Pink
Photo: Andrew MacPherson

A few weeks ago, as I sat in Radio City Music Hall watching Pink dangle upside down from a trapeze bar some 60 feet above my head, risking life and limb (and avoiding a wardrobe malfunction) while positively nailing the chorus of "Sober" — the smart, stunning song she co-wrote with "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi — I sort of realized something:

Pink is totally underrated.

Think about it. She is a fabulously fearless pop artist, as comfortable taking on George W. Bush as she is hanging like a bat from the rafters of Radio City. She is clever and funny and unflinching, willing to take her (oft volatile) personal life and turn it into grist for hit singles. She is a deceptively good singer, something she is rarely given credit for (check "Just Like a Pill" or "God Is a DJ" or the chorus of "Sober" for proof). She recorded a Beck song and wrote tunes with Rancid's Tim Armstrong. She has tons of tattoos and used to wear her hair like Wendy O. Williams from the Plasmatics. She has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, landed countless Billboard hits, and her Funhouse tour is currently the ninth highest-grossing jaunt of the year.

And yet, if you were to make a list of the biggest pop stars, Pink probably wouldn't even crack the top five. This doesn't seem right to me, though I think I understand why it tends to happen. Unlike Britney or Gaga or Christina or Miley or Taylor, Pink is not a pure pop star. She's multifaceted, an amalgamation of many things and many eras, not easily categorized or digested.

To wit, Pink is kind of a rock star (remember when she was going to play Janis Joplin in a biopic?). She is kind of a party girl. She is kind of an R&B diva too (or, at least, she used to be). And she's created a particular niche in the pop universe that somehow manages to combine all those things. Her songs — particularly those on the Funhouse album (which, it should be noted, she originally wanted to call Heartbreak Is a Mother----er) — are angry, funny, pissy and rife with honesty. It isn't a perfect album, and it isn't supposed to be: It's a human one, about imperfect love and imperfect situations. At times, it's even downright depressing ("Please Don't Leave Me," "Crystal Ball"), which, considering it's supposed to be a pop album, is pretty ballsy. Not to mention impressive.

And given that Funhouse landed Pink her first-ever Billboard Hot 100 #1 ("So What") and has sold approximately 4.5 million copies worldwide, it means she's basically pulled off what many equally gifted pop singers (Kelly Clarkson, Lily Allen, etc.) have attempted but few have actually achieved: releasing a deeply personal, out-of-left-field album, without fear and with total conviction, and making it stick. So, please: Can someone give her the respect she's due?

To put it bluntly, Pink can out-sing almost anyone out there. She can out-crazy Gaga or Lily. She's the total pop-star package, everything you'd want in a singer/entertainer/icon. And still, she remains oddly off the radar. Such is the price of busting borders, I suppose.

And part of me thinks she'll forever remain that way — a cult superstar (or, you know, as "cult" as anyone who sells so many million albums can be), appreciated by those in the know, ignored by the mindless masses. But the other part of me — the optimistic part buried deep within — believes Pink is set up for the long haul. She's a career artist, unafraid to take risks and deal with the repercussions, and as such, she'll still be here long after her contemporaries have disappeared.

Then again, if she keeps dangling upside down, she might not make it that long. And, really, she shouldn't have to go to such lengths (or heights) to be loved. Though, now that I think of it, she wouldn't be Pink if she didn't.

Questions? Concerns? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com.

• Pink Brings The Funhouse To Madison Square Garden
• Pink Soars Through The Funhouse In Seattle

• P!nk
• Pink

Pink and Shakira at the 2009 Video Music Awards
Photo: Getty Images

It seems like a fashion catastrophe to have two huge pop stars show up to the same event in the same dress. And if those stars are Pink and Shakira, that event is the 2009 VMAs, and they arrived on the red carpet within minutes of each other, that might be an even bigger disaster. But on the bright side, that dress was the smoking-hot Balmain leather-and-metal number, and now we have an excuse to debate which lady wore it better.

We took the debate to the streets — more specifically to the Bryant Park tents — and asked the many experts attending New York Fashion Week to weigh in on this important face-off. "Well, they both look great," Kendall told MTV News. "I like Shakira's version of it; she looks cool. She just has it more accessorized, 'cause with the boots you can kind of see [that]. Although, Pink's earrings look neat. I think [Shakira] looks cute with her hair down."

Corey Moran also decided that the acrobatic Pink had the look in the bag. "I'm gonna have to go with Pink, only because she had stuff to bring with it," he said of the "So What" singer. "Shakira [wore] the dress and kind of normal, almost boring hair. I think that Pink really put the whole outfit together."

Fellow Fashion Week attendee Deandre went for the feisty She Wolf in the dress. "I'm gonna have to say Shakira. Pink is hot too, but Shakira hands down. Shakira just has this sexiness about her that is just there. She embodies what a sexy woman is," he said. "But they both looked great, though. They both were hot."

But Pink got a vote based on personality, too. "Pink!" asserted a fan named Brad at the tents. "Pink's personality matched the dress — a little hard-core, heavy rocker. And Shakira, I still think she has that Latina vibe, [but] I think the dress is a little more hard-core."

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards may have wrapped, but the party is far from over. Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes updates, party reports and much more.

• VMA 2009: The Entire Show On Demand

• VMA 2009: Full Fashion Recap

• P!nk
• Shakira

Pink performs at the 2009 Video Music Awards
Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

If Pink ever decides to pack in the mic, she could surely land a gig with Cirque du Soleil on the strength of her MTV Video Music Awards performance.

During the evening's preshow, the Best Female Video nominee promised she'd be "hanging from things" for her performance — and she wasn't kidding.

Clad in a shiny purple, diamond-print leotard complete with a Lil' Kim-esque pink-heart pasty covering her left breast, the raucous singer attached herself to a harness, ascending high above the stage at Radio City Music Hall as the strains of her song "Sober" reverberated through the auditorium.

Arriving safely atop a suspended pillar, Pink was met by a bare-chested acrobat who assisted the singer in a series of heart-stopping flips, at one point dangling her upside down while she continued to sing. When the singer finally landed back on solid ground, she gave a slight bow to the audience, followed by a very noticeable sigh of relief.

Energetic VMA performances are nothing new to the 30-year-old artist. During last year's ceremony, the singer shimmied down a bed sheet from a second-story fire escape, threw a stuntman down a subway stairwell and broke out the windows of a soundstage set while performing "So What," the first single from her album Funhouse.

Earlier in the evening, the singer arrived at the ceremony atop a New York City fire truck accompanied by her husband, motocross racer Carey Hart.

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards might have wrapped, but the party is far from over. Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes updates, party reports and much more.

• VMA 2009: The Entire Show On Demand

• VMA 2009: Performers

• P!nk

Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong
Photo: Jason Kempin/ Getty Images

Secure the stage floor and reinforce the windows: Green Day and Pink are coming to the live MTV Video Music Awards as we take over New York City for the 26th annual show live on Sunday, September 13, at 9 p.m. ET. And in addition to the growing list of musical performers, we can also announce the first of our celebrity presenters: Katy Perry, Ne-Yo and Chace Crawford.

"We are excited to be performing at the Video Music Awards," Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said. "You never know what's going to happen, and it's always a memorable experience for us."

In the band's first VMA appearance since 2005, Green Day will perform a song off their new album, 21st Century Breakdown. Three tracks from that album—"21 Guns," "Know Your Enemy" and "East Jesus Nowhere"— are also available for "Rock Band" download.

Coming off her 2008 VMA rendition of "So What," Pink will take the stage this year to sing a track from her multiplatinum album Funhouse. The two acts join previously announced performers Taylor Swift and Muse.

"Last year, I got to jump out of a window at the VMAs in L.A.," Pink recalled. "This year, I can't wait to blow the roof off Radio City in New York."

After hosting a fantastically controversy-filled VMA show in 2008, Russell Brand will reprise his emcee duties live for the second straight year, as the awards take place in New York for the 14th time in the show's history.

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards will take place September 13 at 9 p.m. ET. Nominees, celebrity presenters and additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks. To be the first to find out the inside scoop, follow the Inside MTV Twitter account at Twitter.com/InsideMTV.

• Green Day, Pink Join 2009 VMA Performers List

• 2009 VMA Performers And Presenters Announced

• Green Day
• P!nk

Pink and Carey Hart (file)
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ Getty Images

It looks like singer Pink and her ex-husband Carey Hart are giving their relationship another shot. After splitting in 2008 aftertwo years of marriage, the motocross racer told People.com that the pair are "rebuilding" their relationship. "Sometimes you have to take a couple of steps backwards to move forward," Hart said.

After their divorce, the couple said frequently that there were no hard feelings. Quickly after their separation was confirmed, Pink posted on her blog that she and Hart still loved each other, were best friends and would remain that way. And the feeling seems to be mutual. Hart said to People, "The thing about Pink is she's so dedicated to her fans and putting on amazing live shows. She might not see the record success of a Britney Spears but the girl sells a hell of a lot of albums. She's incredible."

The two were spotted spending time together, taking motorcycle rides and hiking, before Pink hit the road for her current tour, and they rang in the New Year together in Las Vegas earlier this year.

Though Pink is currently on the road, her ex is finding ways to keep busy himself. "I'm really just focusing on my business but also being a great athlete again," he said. "It's something that's in me. I'll be that guy who's 70 years old who's pounding through the desert on a dirt bike."

• P!nk

Kelly Clarkson in "Since U Been Gone"
Photo: RCA

Valentine's Day — you either love it or hate it. It makes sweethearts swoon and others want to stab fat cherubs with a bow and arrow. Between the chocolate hearts, the red roses and the teddy bears shoved in our faces, the holiday stirs up a cocktail of emotions: happiness, despair, jealousy, grief, sadness, desire ...

MTV News has all your mood swings covered. In honor of this beloved and dreaded holiday, we're rolling out the Best Love Songs, Best Breakup Songs, Best Makeout Songs and Worst Love Songs in recent memory. It's our Valentine's Day gift to you, minus the dinner-and-a-movie part. So slip into something comfortable, and stay for a while.

Can we just be friends? After all the late-night phone calls, the love notes, the long talks, the weeks spent making promises, that's all you get. Thanks a lot!

There's no gentle way around it — breakups blow. When your heart (and ego) has been ripped to shreds, these artists offer some solace. Walk away from the Ben & Jerry's and rock out to our "screw you" breakup ballads.

10. No Doubt - "Ex-Girlfriend"
Gwen Stefani and crew visit the "woulda-shoulda-coulda" mentality that often rears its ugly head when a relationship kicks the bucket.

9. Jennifer Lopez - "Ain't It Funny"
J.Lo shows her ex the door in this 2002 anthem. Nexxxxxt!

8. The Ting Tings - "Shut Up and Let Me Go"
We couldn't have said it better than the title, which is why we heart the Ting Tings.

7. Kanye West - "Heartless"
Kanye asks the same question on all our minds: "How could you be so heartless?"

6. Carrie Underwood - "Before He Cheats"
Channel all your anger through this 2007 breakup ballad. Just don't follow Carrie's lead by keying your ex's car or slashing his or her tires. Restraining orders aren't "sexy."

5. Pink - "So What"
Think of Pink as a burly high school football coach. In this song, she lyrically smacks your ass and tells you to get back in the game.

4. Justin Timberlake - "Cry Me a River"
Long rumored to be about his famous ex Britney Spears, Justin doesn't mince words: He's pissed and he wants revenge. And after her last few turbulent years, something tells us Brit did a lot of crying.

3. Destiny's Child - "Survivor"
Gather your strength and move on with the help of Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. You will get through this.

2. Alanis Morissette - "You Oughta Know"
Have they already forgotten about you and moved on? Alanis leaves a nasty reminder note in this ultimate breakup song.

1. Kelly Clarkson - "Since U Been Gone"
This "American Idol" alum tells her ex to suck it! If this 2004 single doesn't bring a smile to your face, nothing will.

Do you love it or are you just not that into our picks? Tell us why in the comment section below.

Now that you have the tracks to set the mood, you should gauge your plans with what the celebs are doing. No date? Don't forget that there are single, hot guys that you might have a chance with. Happy Valentine's Day!

• Valentine's Day: Best Breakup Songs

• No Doubt
• Kanye West
• Carrie Underwood
• Destiny's Child
• Kelly Clarkson

Britney Spears in "Womanizer"
Photo: Jive Records

OK, so I've heard your shouting and read your missives. You want — nay, demand — that Britney Spears and Danity Kane end up on some sort of year-end list (you also want me fired, it would appear). Well, it looks like you might be in luck ... about the list, not the firing, sadly.

Because while no amount of nasty comments is going to get me to budge when it comes to my list of the Best Songs of 2008, the brain trust here at MTV News has figured out a way to appease you — all of you.

See, while my list of songs was, well, mine (novel concept for a column, I know), it wasn't exactly representative of — how do I put this? — reality. Sure, things like "radio play" and "video streams" were taken into consideration, but they were weighed against things like "is this song terrible?" or "can I live with myself if I include 'Womanizer' on my list?" So, we've dug deep in our techno-vaults and come up with a list of songs that is 100 percent based on reality. Actually, it's based entirely on you.

We've compiled the Top 25 Music Videos of 2008, as determined by streams on MTV.com (as of December 12). No opinions, no rock criticisms, no bands you've never heard of (God forbid!). Just pure numbers -- eDemocacy in action, as it were -- because each click, in a sense, was a vote. And so, without further ado, here's your list of the best videos of the year. Looks like we've got two songs in common ... there's no accounting for taste, I guess.

25. Pink - "So What"
24. Danity Kane - "Bad Girl"
23. Madonna - "Four Minutes"
22. Rihanna - "Don't Stop the Music"
21. Tokio Hotel - "Ready, Set, Go!"
20. Beyoncé - "If I Were a Boy"
19. Rihanna - "Disturbia"
18. Paramore - "Decode"
17. Katy Perry - "I Kissed a Girl"
16. Rihanna - "Take a Bow"
15. Pussycat Dolls - "When I Grow Up"
14. Usher - "Love in This Club"
13. Beyoncé - "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)"
12. Jonas Brothers - "When You Look Me in the Eyes"
11. Chris Brown - "With You"
10. Leona Lewis - "Bleeding Love"
9. Jonas Brothers - "Burnin Up"
8. Flo Rida - "Low"
7. Mariah Carey - "Touch My Body"
6. Britney Spears - "Piece of Me"
5. Danity Kane - "Damaged"
4. Chris Brown - "Forever"
3. Jordin Sparks (featuring Chris Brown) - "No Air"
2. Lil Wayne - "Lollipop"
1. Britney Spears - "Womanizer"

What are your favorite songs of 2008? Let us know below! We just might use your list in forthcoming news pieces!

[This story was originally published at 1:57 pm E.T. on 12.12.08]

• Top 25 Music Videos Of 2008 — Picked By You!

• Britney Spears
• Beyoncé
• P!nk
• Jordin Sparks
• Mariah Carey

"Twilight" Soundtrack
Photo: Atlantic

After two weeks at #1, AC/DC's Black Ice — which has already broken the 1 million-sold barrier — has been bitten by the "Twilight" phenomenon.

The vampire flick opens next Friday, but before hitting the local cineplex, fans of the much-anticipated adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's novel hit their local record stores to pick up a copy of the movie's soundtrack, which features tracks by Muse, Perry Farrell, Paramore and Linkin Park.

The "Twilight" soundtrack debuts at #1 on next week's Billboard albums sales chart, having sold about 164,700 copies in its first week on store shelves. It becomes the year's third soundtrack to top the chart, following this summer's "Mamma Mia" soundtrack and the "Juno" set, which was released in 2007, but climbed to #1 in January. According to the latest sales totals compiled by Nielsen SoundScan, AC/DC's latest falls one spot to #2, with 159,500 week-three scans reported.

"Twilight" was among 17 new releases impacting next week's chart, and one of four to enter in the top 10. Following the soundtrack to "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," which holds at #3 with just under 110,000 sold, Hinder's Take It to the Limit bows at #4, after selling 81,400 units. Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli's Incanto opens at #8 with 62,200 copies scanned, and country star Brad Paisley's Play debuts at #9 with 53,700 sold.

Meanwhile, Pink's Funhouse drops three spots to #5, with 72,900 scans, while John Legend's Evolver falls two positions to #6, selling another 72,000 copies. T.I.'s Paper Trail holds for a second week at #7, thanks to almost 68,800 scans. Rascal Flatts' Greatest Hits, Volume 1 rounds things out at #10, with 39,100 sold.

A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip enters the chart at #11, after selling 34,200-plus copies of his latest, Renaissance, while Sarah Brightman's Winter Symphony debuts at #38, with 13,500 sold. Shiny Toy Guns' Season of Poison follows at #47, with sales reported at 12,200, and rapper UNK's Second Season makes its debut at #104, with 5,200 copies sold. Travis' Ode to J. Smith follows at #122, with week-one sales reported at about 4,600, while Switchfoot's The Best Yet trails at #123, with 4,500 sold.

• AC/DC
• Paramore
• Perry Farrell
• Travis
• Switchfoot

Chris Brown and Rihanna at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

Even with all the different stages and performances at Sunday night's VMAs, a lot of excitement happened that didn't make it into the main show! Check out some of the highlights that our eagle-eyed reporters picked up behind the scenes, as they happened ...

From the red carpet ...

7:16 p.m. ET — Heavy D walks up. No car — just calmly strolling and talking on his BlackBerry. Soon the roar of the motorcycles traveling with Young Jeezy can be heard: They're nowhere in sight, though, they just have very loud pipes.

7:18 p.m. ET — Sean Garrett just told us he's working with Beyoncé. He said it was supposed to be a secret, but now the secret is out.

7:23 p.m. ET — The Cab frontman Alex DeLeon appears super blown away by the star power of preshow co-host Taylor Swift. "We were behind her and all the photographers were like 'AAAAH!' " he laughed. "And then when we rolled up, they were like 'Eh.' " No matter, though. "Last year we just hung out in Fall Out Boy's suite. This year we get to see Kanye perform. Plus, no one knows who we are, so I can get drunk!"

7:25 p.m. ET — A dapper Donnie Klang and two bodyguards stop for a minute to enjoy the view of Lauren Conrad while she does an on-air hit with MTV News' Tim Kash. Audrina Patridge walks by, and I swear she was talking to her publicist about a hot dog stand. Seriously!

7:27 p.m. ET — All you hear in the parking lot leading up the entrance of the red carpet is "My president's black/ My Lambo's blue/ I'll be g--damn if my rims ain't too." Young Jeezy is sitting on the back of his all-black old-school convertible. Meanwhile, he's accompanied by what looks to be a couple dozen guys on choppers. If Jeezy were to ever hold office, chances are the Secret Service and the police wouldn't be guarding him. Meanwhile Lupe Fiasco shows up in a fly jockey outfit. He fixes his shirt right before stepping on the carpet.

7:42 p.m. ET — Pink blew by on a golf cart in a black-and-red-striped dress and hair out to there, like a modified version of Tokio Hotel's Bill Kaulitz, which will probably only make Bill happier if he meets her — she's the one star he told me he can't wait to meet today.

7:47 p.m. ET — Speidi spotting! Spencer actually looked quite polished in pinstripes. He had a happy-looking Heidi at his side in a '70s-era off-the-shoulder glittery black minidress and studded black boots. (Head here for a full report on VMA fashion!) The power couple already gets my vote for glammest couple of the night. Ooh, here comes Pete Wentz, who just gave them both a hug, and Spencer fixed Pete's Amish-guy tie. It's like an MTV family reunion!

7:49 p.m. ET — T.I. Is walking up to the carpet. It's just Tip, his lady Tiny, a female friend and Tip's publicist. On the way to the carpet, Travis Barker walks up and they all shake hands and hug. Paul Wall walks up a few minutes later and joins them.

7:56 p.m. ET — Rihanna boards a golf cart headed for the main show, and as she's leaving, she pokes fun at her assistant's particularly flamboyant porkpie hat. "Oh my God, are you a Jonas?" she laughs. The Plain White T's hang around by the security checkpoint, apparently waiting for their tickets. "We got here really early this time, 'cause last year we almost missed the opening of the show," frontman Tom Higgenson says. Minutes later, they receive the coveted tix and head inside.

8:07 p.m. ET — Tom Kaulitz claps his hands to the beat as Tokio Hotel stand up in the back of their monster truck. The truck is in position as the driver waits his cue. As they approach the carpet entrance, the only thing louder than the roar of their truck is the rock music blasting out of the speakers.

8:12 p.m. ET — T-Pain, looking very much like a gilded ringmaster, describes his red-carpet entrance (atop an elephant, FYI) to a member of his posse: "It's very hot, and my b---s hurt." Good to know! (Check out a full report on VMA artist arrivals right here.)

8:34 p.m. ET — Corbin Bleu — in a sleek, dangerous-looking motorcycle jacket and hair that'd make the gods envious — stopped for a backstage photo as Lauren Conrad teetered by (avoiding a scary-looking grate) holding a glass of champagne, Busta Rhymes rolled by wearing a diamond watch bigger than my face, and Ne-Yo played the part of the gentleman, slinging his jacket over his shoulder. Oh, and he was wearing a hat, obvs. Ooh, and Nicky Hilton looks the chicest — and richest — I've ever seen her!!

8:48 p.m. ET — "Twilight" stars Kristen Stewart in a gorgeous Phillip Lim dress and Robert Pattinson just stopped for a snap (looking like a real-life couple) with T-Pain right behind them.

8:50 p.m. ET — Michael Phelps will have to wait just a little longer to meet one of his favorite rappers, Lil Wayne. Phelps is getting interviewed with Kid Rock — and who pulls up in a golf cart right behind them? Weezy. Phelps had no idea, and before Wayne could say hi, the rapper was directed to another part of the carpet. The Olympic gold medal winner did get a chance to chop it up with Kid for a few minutes. "Congratulations," Kid said. "Thanks, man," Phelps replied. "What are you up to?" "Trying to ride the wave like you," Kid answered with a grin. Ciara pulled up while they chatted.

8:51 p.m. ET — Paramore are in a couple of Smart Cars, one red and one blue. Chivalry is dead, though: As the guys pop out, who comes up out the trunk? The only female, Hayley.

8:59 p.m. ET — We have Jonas! In the golf cart! And I'm fangirling out because Kevin yelled out to me, "How you doin'?" My heart just grew another heart, and that heart is making the little Jonas heart sign with its little heart hands!!!

The show begins ...

9:04 p.m. ET — Britney!!! She's back!

9:11 p.m. ET — One of T-Pain's clowns is mesmerized as he watches Rihanna perform "Disturbia" with her own clan of face-painted misfits. He looks like he belongs onstage with them.

9:21 p.m. ET — Miley Cyrus is standing like four inches from me. Her dress says "next Madonna" to me (but not the rapping version). And Lindsay Lohan is a fox on heels, but you knew that. Also, I'd punch my own mother for the tartan dress Vanessa Simmons is wearing. Oh, Katy Perry just walked by — I'd kick my cat for her shoes. Ooh, Kid Rock just walked by and refused some random guy's photo. DENIED!!!

9:33 p.m. ET — OMG. Lindsay Lohan just sprinted by in her next look: a modified tux vest held together in the back by like something no more substantial than a human hair!

9:55 p.m. ET — Uh-oh: The venue is packed to capacity and the fire marshal ain't lettin' no one back in. Which means I'm watching Vanessa Hudgens' handlers work their handling magic on the security guys at the side door. Same thing Paramore's people just had to do. (I'll bet Jim Cantiello doesn't have to deal with this!) Ooh, Pussycat Dolls and Keri Hilson are all exchanging pleasantries!

9:59 p.m. ET — T.I.'s team loves Katy Perry. For the past 10 minutes, they've been singing "I Kissed a Girl" to each other. Clay especially — when he sees me, he grabs me and serenades me a little with the song, and then adds, "I want to kiss a girl!" Females backstage, you've been warned ...

10:04 p.m. ET — Katy Perry got teased by security as she tried to make her way backstage. "No beer on the premises," a guard joked, pretending to block her. Katy's response? She hoisted the bottle above her head — as if to toast him — and strolled on through, laughing.

10:06 p.m. ET — Did Lil Wayne have a wardrobe malfunction? His team is all atwitter that he had his shirt off and was showing off his tattoos — that was most definitely not according to plan. They just managed to get a plain white T on him before he made his entrance to Stage 16.

10:16 p.m. ET — On the hunt for a bathroom, Seth Green found Slash instead, by talent check-in. "Slash doesn't want to go in right now," his rep said while the hug-fest ensued.

10:21 p.m. ET — Seth Green and LL Cool J's bro hug was one of the funniest moments I'd seen — until I just almost walked directly into Slash's wife's ginormous rack. Slash, his wife and a few of Slash's other friends are singing happy birthday to someone ...

10:23 p.m. ET — Slash is hungry. He wants to go to Lucy's, but his wife, Perla, wants Nobu. But so many people keep coming to hug him, he can't leave. "I just want to get out of here!" he yells to Perla as she walks away to find a bathroom.

10:27 p.m. ET — Britney is back ... at Studio 16. While most people walk or ride in a golf cart, Britney had a tram. But seconds after Britney walked through the side door, Christina Aguilera — in a cart — pulled up and followed her through.

10:28 p.m. ET — In the talent holding area, all eyes are glued to the big show, playing on a nearby flatscreen. Awhile back, Paramore's Farro brothers watched the Jonas Brothers' performance intently, heads in hands, like a couple of awestruck toddlers. Across the room, Kid Rock's drummer, Stefanie Eulinberg, was watching too, though she wasn't exactly awestruck by what she saw. "They look like [preschoolers' favorites] the Wiggles," she laughed to no one in particular, before leaning way back in her chair. Things aren't nearly as laid-back in Studio 16, where the main show rolls on. As a tech crew hustled in Paramore's "Whisky a Go Go" set, Pete Wentz was nearly crushed, forced to take cover behind a velvet curtain. "I have no idea what's happening right now," he said, eyes wide. "You can be killed at any minute if you're not careful."

10:33 p.m. ET — Looks like Slipknot might be leaving. "Especially with the masks, no one expects you to sit there for five hours," a rep tells injured bandmember Joey Jordison (whose broken ankle recently caused the band to postpone tour dates), who walks with the aid of two canes. Meanwhile, McLovin is getting some loving from Slipknot. "You've got to come to a show, man," they tell him.

10:40 p.m. ET — Looks like Nicky Hilton is getting some loving — a guy she's with is trying to kiss her, but taking a cue from her sister Paris, she looks bored.

10:45 p.m. ET — Christina has left the building! She runs out of the stage door as her dancers clap for her. "We nailed it!" one of them cheers as they pile into a golf cart. "Whoo-hoo!" Christina yelps as they drive away with everyone on the backlot applauding her.

10:52 p.m. ET — Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens were all smiles and holding hands as they walked out of the stage door — but when they got away from the crowd, the hands were dropped and their faces went cold. Looking much happier were Travis McCoy and Katy Perry, who walked out a moment later — despite no hand holding.

10:57 p.m. ET — An emotional Tokio Hotel are hugging their staff so hard that someone might break a bone. Achtung!!!

10:59 p.m. ET — Robert Pattinson from "Twilight" is lost, and who can blame him? This Paramount lot is confusing. Meanwhile, Paris Hilton is walking away when a random bystander wants to take a picture with her. She poses and tells the fan, "Have fun!"

11:01 p.m. ET — Apl from the Black Eyed Peas nearly ran me over in his golf cart. My fault, really. "Beep beep!" he jokes as he pulls away.

11:08 p.m. ET — After his performance, Kid Rock walks out and says, "I feel like an old man. I've been doing this for 10, 15 years." The ability to remember exact dates is the first thing to go, Kid ...

11:15 p.m. ET — Paris Hilton is the rare multitasker who can type on a BlackBerry and smoke a cigarette at the same time.

11:19 p.m. ET — When "Piece of Me" won Video of the Year, director Wayne Isham and his crew went bananas — screaming, hugging and snapping photos.

And after the show ...

11:20 p.m. ET — Rihanna and Chris Brown are going their separate ways — but only for 10 minutes. "You go do your thing, and you meet me right here," she tells him.

11:23 p.m. ET — Tokio Hotel and the Pussycat Dolls just hugged it out. Bill gave Nicole Scherzinger the two-cheek kiss and then went off to find a drink. Meanwhile, Angela and Vanessa Simmons sought out a bathroom, and T.I. tried to find a polite way to turn away an annoying reporter who was trying to hop aboard his golf cart.

11:25 p.m. ET — Chris Brown went to the spot where he was supposed to meet Rihanna ... and found Jamie Foxx instead. And a minute after that, McLovin (a.k.a. Christopher Mintz-Plasse). "Good to meet you," the "Superbad" actor told him.

11:28 p.m. ET — The Pussycat Dolls almost lost a member as they got into their tram. "Please don't leave without me!" Nicole Scherzinger cried while holding the train of her dress up to run to them.

The night didn't stop there! Check back later for a full report on the post-VMA parties and action!

It's a wrap! Now that the 2008 VMAs have come and gone, check out all the winners, the most surprising moments, the best red-carpet fashions and more at VMA.MTV.com.

• Behind The Scenes At The VMAs
• VMA Diaries: Taylor Swift, T.I. & Katy Perry
• 2008 VMAs In 60 Seconds
• VMA 2008: Backstage Moments

• The 2008 VMAs' Biggest Arrivals
• VMA 2008: Full Fashion Recap
• VMA 2008: Backstage Moments
• Citizen Paparazzi On The VMA Red Carpet

• Rihanna
• Chris Brown
• Jonas Brothers
• Katy Perry
• Miley Cyrus

Britney Spears shows off her Moonmen
Photo: Stephen Granitz/ WireImage

Britney won her first (and second, and third) Moonman, the Jonas Brothers flooded the fake streets of New York with screaming fans, Pink tossed a dude down a flight of steps, Weezy nearly lost his pants and host Russell Brand told a bunch of jokes you're probably still trying to untangle, which, we can assure you, were very, very, very dirty. It was a historic night for rehabbing pop star Britney Spears, who not only picked up the first VMA of her career, but capped her hat trick with the ultimate prize: Video of the Year.

The 25th annual MTV Video Music Awards were full of those kinds of firsts, but perhaps the one people were looking forward to the most was the first VMA appearance by Spears since last year's notorious onstage debacle. And, to the delight of her fans, Spears knocked it out of the park, opening the show by repeatedly turning down some not-so-slick advances from "Superbad" funnyman Jonah Hill. Showing off some of her "How I Met Your Mother" comedy chops, Spears then shimmied to the stage, looking amazing in a silver, shimmering flapper dress, and welcomed the crowd to the show.

Wearing his signature skintight trousers, black jacket, assorted shiny baubles and a bemused look, Brand introduced the show by ticking off a list of the night's guests, which he said included some of the "world's most famous stars ... and me." Assuring the audience that he's famous in his native England, Brand gave proof by saying that without that fame, his electric-shock haircut "could be mistaken for mental illness."

A quick rundown of the not-even-close-to-appropriate-for-prime-time references Brand made over the course of the night: something about Madonna, Alex Rodriguez and baseball equipment; a bit about how his nether regions are well-lubricated by cherry ChapStick; a pledge to masturbate more that was inspired by Lil Wayne, who he appeared to invite to join him in the bathroom, or not; a cringe-worthy R. Kelly reference; and a string of jokes at the expense of the chaste Jonas Brothers, including some very unclean references to their purity rings.

It wasn't all randy English jokes, though. There were plenty of musical highlights as well.

Rihanna opened the show with a spooky take on "Disturbia," preceded by a procession of zombies as she was rolled onto the stage in what looked like a giant metallic wedding cake, wearing a black bustier and looking like a robot from the postapocalyptic future. A short time later, T.I. returned to the VMA stage to perform "Whatever You Like." Escorting a fine young lady in a hot-pink dress, the dapper rapper walked his friend across the Paramount backlot, taking her to a fur shop, a club and in a ride in his Phantom, all the while explaining the lengths of his largesse, which included, in order, stacks of cash, Patrón on ice, popped bottles and a private jet.

There were also some awards handed out. Picking up her first Moonman, for Best Female Video — which she won over another VMA lady-in-waiting, Mariah Carey — Britney called the moment "an honor" and thanked God, her fans, her family and her "beautiful boys." She repeated those thanks later in the show, when she took the Best Pop Video, also for "Piece of Me," professing to be "speechless" but saying, "This means a lot. Thank you."

But by the end of the night, when a truly surprised-looking Brit picked up Video of the Year, also for "Piece of Me," she professed to be "in shock right now." Saying she wasn't expecting the award, Spears again thanked her family, adding, "I just want to dedicate this to all my amazing fans out there for all of your support."

(Head here for a look back at Britney's greatest VMA moments from years past.)

In a battle of hip-hop and R&B stars, the Best Male Video crown went to Chris Brown for "With You," beating out strong competition from T.I., Flo Rida, Usher and Lil Wayne. "Personally I didn't think I deserved this award. I thought Weezy was going to get it," said a humbled Brown.

But you knew you couldn't hold Weezy down for long, as he was onstage a short time later to accept the Best Hip-Hop Video award for "Lollipop." The always humble rapper had only three people he wanted to thank: "God, my family and y'all."

Owning up to the biggest performance of his career so far, Weezy hit it running, commanding the stage shirtless and with his white pants sagging, performing a medley of hits from his smash Tha Carter III album, including "Don't Get It" with Leona Lewis, a bit of "A Milli" and, joined by T-Pain — sporting at least his third different bedazzled top hat of the night — bouncing and stomping through "Got Money."

Though they went home empty-handed, losing out to Linkin Park's "Shadow of the Day" for the Best Rock Video crown, Paramore rocked the stage of Los Angeles' Whisky a Go Go with a bloody-knuckles version of their hit "Misery Business" — though, as it turns out, Brand was a bit confused, as the band was actually in the house in front of the VMA crowd.

Maybe Germany's Tokio Hotel were just being modest when they claimed they thought there was no way they were going to win the Best New Artist award — because, as it turns out, they did. "I can't describe it in any words what we're feeling right now," said singer Bill Kaulitz. But, instead of thanking their record company or managers, TH kept it real by thanking their fans all over the world.

Just days after the Republican National Convention wrapped up, Brand decided to get a bit political, pleading with the crowd to elect Senator Barack Obama president and alluding that in England, President Bush might not be allowed to handle scissors, let alone be put in charge of the world's biggest superpowers. He also referred to Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin as a VILF: a "vice president I'd like to ... fondle."

Kid Rock, who threw down with Tommy Lee at last year's VMAs, kept it simple and roundhouse-free this year, sauntering out in a black bucket hat and white pinstriped black sweat suit and bringing some Southern boogie rock-and-soul to the proceedings with his summertime hit "All Summer Long." As promised, the mellow tune featured a blazing freestyle breakdown from Weezy, who had changed into red jeans, a plaid vest and a white tee for the occasion.

Cranking the fashion up a notch or 10 was Christina Aguilera, who was poured into a second-skin leather catsuit accessorized with silver armbands, a black-leather cat mask, black gauzy cape and platinum-blond hair. Standing in a tower of neon-lit boxes, Christina gave a taste of the future-shock version of her first hit, "Genie in a Bottle," before slinking over to a glowing set to perform her new Goldfrapp-like techno dance tune "Keep Getting' Better."

Not to be outdone, Pink's run through her new single, "So What," was all platinum-blond hair and balls of fire. Starting out on a tenement stoop and wearing an electric-blue trench coat, the singer slid down a white rope to the ground and proceeded to wreck the set — literally. In order, she: smashed a mirror, tossed a guy down some subway steps, smashed a window and made a building blow up, caused oil drums to explode as she walked down the street with her girls, and capped it off by stripping down into a barely there black leotard cut down to ... there.

And while the Jonas Brothers marked their first VMA performance by keeping their clothes on, they got things equally sweaty. Performing on a New York City set on the backlot of the Paramount studios, they started off plucking away at their new ballad, "Lovebug," on a set of brownstone steps. Halfway in, the steps gave way to a stage as hundreds of screaming girls surrounded them and hung from fake windows as the song exploded into a power-pop rocker.

Among the other awards handed out over the course of the evening was Best Dancing in a Video to the Pussycat Dolls for "When I Grow Up."

Though he vowed to never return to the VMAs last year, Kanye West broke that promise in dramatic fashion to end Sunday's show, debuting a new song, "Love Lockdown," which showed off his considerable singing chops and a new, next-level sound.

Taking the stage alone in a gray suit accented by a glowing red heart, 'Ye sang the spare, rock-tinged tune — which featured an insistent piano riff and thundering Taiko-style Japanese drum breaks from a mysterious group of masked drummers behind a screen — while holding on to the microphone stand like a 1950s crooner. Swaying side to side, he sang the pleading lyrics "Keep your love locked down/ So keep your love locked down," ending the performance under a shower of sparks as he stared out into the crowd as if to say, "Now what?"

As stunning as the new 'Ye tune was, in the end, it was Britney's night. What a difference a year makes.

(We've got everything you didn't see in the big show, plus all the VMA afterparty action!)

It's a wrap! Now that the 2008 VMAs have come and gone, check out all the winners, the most surprising moments, the best red-carpet fashions and more at VMA.MTV.com.

• VMA 2008: The Genius Of Russell Brand
• VMA 2008: Most Talked-About Moments
• VMA Diaries: Taylor Swift, T.I. & Katy Perry
• VMA 2008: The Performances
• 2008 VMAs In 60 Seconds

• VMA 2008: Show Highlights
• VMA 2008: Behind The Scenes

• Britney Spears
• Christina Aguilera
• Rihanna
• Lil Wayne
• Kanye West

Pink Brings The Funhouse To Madison Square Garden

• P!nk
• Pink

Pink Soars Through The Funhouse In Seattle

• P!nk
• Pink

2009 VMA Nominees

• Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Green Day
• Kings Of Leon
• Paramore
• Fall Out Boy

2009 VMA Performers And Presenters Announced

• Jay-Z
• Muse
• Lady Gaga
• Green Day
• Taylor Swift

Pink: Live In Scotland

• P!nk

Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, More On The 2008 American Music Awards Red Carpet

• Miley Cyrus
• Jonas Brothers
• Ashley Tisdale
• Akon
• Christina Aguilera

EMA 2008: Red Carpet Recap

• Beyoncé
• Leona Lewis
• Tokio Hotel
• P!nk
• Katy Perry

EMA 2008: Show Highlights

• Kanye West
• Kid Rock
• Beyoncé
• P!nk
• Katy Perry

EMA 2008: Performers

• Duffy
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• Kid Rock
• The Killers

Stars Collide At The 2008 VMA Weekend Parties

• Colby O'Donis
• Korn
• Game
• Calle 13
• Paris Hilton