Over the years, award shows have lost interest among viewers – but surprisingly, the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards were actually worth watching.

Here are the best moments from Wednesday night’s event, which was broadcast live from UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York.

PERFORMANCE OF THE NIGHT

Benson Boone’s signature somersaults were so impressive that we have to send him to the 2028 Olympics. If he doesn’t make the gymnastics team, he can at least sing at the global event.

The rising star delivered the performance of the night – he started off “Beautiful Things” on the piano and took the stage like a seasoned pro in a sparkly marine outfit. His screaming vocals were top-notch and he got audience members, including Sabrina Carpenter, singing along to the pop-rock TikTok hit. He also won the award for Best Alternative Artist.

Teddy Swims, another new cast member, deserves an honorable mention. Although he didn’t get a regular role, he made three short appearances that impressed every time.

STRONG AND STEAMY LIKE ESPRESSO

Carpenter got the entire VMAs audience singing along to her hits, proving why she’s this year’s Princess of Pop. Her performance was quirky, sexy and entertaining – and involved aliens and astronauts.

She started off on a swing in the air, singing a soft version of “Please Please Please.” Then dancers dressed as aliens and astronauts performed alongside her for “Taste.” She ended the song with her breakthrough hit “Espresso,” and we’re still thirsting for more.

TAYLOR IS THE “T” IN MTV

We’ve lost track of how many VMAs Swift has won throughout her career — and on Wednesday, the pop star cleaned up, winning seven Moonperson awards, including Video of the Year for “Fortnight.”

Swift, who directed the clip, said that although the video seemed sad, she had a lot of fun filming it. After finishing a take, she said she “kept hearing someone cheering… from across the studio where we were filming, and that one person was my friend Travis.”

“Everything this man touches turns into happiness, fun and magic, so I want to thank him for bringing that to our shoot because I will never forget it,” she continued.

A day after endorsing Kamala Harris, Swift also thanked her fans for voting for “Fortnight,” the night’s grand prize, adding, “And if you’re over 18, please register to vote for something else that matters a lot.”

Swift also used her first speech of the night – when she won the award for best collaboration with Post Malone – to honor the victims of 9/11. “When I woke up this morning on 9/11 in New York, all I could think about was what happened 23 years ago – everyone who lost a loved one and everyone we lost. And that’s the most important thing about today. And everything that happens tonight is secondary to that,” she said.

SPEECH OF THE NIGHT

Chappell Roan was loud and proud at the VMAs, inspiring the LGBTQ community with her Best New Artist speech.

“I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me. And I dedicate this to the queer and trans people who drive pop music, the gay people who dedicate my songs to someone they love or hate,” said Roan, who had previously performed her hit “Good Luck, Babe!” on the show.

“Thank you to the people who are fans, who listen to me, who hear me share my joys and my fears. Thank you for listening. To all the queer kids in the Midwest watching right now: I see you, I get you, because I am one of you. And don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be exactly who you want to be.”

Tyla, who won Best Afrobeats for “Water,” also shared words of wisdom on stage – letting the audience know that while Afrobeats is experiencing a huge resurgence, African artists should not be pigeonholed into one genre.

“It’s so special, but also bittersweet because I know there’s a tendency to lump all African artists together as Afrobeats,” she said.

“Even though Afrobeats has dictated things and opened so many doors for us, African music is so diverse. It’s more than just Afrobeats,” she said, before mentioning African stars like Tems, Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Rema, Wizkid and Lojay.

FIREWORKS, IN FACT

Katy Perry delivered a Super Bowl halftime show-style performance as she accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

The singer, who released her debut album in 2008, floated in the air – and even walked over her dancers in one breathtaking moment. It looked like magic.

She performed a number of her hits, including “California Gurls,” “Dark Horse,” “ET,” “Teenage Dream,” “I Kissed a Girl,” and “Firework,” as well as material from her upcoming album, 143.

Her boyfriend Orlando Bloom was there to present her with the honor, and after her performance they kissed onstage. “I did all of that on the first day of my period too. Can you believe it?” Perry said after performing her 10-song medley. “Thank you to MTV for believing in my craziness from day one and helping artists expand their worlds beyond a song.”

“There are so many things that have to come together to have a long and successful career as an artist. There are no decades-long coincidences,” Perry added, pausing afterward to give the audience and those watching at home time to absorb her words.

THE TRIPLE THREAT

MTV may want to keep Megan Thee Stallion on speed dial for the 2025 VMAs.

Not only did the rapper host the show, she also delivered a rousing performance and also won the award for best art direction for “BOA”.

She opened the show in a VMA-themed bodysuit as the crowd chanted her name: “I represent Team VMA” – and called it the Voluptuous Megan Award.

“I deserve a gold medal for being a bad bitch,” she said, laughing.

At the 2001 VMAs, she dressed up as Britney Spears and performed with an albino python coiled behind her. “Come and get that snake,” she said. “I was trying to hold onto it for Britney.”

And during her own performance, she conquered the UBS Arena with ease, moving through the hall while rapping hits like “Hiss” and “Mamushi” and even bringing Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba on stage.

She really is a star, star, star, star.