All Artists Who Won the Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMAs

• Katy Perry will be the latest star to receive MTV’s Video Vanguard Award at the 2024 VMAs.
• Perry joins a prestigious group of winners, including The Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Beyoncé.
• Here are all the recipients of the lifetime achievement award.

Despite the shaky rollout of her new album, Katy Perry will become the latest star to receive MTV’s Video Vanguard Award at this year’s Video Music Awards.

The Video Vanguard Award was introduced at the first VMAs in 1984 as the ceremony’s highest honor — essentially MTV’s version of a lifetime achievement award.

Perry will also perform a medley of her biggest hits at New York’s UBS Arena on Wednesday, September 11.

Here are all the previous Video Vanguard recipients.

1984: Richard Lester & The Beatles

The Beatles and director Richard Lester were the first people to win the Video Vanguard Award. Lester directed two of their first music videos “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Help!”

1984: David Bowie

In the same year, David Bowie also won the award in honor of his contributions to music video history.

1985: David Byrne

In the second year of the VMAs, David Byrne, lead singer and guitarist of the band Talking Heads, won the Video Vanguard Award.

1985: Russell Mulcahy

Australian filmmaker Russell Mulcahy won in the same year for directing the first video ever played on MTV, “Video Killed the Radio Star.”

1985: Godley & Creme

Godley & Creme from Manchester, England, were a rock duo before they began directing music videos together. They won their award for “an outstanding body of work,” according to MTV. Godley and Creme notably directed videos for The Police and Duran Duran.

1986: Madonna

In 1986, Madonna became the first woman to win the Video Vanguard Award. She won the award the same year her third studio album, “True Blue,” was released.

1986: Zbigniew Rybczyński

Polish director Zbigniew Rybczyński directed videos for Yoko Ono and Grandmaster Flash. The year after winning the award, he directed the music video for “Imagine” by John Lennon.

1987: Julien Temple

British director Julien Temple received one of two Vanguard Awards in 1987 for his work creating music videos for David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, and the Sex Pistols.

1987: Peter Gabriel

The same year, Peter Gabriel, the frontman of the English rock band Genesis, won both the Video Vanguard Award and video of the year for “Sledgehammer.”

1988: Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson was the sole winner of the Video Vanguard Award in 1988 after revolutionizing music videos with his 14-minute opus, “Thriller.” Jackson’s video for “Billie Jean” is also regarded as the first video by a Black artist to be heavily played on MTV, according to Billboard.

In fact, a few years later, the award was renamed the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award — until 2019, when MTV quietly dropped his name from the title.

1989: George Michael

George Michael won the Video Vanguard Award in 1989, receiving his award from past winner, Madonna. Michael began his career as part of the duo Wham! before going solo in 1987.

1990: Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson, 24 at the time, followed in her brother’s footsteps by winning the Video Vanguard Award in 1990. She was both the first Black woman and the youngest person ever to win the award. She still holds the title of youngest winner.

1991: Bon Jovi & Wayne Isham

The 1991 winners were Bon Jovi and director Wayne Isham, who helped make videos for their hits “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name,” and many more. Isham directed videos for other major stars of the era, including Pink Floyd, Mötley Crüe, Whitney Houston, The Rolling Stones, and Janet Jackson.

1992: Guns N’ Roses

Rock band Guns N’ Roses won the 1992 Video Vanguard Award. At the time, Queen’s Brian May said the award was for “almost single-handedly [putting] back the passion, and the anger, and the reality into a virtually dormant rock and roll industry,” per Billboard.

1994: Tom Petty

The 1994 VMAs had two Vanguard Award winners, one of whom was rock star Tom Petty, the leader of two rock bands: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch.

1994: The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones won the award that same year for their achievements in their career.

1995: R.E.M.

Four years after winning video of the year for “Losing My Religion,” R.E.M. received the Video Vanguard Award.

1997: Mark Romanek

In 1997, there were two winners of the Video Vanguard Award. American director Mark Romanek was recognized for his contribution to music videos, including Michael and Janet Jackson’s “Scream.”

1997: LL Cool J

LL Cool J became the first hip-hop artist to win the Video Vanguard Award in 1997.

1998: Beastie Boys

Following LL Cool J’s footsteps, hip-hop group Beastie Boys won the Video Vanguard Award in 1998.

2000: Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, of “Californication” fame, won the Video Vanguard Award in 2000.

2001: U2