It's safe to say that the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards was a lot better (and classier) than last year's award show. There was far less twerking (Nicki Minaj gave the audience a little booty shaking during her performance of "Anaconda"), a lot more Beyonce and a much tamer Miley Cyrus.
Check out our list of the best, worst and wackiest moments from the 2014 VMAs.
Beyonce and family steal the show: Beyonce closed the awards show with a 15-minute medley of songs from her latest album. She performed snippets of "Partition," "Blue," "XO," "Blow," "Drunk in Love" (without Jay Z), among others. Speaking of Jay, previous rumors hinted that Beyonce would address her split from her rapper husband, and she did.
During that 15 minutes Beyonce shut down every rumor claiming that she and Jay Z were having marital problems. Not only did Beyonce look happy but Jay Z and their daughter Blue Ivy presented her with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. The "Magna Carta" rapper referred to his wife as "the greatest living entertainer" and the two shared a kiss on stage.
Miley Cyrus spreads positivity: Miley Cyrus used her star power to help spread a positive message about homeless youth and runaway teens. Cyrus won Video of The Year for "Wrecking Ball" and instead of going onstage to give a speech she had a homeless guy do the honors for her.
"Thank y'all, my name is Jesse and I am accepting this award on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth in the United States who are starving, lost and scared for their lives right now. I know this because I am one of these people," he said, as Cyrus cried. "Though I may have been invisible to you in the streets, I have a lot of the same dreams that brought many of you here tonight."
It was a big contrast to last year's VMAs when Cyrus twerked and gyrated her way across the stage during a performance with Robin Thicke.
VMAs honor Michael Brown: Rapper Common presented the award for Best Hip-Hop Video but before he announced the winner Common asked for a moment of silence for Michael Brown, the unarmed 18-year-old who was fatally shot by an officer in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 9.
"Hip-hop has always been about truth and has been a powerful instrument of social change, from Melle Mel to Public Enemy to Kendrick Lamar," Common said. "Hip-Hop has always been presented a voice for the revolution."
Trey Songz, Nina Dobrev: If there was an award for the most awkward flirting ever, it would have went to "Vampire Diaries" star Nina Dobrev and Trey Songz. The two presented the award for Best Rock Video and things got a little weird when the "Na Na" singer said he "can always get behind a lady" and then got really, really close to Dobrev. The look on her face was priceless. Before announcing Lorde as the winner, Songz also gave his grandmother a birthday shout-out.
Robin Williams honored: The VMAs honored Robin Williams but it was quick, really quick, and featured a few photos of the late actor splashed up on a giant screen. The tribute lasted about 30 seconds and was followed by a commercial break. No one gave a touching speech and many social media users found it to be disrespectful to Williams.
What did you like about the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards?
