VMAs 2022: all the best reactions and memes

On Sunday (28 August) when most of us over here in the UK were preparing for Notting Hill Carnival day two or soaking in the bank holiday by spending an evening down the pub, the stateside pop elite descended upon Newark’s Prudential Center for quite possibly the most exciting thing to ever happen in New Jersey. By now, you’ll probably know what we’re referring to: the 2022 VMAs.

The red carpet arrivals saw show-stopping looks from Lil Nas X, who wore a Harris Reed hoop skirt and headpiece suspiciously similar to what Iman wore to the Met Gala, and Lizzo, who stepped out in a Jean Paul Gaultier x Glenn Martens couture gown that has the biggest skirt we’ve ever seen in our lives. But the biggest talking point was probably an unexpected new couple reveal: specifically, Addison Rae’s mother Sheri Easterling is now in a relationship with SoundCloud rapper Yung Gravy (who referred to her as a “MILF”). Didn’t see that one coming, but okay.

When the ceremony finally got underway, it kicked off with Jack Harlow dressed as a flight attendant to perform a rendition of “First Class” in a fake plane filled with familiar faces like Lil Nas X, Chloe Bailey and Saucy Santana. As if that wasn’t already too on the nose, he then proceeded to rip off his costume, Super Man-style, and bring Fergie onstage to chime in with some verses of her noughties anthem “Glamorous” (which Harlow’s track samples). Other artists who took to the main stage to perform included Lizzo, Blackpink, Bad Bunny (who kissed two of his back-up dancers, recalling that Madonna x Xtina x Britney moment) and Nicki Minaj, who gave crowds an iconic medley of some of her biggest hits.

One of the biggest takeaways of the night came from Taylor Swift who, as well as wearing a mesmerising Oscar de la Renta mini dress, announced she would be releasing her tenth album, Midnights, on October 21, 2022 (which also happens to be Kim Kardashian’s birthday).

While we sadly weren’t at the awards ourselves, we were able to live vicariously through the memes and reactions which dropped throughout the night — check out our roundups from the evening below…