The MTV VMA Awards are back and with full force, as they presented another night of memorable performances, speeches, and Moon People. Many amazing artists got tons of nominations this time around including Justin Bieber, BTS, Megan Thee Stallion, and, of course, VMA’s host Doja Cat.

Now we could go over the many wins of the night like Olivia Rodrigo taking home Best New Artist and Song of the Year, or Justin Bieber winning Artist of the Year. Yet, what has gotten fans talking are the unforgettable performances.

Starting off with Lil Nas X’s rendition of “Industry Baby” and “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” that shook the entire stadium and news outlets. He emerged with a pink and white-suited marching band along with the drumline beat of the song .
This starts off reminding fans of another moment in music history: SpongeBob’s performance at the SuperBowl halftime show with marching band gear in the “Band Geeks” episode.

On the other spectrum of social media reactions, many were taken aback when Lil Nas X removed his marching gear to the choreography. He was a trending topic of the night, but it doesn’t end there.

Tons of women took the stage, including Doja Cat performing a contemporary dance to “Been Like This” and “You Right,” and Kasey Musgraves burning up the stage with her song “Star-crossed.” Normani was one of many who paid homage to iconic moments in music history by referencing two R&B icons: Aaliyah and Janet Jackson.

Her tribute to Aaliyah with her song “Wild Side” went a step further with a silver outfit inspired by one of Aaliyah’s famous music videos (“One in a Million”). Yet, it doesn’t end there! Normani topped it off with a performance nodding to Janet Jackson. Normani clearly understood the assignment by referencing the path iconic R&B artists laid out for her and other performers.

Finally, there’s Olivia Rodrigo’s first VMA performance. She brought teen angst and musicality to the stage wearing a short lilac dress and black Doc Martens with backup dancers matching her aesthetic.

As she sang the radio hit, “Good 4 U,” along with the audience, she went on to prove why she belongs on that stage as she pulled off all the notes, high-fived audience members, managed an impressive choreography, and ended it by breaking the cameras with her microphone. Like Doja Cat, who went from a new artist to five VMA nominations, it can be expected that 18-year-old Rodrigo will follow a similar path.

The VMA’s had even more memorable moments, but I’ll leave it up to you to learn more. Just look up “Doja Cat as a worm” and “Lil Nas X and the shower floor.