The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards , hosted by Kevin Hart, took place on Thursday, September 6, 2012, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. The awards were broadcast from the Staples Center arena at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles . Nominations were announced on July 31, 2012. Rihanna and Drake were the most nominated artists this year with five nominations apiece, followed by Katy Perry and Beyoncé, who received four.
One Direction was the biggest winner of the night winning their three nominations, including Best New Artist , and Rihanna went on to win Video of the Year . Both M.I.A. and Chris Brown won two awards each.
The awards ceremony, with an average of 6.1 million viewers, was the least-watched VMA show since 2007. The major factor which contributed to the drop in ratings was most likely altering the program's broadcast date to Thursday instead of Sunday, the day MTV had been using since 2004, with the exception of the 2006 ceremony. MTV also moved up the telecast to 8pm instead of 9pm, to avoid competing with President Barack Obama's speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention . This was somewhat early for MTV's targeted audience.
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Sway Calloway – presented Best Video with a MessageJames Montgomery – presented Best Electronic Dance Music Video Jim Cantiello and Ton Do-Nguyen – presented Most Share-Worthy VideoChristina Garibaldi – Red Carpet Main show Katy Perry – presented Best Pop VideoDwight Howard – chatted with host Kevin Hart and introduced the next set of presentersMiley Cyrus and Mac Miller – introduced P!nkDemi Lovato and Rita Ora – presented Best Male VideoZoe Saldana – introduced Frank Ocean Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg – presented Best Hip-Hop VideoThe Wanted and Rebel Wilson – presented Best Female VideoPsy – appeared and danced to his "Gangnam Style " on stage with host Kevin Hart while he introduced the next presentersEzra Miller and Emma Watson – introduced Green Day Peter Facinelli , Elizabeth Reaser , Bill Condon , Robert Pattinson , Taylor Lautner and Jackson Rathbone – introduced an exclusive Breaking Dawn: Part 2 Kesha and Wiz Khalifa – presented Best New ArtistThe Fierce Five (Aly Raisman , Gabby Douglas , Jordyn Wieber , Kyla Ross and McKayla Maroney ) – introduced Alicia Keys Kevin Hart – presented Video of the Year Winners and nominees Nominees were announced on July 31, 2012.
Rihanna (featuring Calvin Harris) – "We Found Love"
Drake (featuring Rihanna) – "Take Care " Gotye (featuring Kimbra ) – "Somebody That I Used to Know "M.I.A. – "Bad Girls " Katy Perry – "Wide Awake" Chris Brown – "Turn Up the Music"
Justin Bieber – "Boyfriend "Drake (featuring Rihanna) – "Take Care " Frank Ocean – "Swim Good "Usher – "Climax" Nicki Minaj – "Starships"
Beyoncé – "Love on Top" Selena Gomez & the Scene – "Love You Like a Love Song" Katy Perry – "Part of Me " Rihanna (featuring Calvin Harris ) – "We Found Love " One Direction – "What Makes You Beautiful"
fun. (featuring Janelle Monáe ) – "We Are Young " Carly Rae Jepsen – "Call Me Maybe "Frank Ocean – "Swim Good " The Wanted – "Glad You Came " One Direction – "What Makes You Beautiful"
Justin Bieber – "Boyfriend "fun. (featuring Janelle Monáe ) – "We Are Young " Maroon 5 (featuring Wiz Khalifa ) – "Payphone "Rihanna (featuring Calvin Harris) – "We Found Love " Coldplay – "Paradise"
The Black Keys – "Lonely Boy "Imagine Dragons – "It's Time"Linkin Park – "Burn It Down " Jack White – "Sixteen Saltines " Drake (featuring Lil Wayne) – "HYFR"
Childish Gambino – "Heartbeat" Jay-Z and Kanye West – "Paris "Nicki Minaj (featuring 2 Chainz ) – "Beez in the Trap "Kanye West (featuring Pusha T , Big Sean and 2 Chainz ) – "Mercy" Calvin Harris – "Feel So Close"
Avicii – "Levels "Duck Sauce – "Big Bad Wolf "Skrillex – "First of the Year (Equinox)"Martin Solveig – "The Night Out " M.I.A. – "Bad Girls" (Director: Romain Gavras)
Coldplay (featuring Rihanna) – "Princess of China " (Director: Adria Petty and Alan Bibby)Duck Sauce – "Big Bad Wolf " (Director: Keith Schofield )Jay-Z and Kanye West (featuring Otis Redding ) – "Otis " (Director: Spike Jonze )Frank Ocean – "Swim Good" (Director: Nabil Elderkin ) Chris Brown – "Turn Up the Music" (Choreographer: Anwar "Flii" Burton)
Avicii – "Levels " (Choreographers: Richy Greenfield and Petro Papahadjopoulos)Beyoncé – "Countdown" (Choreographers: Danielle Polanco , Frank Gatson, Beyoncé and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker ) Jennifer Lopez (featuring Pitbull ) – "Dance Again " (Choreographer: JR Taylor)Rihanna – "Where Have You Been " (Choreographer: Hi-Hat ) Skrillex – "First of the Year (Equinox)" (Visual Effects: Deka Brothers and Tony "Truand" Datis)
David Guetta (featuring Nicki Minaj ) – "Turn Me On " (Visual Effects: Alex Frisch, Joe Harkins, Scott Metzger and Vico Sharabani)Linkin Park – "Burn It Down " (Visual Effects: Ghost Town Media) Katy Perry – "Wide Awake" (Visual Effects: Ingenuity Engine) Rihanna – "Where Have You Been " (Visual Effects: BAKED FX) Katy Perry – "Wide Awake" (Art Director: Benji Bamps)
Lana Del Rey – "Born to Die " (Art Directors: Anna Brun and Audrey Malecot)Drake (featuring Rihanna) – "Take Care" (Art Director: Jeff Higinbotham) Of Monsters and Men – "Little Talks " (Art Director: Mihai Wilson and Marcella Moser)Regina Spektor – "All the Rowboats " (Art Director: Anthony Henderson) Beyoncé – "Countdown" (Editors: Alexander Hammer and Jeremiah Shuff)
ASAP Rocky – "Goldie " (Editor: Samantha Lecca)Gotye (featuring Kimbra ) – "Somebody That I Used to Know " (Editor: Natasha Pincus)Jay-Z and Kanye West – "Paris " (Editors: Alexander Hammer, Peter Johnson and Derek Lee) Kanye West (featuring Pusha T , Big Sean and 2 Chainz) – "Mercy" (Editor: Eric Greenburg) M.I.A. – "Bad Girls" (Director of Photography: André Chemetoff)
Adele – "Someone Like You " (Director of Photography: David Johnson)Coldplay (featuring Rihanna) – "Princess of China " (Director of Photography: Stéphane Vallée)Lana Del Rey – "Born to Die " (Director of Photography: André Chemetoff)Drake (featuring Rihanna) – "Take Care" (Director of Photography: Kasper Tuxen) Demi Lovato – "Skyscraper"
Kelly Clarkson – "Dark Side"Gym Class Heroes (featuring Ryan Tedder ) – "The Fighter"K'naan (featuring Nelly Furtado ) – "Is Anybody Out There?" Lil Wayne – "How to Love "Rise Against – "Ballad of Hollis Brown " One Direction – "What Makes You Beautiful"
Beyoncé – "Countdown" Justin Bieber – "Boyfriend" Gotye (featuring Kimbra) – "Somebody That I Used to Know" Carly Rae Jepsen – "Call Me Maybe " Romeo Santos
Juanes Jennifer Lopez Pitbull Wisin & Yandel 
