When MTV first launched the Video Music Awards in 1984, it didn’t take long for the award show to solidify its reputation as one of the most provocative, dramatic and memorable events in the pop culture calendar. Since then, the VMAs have given rise to many iconic moments from Britney Spears and Madonna’s kiss to Miley Cyrus’ twerking and everything in between, but even back in the day the show was iconic.
The show, both then and now, was intended to honor the best artists in the music video medium. The award show typically takes place at the end of August or early September. Winners of a VMA receive a highly-coveted statue of an astronaut on the moon, one of the earliest representations of MTV. The statue is colloquially called a “Moonman.”
The first-ever VMAs took place on September 14, 1984, at Radio City Music Hall in New York and honored musicians from Michael Jackson to Cyndi Lauper. The show has taken place annually in venues across the US from LA to Miami ever since.
Herbie Hancock was the 1984 show’s most-awarded artist, who took home five awards, followed by Michael Jackson, who won three for, you guessed it, “Thriller.” Madonna, Tina Turner and David Bowie were among the performers. Eddie Murphy, Mick Jagger and Belinda Carlisle were some of the stars on presenting duties. And the after-party was another star-studded affair.
Let’s take a look back on the show that started it all.
Dan Aykroyd & Bette Midler
Hosts of the night Aykroyd and Midler were all smiles on the big night. Aykroyd had just starred in Ghostbusters, the top-grossing film of the year, and Midler was at the height of her music and comedy career so both were a logical choice for hosting duties.
Madonna
Madonna wasted no time in kickstarting the VMA’s reputation for pushing boundaries with her performance on the night.
The singer sang “Like A Virgin,” emerging from the top of a 17-foot wedding cake in a bustier that was rather provocative for the time. As she descended down steps, her white stilettos slipped off leading to a rather scandalous wardrobe malfunction.
“So I thought, ‘Well, I’ll just pretend I meant to do this,’ and I dove on the floor and I rolled around,” Madonna said of the incident later, according to Billboard. “And, as I reached for the shoe, the dress went up. And the underpants were showing.”
Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper looked absolutely ecstatic as she posed with her award for Best Female Video for “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
Billy Idol
Rock star Billy Idol garnered five nominations for “Dancing with Myself” and “Eyes Without a Face” but didn’t manage to take home any awards.
Cher
Cher is pictured here on her way to the VMAs after party sporting a daring blonde pixie cut that was a stark difference from her usual long, dark hair.
Alice & Sheryl Cooper
Alice Cooper and Sheryl Cooper also attended the after-party at Hard Rock Cafe in New York City.
The couple married in 1974 and are still going strong today but 1984 was a particularly monumental year for them as it was the year they reconciled after Sheryl filed for divorce in 1983.
Diana Ross
Diana Ross also attended the party in this statement metallic coat. A true fashionista!
Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Michael Hall, David Lee Roth & Sonia Braga
Actors Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Michael Hall and Sonia Braga were joined by rockstar David Lee Roth to pull up to the after-party in style.
Ron & Josephine Wood
The Rolling Stones’ guatarist Ron Wood is photographed here with his then-wife Josephine Wood during the after-party.
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