MTV VMA video of the year winners every year

By Wonderwall.com Editors 10:43am PDT, Aug 25, 2020

Who's going to win a Moonman this year? The 2020 MTV Video Music Awards will be handed out on Aug. 30. In celebration of one of music's biggest nights, let's take a walk down memory lane and look at all the artists who've won the show's top prize — video of the year — every year since 1984.

1984

The Cars won the inaugural video of the year award in 1984 for "You Might Think."

1985

Don Henley won a video of the year Moonman for "The Boys of Summer" in 1985.

1986

The boys of Dire Straits took home the video of the year prize in 1986 for their hit "Money for Nothing."

1987

Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" video took home the top prize at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards.

1988

Australian rock group INXS, fronted by the late Michael Hutchence, won the prize for video of the year in 1988 for "Need You Tonight"/"Mediate."

1989

Neil Young took home the top prize in 1989 for "This Note's for You."

1990

Sinead O'Connor became the first woman to take home the video of the year prize: "Nothing Compares 2 U" won the top Moonman at the MTV VMAs in 1990.

1991

Alternative rock group R.E.M. won the video of the year Moonman in 1991 for "Losing My Religion."

1992

Van Halen took home the night's top prize for "Right Now" in 1992.

1993

Pearl Jam heralded a new type of rock music — grunge — with their big win for "Jeremy" in 1993.

1994

Aerosmith won the top prize for "Cryin" in 1994.

1995

We all remember TLC's big video of the year win for "Waterfalls" in 1995.

1996

The Smashing Pumpkins won the top Moonman for "Tonight, Tonight" in 1996.

1997

Funk-rock band Jamiroquai, fronted by Jay Kay, took home the video of the year prize for "Virtual Insanity" in 1997.

1998

The queen of pop, Madonna, won the video of the year award for "Ray of Light" in 1998.

1999

Lauryn Hill really changed the game when she won the night's top prize for "Doo Wop (That Thing)" in 1999.

2000

Rapper Eminem added another prize to his trophy case when he won the video of the year Moonman in 2000 for "The Real Slim Shady."

2001

Pink, Mya, Lil Kim and Christina Aguilera won the video of the year prize in 2001 for their "Lady Marmalade" collaboration video.

2002

Eminem won another video of the year award in 2002 for "Without Me."

2003

Missy Elliott took home the top prize for her rap hit "Work It" at the MTV VMAs in 2003.

2004

OutKast had everyone living their best life in 2004, the year they won the video of the year prize for "Hey Ya!"

2005

Green Day, fronted by Billie Joe Armstrong, took home a total of six awards, including video of the year for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards.

2006

Panic! At The Disco surprised everyone by winning the video of the year Moonman in 2006 for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies."

2007

Rihanna began her MTV Video Music Awards reign back in 2007 when she took home the top prize for her "Umbrella" video.

2008

After a spectacular comeback, Britney Spears won the video of the year Moonman for "Piece of Me" in 2008.

2009

Beyonce captivated the world with her hit song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" — and took home the top prize for its video at the 2009 MTV VMAs.

2010

Lady Gaga wore her infamous meat dress to accept her video of the year award (from Cher!) for "Bad Romance" in 2010.

2011

Katy Perry took home the night's top award in 2011 for her "Firework" video.

2012

Rihanna won the video of the year Moonman again in 2012, this time for "We Found Love" with Calvin Harris.

2013

After taking a hiatus from music to focus on acting, Justin Timberlake returned to his first love and won the video of the year Moonman for "Mirrors" in 2013.