base talk Did the VMAs have a vendetta against Britney until 2008?

[prettyinpink940]

Despite delivering some of the most iconic performances in VMA history, Britney did not win a VMA until 2008.

 

Some of the people she lost to in the Female Video category:

1999 - Best Female Video - Lauryn Hill

2000 - Best Female Video - Aaliyah

2002 - Best Female Video - P!nk

 

She also holds the most nominations for a Female Artist in the Best Pop Video category

1999 - Ricky Martin

2000 & 2001 - NSYNC

2004 - No Douhbt

 

I guess I just find it hard to believe that Britney, who was arguably the biggest pop star in the late 90s and early 00s, would lose to the likes of Lauryn Hill, Pink or No Doubt.

[Ivan_brit]

Toxic, Oops & Baby not getting any vma feels like an insult 

[Sailor Moon]

probably, wasn't there something about the grammys having something against her too?

[Abracadabra]

The winners of the VMA's were often very rogue anyway. Rarely did the best video actually win

[Jay07]

She basically carried the network for years with her videos and performances so not winning anything until 2008 is wild.

Edited 1 hour ago by Jay07

[JBJT2786]

1 hour ago, prettyinpink940 said:

likes of Lauryn Hill,

Lauryn had the biggest album of 2000 and Doo *** was one of the most iconic MVs of all time by several publications....I dunno why you trying with this.

 

The other ones are arguable. Aailyah has better videos than Try Again, P!nk def had videos better than Get the Party Started.

 

You also have to take in consideration all the songs that won were #1 hits ( except GTPS) Britney had BOMT but that wasn't even nominated for video of the year in 98. She didn't have another one til 2008 (Womanizer, but by then she finally won)

 

Toxic should've 10000% won in 2004 tho ( and this is coming from someone who LOVED Hey Ya!)

 

[JBJT2786]

Mmmm @ATRL Administration...why is W.O.P. censored????

[Stunnah]

28 minutes ago, JBJT2786 said:

Mmmm @ATRL Administration...why is W.O.P. censored????

[alfonso12]

1 hour ago, Ivan_brit said:

Toxic, Oops & Baby not getting any vma feels like an insult 

This.

[Erreur2 La Nature]

Not winning with BOMT, Oops, Stronger, Slave, MATM, Toxic, etc is pure madness

[Maroonx]

no, she was an MTV/TRL darling x

[Britney Spears]

It's probably because Britney wasn't buying awards while others did

[ChooseyLover]

1 hour ago, Britney Spears said:

It's probably because Britney wasn't buying awards while others did

I can see there being some truth to that. The only awards that I think might have been "bought" were actually by the cship to fuel the comebacks. See the Piece of Me VMA one in 2008 to promote Circus era (unworthy imo), the Vanguard Award in 2011 during Femme Fatale era, the Billboard Millennium Award in 2016 during Glory era and that Disney one in 2017 to promote her world tour at the time.

[slw84]

5 hours ago, prettyinpink940 said:

Despite delivering some of the most iconic performances in VMA history, Britney did not win a VMA until 2008.

 

Some of the people she lost to in the Female Video category:

1999 - Best Female Video - Lauryn Hill

2000 - Best Female Video - Aaliyah

2002 - Best Female Video - P!nk

 

She also holds the most nominations for a Female Artist in the Best Pop Video category

1999 - Ricky Martin

2000 & 2001 - NSYNC

2004 - No Douhbt

 

I guess I just find it hard to believe that Britney, who was arguably the biggest pop star in the late 90s and early 00s, would lose to the likes of Lauryn Hill, Pink or No Doubt.

No but VMAs is very politically and payola driven. Of all award shows, it's the most obvious.

 

1999 - Lauryn Hill had a groundbreaking moment and you have to remember while Britney is a legend today the media tried to portray her as a 90s Debbie Gibson flash in the pan who wouldn't have another hit in a year. They don't award people as much when they feel they will be here today, gone tomorrow.

 

2000 - A LEGIT robbery. Aaliyah's video was great but this was Britney's year and Oops was another moment and she proved that she wasn't going to be a flash in the plan.

 

2002 - Meh, I see why Pink won. She had a breakthrough Pop/rock moment. 

 

INSERTS the biggest snub 2004 - Best Female video Beyonce. Britney was the only female nominated in VOTY that year. There was no reason why she didn't win other than she was a no show.

 

I say this as someone who loves Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah and likes Pink/Beyonce.

1999 - La vida local was a watershed moment as was Britney BOMT both were seen as flashes in the pan but Ricky is a male. Misogyny won.

2000-2001 If N sync won for Bye bye then I guess. whatever they won for in 2001 was illegit.

2004 - Another situation like best female but I think No doubt might have been nominated in VOTY so...

 

Snubs: Female 2000 and 2004, best pop video 2000 and possibly 2004

 

[A-V-XYZ]

Britney would have ZERO VMA's if the show didn't switch to fan "voting" in 2008.

[slw84]

18 minutes ago, ChooseyLover said:

I can see there being some truth to that. The only awards that I think might have been "bought" were actually by the cship to fuel the comebacks. See the Piece of Me VMA one in 2008 to promote Circus era (unworthy imo), the Vanguard Award in 2011 during Femme Fatale era, the Billboard Millennium Award in 2016 during Glory era and that Disney one in 2017 to promote her world tour at the time.

The truth is YES she did win fair and square and YES the label likely did purchase the win for Piece of me which was a waste because the nominees were so bad that year that Piece of me would have won without payola.

 

The vanguard was 100% legit though. Femme fatale already peaked. You might be confusing deserved awards with payola.

2008 POM win - bought but a waste of money as she would have won either way but I guess MTV took the extra coins.

2009 Teen Choice awards (something you didn't address) was the true start of her legacy act era and they started with teen awards as she started as a teen pop star.

2011 Vanguard was NOT bought for but the obvious progression from TCAs. Keep in mind for 5 years the award was null and void. MTV brought it back for her because she elevated her success past her comeback which many people decline after a comeback. While she surged on radio, she started to putter out in sales and tour and so MTV knew it was the perfect time to award here while she still was progressing but showing signs of wear and tear.

The only reason it wasn't not brought back for Eminem was because it's the MJ vanguard and Em made fun of MJ at his lowest.

Eminem is the best selling artist of the 2000s. Britney is the best selling female artist of the 2000s.

With their impact, success and longevity Eminem (2010) and Britney (2011) were the proper choices to bring back the award for the younger generation at the time.

The millennium award was a purchase IMO. After successfully modernizing Vegas Residencies it was a smart move to award her.

The Radio Disney award to me was not purchased but it signal a milestone of 20 years active and about to wrap up her residency they wanted to give her flowers for Disney before anything else happened.

 

So 2008 VMAs and Billboard 2016 seemed "bought" but the others not so much

 

 

2 hours ago, Erreur2 La Nature said:

Not winning with BOMT, Oops, Stronger, Slave, MATM, Toxic, etc is pure madness

BOMT was tricky as it was such a competitive year AND the perception of a teen pop female was already a challenged up against boybands, male and female artists etc. Plus they were so sure she would be a flash in the pan which makes even less of a reason for her to win.

BOMT was robbed but being the first worked against it.

 

By the Oops videos, she proved she is here to stay and yet was snubbed.

 

Stronger should have been a win although barely. 

 

Toxic not winning is utterly insane and proved that politically not showing up or performing cost her the wins.

 

[slw84]

2 minutes ago, A-V-XYZ said:

Britney would have ZERO VMA's if the show didn't switch to fan "voting" in 2008.

Dedicating your Christmas holiday to Britney. Fans unite.

 

But nah MTV/VMAs had no vendetta against her.

[Popboi.]

Bad timing and the industry not being pop focused in the first half of the 00s if anything

 

She got her iconic performances and that's what matters in the end

[ChooseyLover]

14 minutes ago, slw84 said:

The truth is YES she did win fair and square and YES the label likely did purchase the win for Piece of me which was a waste because the nominees were so bad that year that Piece of me would have won without payola.

 

The vanguard was 100% legit though. Femme fatale already peaked. You might be confusing deserved awards with payola.

2008 POM win - bought but a waste of money as she would have won either way but I guess MTV took the extra coins.

2009 Teen Choice awards (something you didn't address) was the true start of her legacy act era and they started with teen awards as she started as a teen pop star.

2011 Vanguard was NOT bought for but the obvious progression from TCAs. Keep in mind for 5 years the award was null and void. MTV brought it back for her because she elevated her success past her comeback which many people decline after a comeback. While she surged on radio, she started to putter out in sales and tour and so MTV knew it was the perfect time to award here while she still was progressing but showing signs of wear and tear.

The only reason it wasn't not brought back for Eminem was because it's the MJ vanguard and Em made fun of MJ at his lowest.

Eminem is the best selling artist of the 2000s. Britney is the best selling female artist of the 2000s.

With their impact, success and longevity Eminem (2010) and Britney (2011) were the proper choices to bring back the award for the younger generation at the time.

The millennium award was a purchase IMO. After successfully modernizing Vegas Residencies it was a smart move to award her.

The Radio Disney award to me was not purchased but it signal a milestone of 20 years active and about to wrap up her residency they wanted to give her flowers for Disney before anything else happened.

 

So 2008 VMAs and Billboard 2016 seemed "bought" but the others not so much

 

 

BOMT was tricky as it was such a competitive year AND the perception of a teen pop female was already a challenged up against boybands, male and female artists etc. Plus they were so sure she would be a flash in the pan which makes even less of a reason for her to win.

BOMT was robbed but being the first worked against it.

 

By the Oops videos, she proved she is here to stay and yet was snubbed.

 

Stronger should have been a win although barely. 

 

Toxic not winning is utterly insane and proved that politically not showing up or performing cost her the wins.

 

Sure, an award being bought doesn't mean it wasn't deserved. The only one I think she didn't really deserve was the VMAs one, but I can deal with it being kind of a "symbolic" award after all the previous snubs.

 

I would normally agree with the Vanguard Award not looking like it was bought at first glance but A LOT of later recipients of it were so clearly bought and just in time to promote eras (Katy deserved hers but it was basically a promo purchase for 143), so maybe Britney's was too, after all the era wasn't done for yet and she had touring to do and Criminal was released a month after.

 

It's tragic how a lot of pop phenomenons were treated as less than back in the 90s and 2000s, it was definitely not just Britney.

Edited 6 hours ago by ChooseyLover

[slw84]

4 minutes ago, ChooseyLover said:

Sure, an award being bought doesn't mean it wasn't deserved. The only one I think she didn't really deserve was the VMAs one, but I can deal with it being kind of a "symbolic" award after all the previous snubs.

 

I would normally agree with the Vanguard Award not looking like it was bought at first glance but A LOT of later recipients of it were so clearly bought and just in time to promote eras (Katy deserved hers but it was basically a promo purchase for 143), so maybe Britney's was too, after all the era wasn't done for yet and she had touring to do and Criminal was released a month before.

 

It's tragic how a lot of pop phenomenons were treated as less than back in the 90s and 2000s, it was definitely not just Britney.

Fair enough.

The vanguard was certainly purchased for many but Britney, Beyonce, Pink, Rihanna and Missy were not it (the others are debatable). Also, had Britney been honored in 2010 I could agree with you. Eminem was supposed to after his smash with Rihanna but MJ's family wasn't having that. They had to start off with Eminem or Britney and had Britney. A vanguard in 2008 or 2009 would have been VERY sus, though.

 

Yes, Katy, Kanye, JLO, Nicki and Shakira were likely political but that's fine. Katy's was kind of inevitable. Her viewer's choice win is the most sus.

 

Yes, pop was not viewed well beyond the 80s. Mariah infamously lost grammy's because shew as so commercially successful. Pop post 80s was seen as sellout or safe which is BS but it is what it is.

 

 

[Terylee]

I think it was in 2004 when she was the only woman nominated for Video of the Year. She also lost Best Female Video. How can you be nominated as only female for VOTY and then lose the female category?

[prettyinpink940]

22 minutes ago, Terylee said:

I think it was in 2004 when she was the only woman nominated for Video of the Year. She also lost Best Female Video. How can you be nominated as only female for VOTY and then lose the female category?

And she lost to OutKast. Certainly a choice. 

[John Slayne]

7 hours ago, prettyinpink940 said:

I guess I just find it hard to believe that Britney, who was arguably the biggest pop star in the late 90s and early 00s, would lose to the likes of Lauryn Hill, Pink or No Doubt.

those are all big names though

 

not saying Britney doesn't deserve but it's not like P!nk or No Doubt are some random khias 

[prettyinpink940]

8 minutes ago, John Slayne said:

those are all big names though

 

not saying Britney doesn't deserve but it's not like P!nk or No Doubt are some random khias 

sure, but commercially britney was, at least at the time, more successful than p!nk or no doubt so i assumed she would have more people voting for her. 

[Eternium]

3 hours ago, slw84 said:

No but VMAs is very politically and payola driven. Of all award shows, it's the most obvious.

It is more about the record label than the artist. JIVE was indie and couldn't campaign hard enough for awards. BSB only won 1 judge-voted award and it was in an empty category (best group video in 1998) and they were JIVE's second biggest act. Britney had 0 wins and she was JIVE's biggest act.

 

Then, NSYNC transitioned from BMG to JIVE and they were able to win 7 awards despite only being JIVE's 3rd biggest act because they had two labels investing in them/fighting over them. 
 

Aaliyah won over Britney because she left JIVE and signed with Atlantic. Try Again was a soundtrack song so even though it wasn't nearly as good as Oops, it had Atlantic, Blackground and Virgin all pushing for it to win.

3 hours ago, A-V-XYZ said:

Britney would have ZERO VMA's if the show didn't switch to fan "voting" in 2008.

And she'd still have the most iconic videography of our lifetimes. Merry Christmas to that

3 hours ago, Terylee said:

I think it was in 2004 when she was the only woman nominated for Video of the Year. She also lost Best Female Video. How can you be nominated as only female for VOTY and then lose the female category?

Because you campaign for awards. You don't just get them. The record label has to put money into promoting and getting judges to take your campaign seriously. For some reason, it's normal to talk about campaigning for Oscar awards, but people never seem to pay attention that you campaign for Grammys and VMAs.

 

Beyonce is under Columbia who was under Sony. JIVE was an indie label who just got put under Sony. Columbia had closer connections with Sony and, while a VMA award would have been good for Britney's career, it was much more beneficial for them to support Beyoncé's solo debut. Columbia also got exposed for buying airplay for their artists at the time, so there's not a chance they weren't campaigning hard for awards.