August 25, 2013. If you were on the internet that night, you remember where you were. The Barclays Center in Brooklyn was vibrating. Honestly, it wasn't just another awards show; the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards basically reset the cultural thermostat for the entire decade. We saw the death of the "Disney Channel" persona and the birth of the viral meme era in one fell swoop.
People forget that before the show even started, the hype was almost unbearable. Lady Gaga was returning. Katy Perry was closing the night under the Brooklyn Bridge. But nobody—literally nobody—was ready for what Miley Cyrus was about to do with a foam finger and Robin Thicke. It was a mess. A glorious, calculated, terrifying mess that defined 2013.
The Twerk Heard ‘Round the World
Let’s just get into it. The performance of "We Can't Stop" into "Blurred Lines" is why the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards is still a case study in PR today. Miley came out of a giant teddy bear. She had space buns. She was sticking her tongue out like it didn't fit in her mouth. When she started grinding on Robin Thicke during "Blurred Lines," the camera panned to the audience, and you could see the collective soul of the music industry leaving their bodies.
The reactions were gold. Rihanna looked bored, which is her superpower. The Smith family—Will, Jaden, and Willow—were caught in a photo that looked like they’d just witnessed a crime, though later reports suggested they were just reacting to something else. Still, the narrative was set. Miley Cyrus had officially killed Hannah Montana on live television.
It was uncomfortable. It was polarizing. Parents’ groups were furious. But guess what? Miley’s album Bangerz debuted at number one shortly after. It was a masterclass in "all publicity is good publicity," even if it felt a little desperate at the moment.
The Nuance of the "Blurred Lines" Moment
Looking back, there’s a darker layer to that performance. "Blurred Lines" was already under fire for its lyrics and the controversial music video. Having a 20-year-old Miley Cyrus perform a highly sexualized routine with a much older Robin Thicke felt... off. It wasn't just the dancing; it was the power dynamic. In 2026, we look at that through a much more critical lens than we did back then when we were just making GIFs of the foam finger.
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Justin Timberlake’s Victory Lap
While Miley was sucking the air out of the room, Justin Timberlake was actually there to win things. He took home the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. This was peak JT. He performed a medley that lasted over 15 minutes. It was exhausting just to watch.
Then, the thing happened.
The rumors were true. For about ninety seconds, ‘N Sync reunited. Joey, JC, Chris, and Lance popped up from the floor, did a bit of "Girlfriend" and "Bye Bye Bye," and then they were gone. It was a tease. Honestly, it was kind of a letdown for hardcore boy band fans because Justin remained the center of gravity the entire time. It was his night. He won Video of the Year for "Mirrors," a song that feels like it’s ten minutes long but somehow works.
Gaga, Katy, and the Battle of the Divas
The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards was also the staging ground for the biggest pop rivalry of the year: Artpop vs. Prism.
Lady Gaga opened the show with "Applause." She changed outfits and wigs on stage about four times. It was high art, or at least it wanted to be. She ended the performance in a seashell bikini, which she wore for the rest of the night while sitting in the audience. Seeing Gaga clap for other winners while dressed as a literal mermaid is the kind of surrealism only MTV provides.
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Katy Perry, on the other hand, went for the "sporty" vibe. She performed "Roar" in a boxing ring under the Brooklyn Bridge. It was a massive production, but it felt safe compared to Gaga’s weirdness or Miley’s chaos. It was the quintessential 2013 pop landscape—one side trying to be provocative, the other trying to be the most relatable person on the planet.
What Most People Forget About That Night
Everyone talks about Miley, but the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards had some low-key legendary moments that slipped through the cracks.
- Daft Punk appeared. They didn't perform, but they showed up in those iconic sequins to present an award with Pharrell and Nile Rodgers. "Get Lucky" was the song of the summer, and their silent presence felt like royalty visiting a chaotic circus.
- Taylor Swift’s "Shut Up" moment. While One Direction was on stage, the cameras caught Taylor whispering something to Selena Gomez that looked remarkably like "Shut the f*** up." The internet decided she was talking about her ex, Harry Styles. She later claimed she was talking to Selena about something else, but the damage was done.
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. They were huge that year. "Same Love" was a massive cultural moment, and they won Best Video with a Social Message. It’s wild to think how much the musical landscape has shifted since then.
Why We Are Still Obsessed With 2013
The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards represented the last gasp of "appointment viewing" for awards shows before social media completely fractured our attention spans. We watched it because we knew something "bad" or "weird" would happen.
It was the transition from the era of polished pop stars to the era of "authentic" (or manufactured authentic) chaos. Miley wasn't trying to be perfect; she was trying to be loud.
The Tech and the Trends
This was also the year of Instagram video. It had just launched a few months prior. People weren't just tweeting; they were uploading grainy, 15-second clips of their TV screens. The way we consumed the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards changed how MTV produced future shows. They started playing to the "GIF-able" moments rather than the musical ones.
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The Winners That Actually Mattered
Beyond the noise, the awards themselves were a snapshot of who was actually running the industry.
- Video of the Year: Justin Timberlake - "Mirrors"
- Best Hip-Hop Video: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton - "Can't Hold Us"
- Best Pop Video: Selena Gomez - "Come & Get It"
- Best Female Video: Taylor Swift - "I Knew You Were Trouble"
- Best Male Video: Bruno Mars - "Locked Out of Heaven"
Looking at that list, it’s almost all A-list royalty even a decade later. Bruno Mars was just cementing his status as a powerhouse. Selena Gomez was proving she could survive the transition from Disney star to pop mainstay. And Taylor? Well, she was just getting started with her transition from country-pop to global domination.
The Aftermath and Cultural Impact
In the weeks following the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, the conversation didn't stop. It sparked debates about cultural appropriation—specifically regarding Miley’s use of twerking and backup dancers. It forced a conversation about how we treat young women in the spotlight.
It also marked the end of an era for MTV. After 2013, the ratings began a slow, steady decline. The "monoculture" was breaking. You didn't need to watch the show anymore to know what happened; you just needed to check your feed the next morning.
But for those three hours in Brooklyn, it felt like the center of the universe. It was tacky, loud, sometimes offensive, and incredibly entertaining. It was exactly what the VMAs were supposed to be.
How to revisit the magic of the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards:
- Watch the "Mirrors" Performance: If you want to see a pro at work, Timberlake’s Vanguard medley is still one of the best-produced segments in the show's history.
- Check the "Applause" Opener: Pay attention to the booing sound effects Gaga used—she was mocking the very critics who would pan her album a few months later.
- Read the Oral Histories: Several outlets have interviewed the stagehands and producers from that night; the behind-the-scenes stories of Miley’s "Teddy Bear" entrance are fascinatingly chaotic.
- Listen to the 2013 Winners Playlist: Throw on "Mirrors," "Get Lucky," and "Roar" to understand the specific sonic texture of that year. It was a weird mix of disco-revival and heavy synth-pop.