The MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video was one of four original general awards that have been handed out every year since the first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. In 2007, though, the award was briefly renamed Male Artist of the Year, and it awarded the artist's whole body of work for that year rather than a specific video. However, the award returned to its original name the following year. It was replaced by the Artist of the Year category in 2017, combining Best Male and Best Female video categories.
With three victories, Eminem is the artist with most wins in this category, and also has the most nominations with nine. Meanwhile, Tom Petty, Beck, Will Smith, Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown, all have won this twice, with the first three being the only artists to win the award for two consecutive years.
Gwen Stefani was the first female artist to win this award as she was featured and credited on the win for 'South Side' by Moby in 2001.
Recipients
+Key Marks winners of the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year Marks nominees of the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
Year Winner(s) Nominees Ref.David Bowie — "China Girl"
Bruce Springsteen — "I'm on Fire"
Robert Palmer — "Addicted to Love"
Peter Gabriel — "Sledgehammer"
Prince — "U Got the Look"
Elvis Costello — "Veronica"
Don Henley — "The End of the Innocence"
Chris Isaak — "Wicked Game (Concept)"
Eric Clapton — "Tears in Heaven (Performance)"
Lenny Kravitz — "Are You Gonna Go My Way"
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — "Mary Jane's Last Dance"
Tom Petty — "You Don't Know How It Feels"
Beck — "Where It's At"
Beck — "Devils Haircut"
Will Smith — "Just the Two of Us"
Will Smith — "Miami"
Eminem — "The Real Slim Shady"
Moby (featuring Gwen Stefani) — "South Side"
Eminem — "Without Me"
Justin Timberlake — "Cry Me a River"
Usher (featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris) — "Yeah!"
Kanye West — "Jesus Walks"
James Blunt — "You're Beautiful"
Justin Timberlake
Chris Brown — "With You"
T.I. (featuring Rihanna) — "Live Your Life"
Eminem — "Not Afraid"
Justin Bieber — "U Smile"
Chris Brown — "Turn Up the Music"
Bruno Mars — "Locked Out of Heaven"
Ed Sheeran (featuring Pharrell Williams) — "Sing"
Mark Ronson (featuring Bruno Mars) — "Uptown Funk"
Calvin Harris (featuring Rihanna) — "This Is What You Came For"
Statistics Multiple Wins 3 wins Eminem
2 wins Will Smith Beck Justin Timberlake Chris Brown Bruno Mars
Multiple Nominations 9 nominations Eminem
7 nominations Kanye West
6 nominations Usher
5 nominations Tom Petty T.I. Bruce Springsteen
4 nominations Justin Timberlake
3 nominations Steve Winwood Will Smith David Bowie Lenny Kravitz Ed Sheeran Pharrell Williams Bruno Mars
2 nominations Don Henley David Lee Roth Robert Palmer Bryan Adams Sting Peter Gabriel Prince Chris Isaak George Michael Eric Clapton Elton John R. Kelly Busta Rhymes Ricky Martin Moby Nelly 50 Cent Jay-Z John Legend Justin Bieber Chris Brown
See also MTV Europe Music Award for Best Male
References