The 40th Video Music Awards, or VMAs, were a whirlwind, combining nostalgia and the future of music into a three-hour long broadcast. Concept performances dominated the Sept. 11 show, which is known for spectacle — think Lady Gaga’s meat dress or Beyoncé’s pregnancy announcement. 

The show opened with a performance by Eminem, who referenced his iconic performance from 2000, donning a platinum wig and baggy jeans. His performance became emotionally heavy as he rapped “Somebody Save Me,” a song about being an absent father. He concluded the performance by playing home videos of his children when they were younger. 

Eminem’s emotion was countered by the show’s host, Megan Thee Stallion, with a humorous opening monologue. For her first of many outfits, the star wore a Team VMA leotard, which was followed by a recreation of Britney Spears’ 2001 “I’m a Slave 4 U” VMA performance look — complete with a live snake later in the ceremony.

Megan Thee Stallion wasn’t the only attendee to pay homage to the 2000s music icon — Tate McRae, a double nominee of the night, copied Spears’ 2001 red carpet look. Though McRae went home without any awards, she made sure to be a conversation topic with this copycat outfit . 

As if there wasn’t enough inspiration pulled from music icons, Sabrina Carpenter stepped out in the vintage Bob Mackie gown that Madonna wore to the 1991 Academy Awards. Carpenter’s old Hollywood styling paired seamlessly with the aesthetic of her performance. 

The singer performed a “Short n’ Sweet” medley, starting with “Please Please Please,” while she descended from the ceiling on a sparkling swing. Once on solid ground, she transitioned to “Taste,” a song rumored to be about Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, both of whom also performed during the show. The performance used the moon man motif of the VMAs, featuring a provocative moment between an alien and an astronaut. She ended with “Espresso,” which won Song of the Year later that night. The performance was both visually enticing and sonically smooth as Carpenter’s vocals filled the space beautifully. 

Another highlight of the night was Taylor Swift making history as the most awarded solo artist at the VMAs. Swift started her night by winning the first-presented category, Best Collaboration, for “Fortnight” featuring rapper Post Malone.  Swift’s speech was dedicated to Malone’s incredible work ethic. She ended her speech by name dropping her NFL star boyfriend Travis Kelce, which sent the room into a flurry of excitement. Swift’s night only got sweeter as she won six more of the fan-voted awards, bringing her total wins to 30. 

Chappell Roan also had a memorable night as she made her VMAs debut and won Best New Artist. For her VMAs persona, she channeled Joan of Arc, complete with chain mail gloves and a sword. This styling set the tone for the world she created with her performance of “Good Luck, Babe!” where she broke out of a castle and engaged in medieval warfare. 

Wearing her armor, she dedicated her win to “all the drag queens who inspire me,” “to queer and trans people who fuel pop” and said the award was for “all the queer kids in the Midwest watching right now. I see you, I understand you, because I’m one of you.” 

The night’s biggest honor — The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award — was given to Katy Perry for her outstanding contribution to the music industry. Her performance included some of her old hits, from “Dark Horse” to “California Gurls” and “I Kissed a Girl,” as well as newer songs to promote her upcoming album “143.” The performance blended Perry’s new, futuristic aesthetic with the nostalgic sound of her career defining singles. 

She followed the 10-minute performance with a speech thanking MTV for seeing something in her “weirdness from day one.” Perry thanked her fans, the Katy Cats, and the LGBTQ+ community for their constant support over the past decade. She also snuck in a dig at critics while offering advice to up-and-coming artists, telling them to “turn off social media” and “safeguard your mental health.”

  To close the show, LL Cool J took to the stage to honor 40 years of Def Jam Recordings, a major hip-hop label. During the medley of LL Cool J’s greatest hits, he brought out Public Enemy to perform “Bring the Noise.” The backup dancers helped make the performance captivating by interacting with the audience and using instruments as props. His performance had the entire audience out of their seats and celebrating with him.

Despite the lack of a viral internet moment, the 40th VMAs gathered viewers to celebrate the year’s biggest names in music alongside icons of past decades. Established performers such as Lenny Kravitz and Eminem tried to reinvent themselves by performing more new music, whereas modern artists from McRae and Megan Thee Stallion to Halsey and Carpenter opted for callbacks to music and cultural icons. While the VMAs are typically known for originality and uniqueness, this year’s broadcast was defined by both familiarity and nostalgia.