Screw the parties, the pop-up performances and all that. My favorite VMA week ritual is the think piece, where everyone suddenly becomes an expert on music videos, MTV and what kids really want.
Here's three pieces that work nicely together from the Daily Beast, Idolator.com and the NY Times...
The Daily Beast goes with the "They don't make the VMAs like they did when I was young" theme, presenting the show as perilously trying to straddle two audiences: An older one that wants "danger," and a younger one that wants pop stars. In some ways "danger" seems to be a stand-in for "rock bands," which are notably absent from this year's line-up since they would indeed be dangerous to the ratings. [And the lesson from last year's subpar ratings are probably more th result to moving the show to a Thursday evening, the same night that Obama was speaking at the DNC, than the lack of commitment on behalf of One Direction fans.]
Idolator asks if this is the best VMA line-up ever and they might be onto something. It's a perfect storm with the VMA serving as a coming out party for many huge artists, including show opener Lady Gaga and closer Katy Perry, who will both making their TV premieres on new album cycles. Also confirmed are Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke and a much teased/rumored Daft Punk performance. (The answer to the "which is best" question is that it's likely whatever VMAs took place when you were 18 years old, which is exactly how it should work.)
The grandaddy of all thinkpiece locations is the NY Times, which notes the resurgence of music videos as a cultural and commercial force, thanks largely to YouTube. That's a backhanded lede for a VMA piece, but you can bet that everyone quoted in the article — including a lot of familiar names to Videostatic.com readers — will either be at or watching the VMAs, as will all those millions upon millions of people who created those viral success stories.
We will, however, have the DVR set to record Breaking Bad.
The MTV VMAs air live this Sunday, August 25th, at 9pm on MTV, MTV2, Vh1 and LOGO. Check the nominees for this year at our announcement post.
Comments