The MTV Video Music Awards is known for being the award show that takes a new artist’s career to another stratosphere.
In the 32 years of the show, some artists who’ve taken home the prestigious Moonman have gone on to do great things with their careers – but others watched their 15 minutes of fame quickly diminish.
In honor of the legendary award show, check out these winners from over the years, and where they are now.
Also check out the 2016 Best New Artist nominees – Bryson Tiller, Desiigner, DNCE, Lukas Graham, and Zara Larsson – when the show airs this Sunday at 9 p.m. EST on MTV.
Alicia Keys (2001)
Alicia Keys won Best New Artist at just 20 years old following the release of her first album, 2001’s Songs in A Minor. These days, the 15-time Grammy winner and four-time VMA winner is still a girl on fire. She recently performed at the Democratic National Convention and will be joining Miley Cyrus as a new judge on Season 11 of The Voice.
50 Cent (2003)
50 Cent owned the early part of the 2000s. Following the release of his now legendary Get Rich or Die Tryin’ album, 50 took home the VMA for Best New Artist in 2003. Almost 15 years later, and 50 is a household name. With hit shows like Power and investments like his Effen Vodka, he probably isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.
Lady Gaga (2009)
Mother Monster won Best New Artist back in 2009 just after the release of her album The Fame, when it was normal for her to show up to red carpets in incubators and meat suits. Gaga has gone on to become one of the biggest stars of this decade, performing at the Grammys, Oscars, and Super Bowl in the same year. The Golden Globe winner is set to return to the next season of American Horror Story.
Justin Bieber (2010)
What can you really say about the Biebs? The preteen won Best New Artist in 2010 after winning the hearts of young girls all over the world. The past six years have seen a lot of ups and downs in Bieber‘s personal life, but his career never slipped. His 2016 album Purpose has gone on to sell 4.5 million copies globally.
Tyler, The Creator (2011)
Tyler, the Creator‘s win for Best New Artist in 2011 stamped the success of his already popular crew, Odd Future. Five years later, Tyler and the rest of crew, including Frank Ocean, are some of the biggest names in music today.
One Direction (2012)
1D became the biggest boy band in the world after winning the U.K.’s X Factor in 2010. They went on to take home the Moonmen for Best New Artist and Best Pop Video at the 2012 VMAs. The group disbanded in 2016, but Zayn Malik continued to shine and released a successful solo project, Mind Of Mine.
Fifth Harmony (2014)
Just like One Direction, Fifth Harmony came to fame after winning X Factor USA in 2012. The girls released their first album in 2013 and took home the VMA for Best New Artist the following year. The group released their second album 7/27 in May, and has seen much success on the Billboard charts.
Fetty Wap (2015)
One of the most exciting and surprising wins in VMA history was Fetty Wap winning the award for Best New Artist in 2015. Although he took over the summer with singles like “Trap Queen,” no one expected the overnight sensation to win a Moonman so soon. These days, Fetty is still one of the biggest artists on the radio and is even headlining major festivals.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
[ione_media_gallery id=”4102234″ overlay=”true”]
