MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction


The MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction is a craft award given to the artist, the artist's manager, and the director of the music video. From 1984 to 2006, the full name of the award was Best Direction in a Video, and in 2007, it was briefly renamed Best Director. The category acquired its current name starting with the 2008 awards. The biggest winners are Spike Jonze and David Fincher with three wins each, although one of Jonze's wins is credited as the "Torrance Community Dance Group".
The most nominated director is David Fincher with eight nominations. Remarkably, seven of Fincher's nominations were achieved in a three-year span, as he was nominated a record three times in both 1989 and 1990. Fincher's latest nomination occurred over twenty years later in 2013 for his work on Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie." Closely following him are Dave Meyers with seven nominations and Francis Lawrence with six. Hype Williams is the director with most nominations and no wins at five.
The performer whose videos have won the most awards is Madonna, whose videos have garnered three direction Moonmen. However, Eminem's videos have received the most nominations with seven.
Four performers have won a Moonman in this category for their work directing/co-directing their videos: George Michael, Beck, Erykah Badu, and Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys. An additional eight other performers have been nominated for their work co-directing/directing videos: Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Christina Aguilera, Jared Leto, Ryan Lewis, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, and Billie Eilish.

Recipients