "star" because she and her machine have made her into a circus side show act.

Yes, Cher did outrageous in her day, but she actually DOES have talent. She just did her act for fun, not because she had to to get noticed.

[Mick B]

Guess I drank the Kool-Aid. Loved the awards. Love Lady Gaga (sic), saw her last month in LA. Nearly (ok actually) fell over when Cher showed up and gave her an award. Have tickets to Cher in Vegas this month. U don't like pop music- why waste your time watching the VMAs?

[m.a.a.]

a bunch of lip syncing performances, really sucks, vma's are for 1st to 8th graders, it's sad how the vma's are nowadays compared to the 80's and 90's