2015 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2015 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 30, 2015. The 32nd installment of the event was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, and hosted by Miley Cyrus. Taylor Swift led the nominations with a total of ten, followed by Ed Sheeran, who had six, bringing his total number of mentions to 13. Swift's "Wildest Dreams" music video premiered during the pre-show. Cyrus also announced and released her studio album Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz, right after her performance at the end of the show. During his acceptance speech, Kanye West announced that he would be running for the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Taylor Swift won the most awards with four, including Video of the Year and Best Female Video. The VMA trophies were redesigned by Jeremy Scott.
This edition of the MTV VMA were followed by 9.8 million people in the United States through the various channels MTV for broadcast use. Due to a simulcast across ten Viacom networks, the 2015 ceremony's airing on the flagship MTV network alone had one of the lowest audience in the ceremony's 31-year history, with the following year's ceremony being the lowest of all time. According to Nielsen, it logged 5.03 million viewers only on MTV, 39% less than the previous year, while cumulative viewers drew 9.8 million with the nine other simulcasting networks. The lowest viewed edition since Nielson began tracking in 1994 was in 1996, with 5.07 million viewers. This broadcast, however, broke the "US Twitter record", being the most tweeted about non-sports program, with 21.4 million tweets delivered by 2.2 million people. It was also streamed live through the MTV app for authenticated users on mobile devices and television sets via iOS, Android and Chromecast. Through its website, viewers could also get to see un-aired audience shots and backstage coverage. mtvU aired a behind-the-scenes feed and MTV Hits went dark.
Performances
Presenters
Pre-show
- Sway and Kelly Osbourne – hosts
- Kelly Osbourne and Jeremy Scott – presented Best Rock Video
- Carly Aquilino, Charlamagne Tha God, and Vic Mensa – presented Best Pop Video
- Awkwafina and Nessa – presented Song of Summer
Main show
- Ike Barinholtz and Andy Samberg – appeared in a pre-taped skit with host Miley Cyrus
- Britney Spears – presented Best Male Video
- Jared Leto – introduced The Weeknd
- Rebel Wilson – presented Best Hip-Hop Video
- Tyga, Juicy J, Mike Will Made It and Billy Ray Cyrus – appeared in a pre-taped skit with host Miley Cyrus
- Big Sean and Nick Jonas – presented Best Female Video
- Hailee Steinfeld – introduced Demi Lovato outside The Orpheum Theatre
- Serayah and Jussie Smollett – presented Best Video with a Social Message
- Ne-Yo and Kylie Jenner – introduced Tori Kelly
- Taylor Swift – presented Video Vanguard Award
- John Legend – introduced Pharrell Williams outside The Orpheum Theatre
- Rita Ora and Emily Ratajkowski – presented Artist to Watch
- Miguel and Gigi Hadid – introduced Twenty One Pilots and ASAP Rocky
- Ice Cube and O'Shea Jackson, Jr. – presented Video of the Year
- Happy Hippie Foundation members – introduced Miley Cyrus
Winners and nominees
Nominees for the social media-driven category, Song of Summer, were announced on August 18, 2015.
Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar were tied with most nominations, 10. Ed Sheeran had 6, Nicki Minaj had 4.
Video of the Year
Taylor Swift – "Bad Blood"- Beyoncé – "7/11"
- Kendrick Lamar – "Alright"
- Mark Ronson – "Uptown Funk"
- Ed Sheeran – "Thinking Out Loud"
Best Male Video
- Nick Jonas – "Chains"
- Kendrick Lamar - "Alright"
- Ed Sheeran – "Thinking Out Loud"
- The Weeknd – "Earned It"
Best Female Video
- Beyoncé – "7/11"
- Ellie Goulding – "Love Me Like You Do"
- Nicki Minaj – "Anaconda"
- Sia – "Elastic Heart"
Artist to Watch
- James Bay – "Hold Back the River"
- George Ezra – "Budapest"
- FKA Twigs – "Pendulum"
- Vance Joy – "Riptide"
Best Pop Video
- Beyoncé – "7/11"
- Maroon 5 – "Sugar"
- Mark Ronson – "Uptown Funk"
- Ed Sheeran – "Thinking Out Loud"
Best Rock Video
- Arctic Monkeys – "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?"
- Florence + the Machine – "Ship to Wreck"
- Hozier – "Take Me to Church"
- Walk the Moon – "Shut Up + Dance"
Best Hip-Hop Video
- Big Sean – "I Don't Fuck with You"
- Fetty Wap – "Trap Queen"
- Kendrick Lamar – "Alright"
- Wiz Khalifa – "See You Again"
Best Collaboration
- Ariana Grande and The Weeknd – " Love Me Harder"
- Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj – "Bang Bang"
- Mark Ronson – "Uptown Funk"
- Wiz Khalifa – "See You Again"
Best Direction
- Childish Gambino – "Sober"
- Hozier – "Take Me to Church"
- Mark Ronson – "Uptown Funk"
- Taylor Swift – "Bad Blood"
Best Choreography
- Beyoncé – "7/11"
- Chet Faker – "Gold"
- Flying Lotus – "Never Catch Me"
- Ed Sheeran – "Don't"
Best Visual Effects
- Childish Gambino – "Telegraph Ave."
- FKA Twigs – "Two Weeks"
- Taylor Swift – "Bad Blood"
- Tyler, The Creator – "Fucking Young/Death Camp"
Best Art Direction
- The Chemical Brothers – "Go"
- Skrillex and Diplo – "Where Are Ü Now"
- Taylor Swift – "Bad Blood"
- Jack White – "Would You Fight for My Love?"
Best Editing
- ASAP Rocky – "L$D"
- Ed Sheeran – "Don't"
- Skrillex and Diplo – "Where Are Ü Now"
- Taylor Swift – "Bad Blood"
Best Cinematography
- Alt-J – "Left Hand Free"
- FKA Twigs – "Two Weeks"
- Ed Sheeran – "Thinking Out Loud"
- Taylor Swift – "Bad Blood"
Best Video with a Social Message
- Colbie Caillat – "Try"
- Jennifer Hudson – "I Still Love You"
- Rihanna – "American Oxygen"
- Wale – "The White Shoes"
Song of Summer
- Fetty Wap – "My Way"
- Fifth Harmony – "Worth It"
- Selena Gomez – "Good for You"
- David Guetta – "Hey Mama"
- Demi Lovato – "Cool for the Summer"
- Major Lazer – "Lean On"
- OMI – "Cheerleader"
- Silentó – "Watch Me "
- Skrillex and Diplo – "Where Are U Now"
- Taylor Swift – "Bad Blood"
- The Weeknd – "Can't Feel My Face"
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award