CountryUnited States NetworkMTV Other ceremonies1993, 1995
Hosted byRoseanne Barr Date8 September 1994 HostRoseanne Barr
LocationRadio City Music Hall, New York, New York
The 1994 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 8, 1994, honoring the best music videos from June 16, 1993, to June 15, 1994. The show was hosted by Roseanne Barr at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and this would be the last time there was a female host for the VMAs until Chelsea Handler hosted in 2010. Kurt Cobain, frontman of grunge band Nirvana, was honored this night after his death on April 5.
Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley opened the show by Michael giving a speech. They ended it by taking a long kiss in front of everyone. In another notable moment, David Letterman escorted Madonna onto the stage and told the singer to watch her language, poking fun at Madonna's controversial appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman five months earlier.
R.E.M. was, for the second time in their careers, the biggest winner of the night, taking home four technical awards for their video "Everybody Hurts." Closely following were hip-hop group Salt-n-Pepa and rock band Aerosmith, both of which earned three moonmen that night. Aerosmith's video for Cryin', in fact, won the two main awards of the night, Video of the Year and Viewer's Choice, making it the second video in VMA history to achieve this feat. This would also be the last time that the nominees for Viewer's Choice were the same as those for Video of the Year, as MTV discontinued this rule the next year.
In terms of nominations, meanwhile, Aerosmith was the night's biggest nominee, earning a total of nine nominations for two of their videos: "Cryin'" received four general nominations, while "Amazing" earned five professional ones. Right behind them were R.E.M., whose video for "Everybody Hurts" was the night's most nominated video with seven nominations, and newcomer Björk, who received six nominations for "Human Behaviour."
Nominations
Winners are in bold text.
Video of the Year
Aerosmith – "Cryin'"
Beastie Boys – "Sabotage"
Nirvana – "Heart-Shaped Box"
R.E.M. – "Everybody Hurts"
Best Male Video
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – "Mary Jane's Last Dance"
Beck – "Loser"
Tony Bennett – "Steppin' Out with My Baby"
Bruce Springsteen – "Streets of Philadelphia"
Best Female Video
Janet Jackson – "If"
Björk – "Human Behaviour"
Sheryl Crow – "Leaving Las Vegas"
Me'Shell NdegéOcello – "If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)"
Best Group Video
Aerosmith – "Cryin'"
Beastie Boys – "Sabotage"
Green Day – "Longview"
R.E.M. – "Everybody Hurts"
Best New Artist in a Video
Counting Crows – "Mr. Jones"
Beck – "Loser"
Björk – "Human Behaviour"
Green Day – "Longview"
Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories – "Stay (I Missed You)"
Me'Shell NdegéOcello – "If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)"
Best Metal/Hard Rock Video
Soundgarden – "Black Hole Sun"
Aerosmith – "Cryin'"
Anthrax – "Black Lodge"
Rollins Band – "Liar"
Best R&B Video
Salt-n-Pepa (featuring En Vogue) – "Whatta Man"
Brand New Heavies – "Dream on Dreamer"
Toni Braxton – "Breathe Again"
R. Kelly – "Bump n' Grind"
Best Rap Video
Snoop Doggy Dogg – "Doggy Dogg World"
Coolio – "Fantastic Voyage"
Cypress Hill – "Insane in the Brain"
Dr. Dre – "Let Me Ride"
Best Dance Video
Salt-n-Pepa (featuring En Vogue) – "Whatta Man"
En Vogue – "Runaway Love"
Janet Jackson – "If"
Us3 – "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)"
Crystal Waters – "100% Pure Love"
Best Alternative Video
Nirvana – "Heart-Shaped Box"
Beck – "Loser"
Green Day – "Longview"
The Smashing Pumpkins – "Disarm"
Best Video from a Film
Bruce Springsteen – "Streets of Philadelphia" (from Philadelphia)
Backbeat Band – "Money" (from Backbeat)
Madonna – "I'll Remember" (from With Honors)
Sinéad O'Connor – "You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart" (from In The Name of the Father)
Breakthrough Video
R.E.M. – "Everybody Hurts"
Beastie Boys – "Sabotage"
Björk – "Human Behaviour"
Deep Forest – "Sweet Lullaby"
Nine Inch Nails – "Closer"
Best Direction in a Video
R.E.M. – "Everybody Hurts" (Director: Jake Scott)
Aerosmith – "Amazing" (Director: Marty Callner)
Beastie Boys – "Sabotage" (Director: Spike Jonze)
Deep Forest – "Sweet Lullaby" (Director: Tarsem)
Best Choreography in a Video
Salt-n-Pepa (featuring En Vogue) – "Whatta Man" (Choreographers: Frank Gatson and Randy Connor)
Hammer – "Pumps and a Bump" (Choreographers: Hammer and Randi G.)