The time has come once again for award show retribution to set its sights on another victim. Who will it be this time? Oscar, Emmy, Grammy. Perhaps I will pretend to have even a miniscule amount of knowledge about Broadway, and set my sights on the Tony Awards. Well no, I’m not doing that. Although, now that I ruminate over that for a moment, maybe that is not a bad idea at all. As there are a couple of terribly overrated plays out there. (Rent, I’m looking at you! You too, Hamilton.)
(That’s right, I said it. Hamilton is overrated! I didn’t think it was terrible or anything, but it’s just not that great. Once I sheepishly began saying that out loud, I couldn’t believe how many people would come up to me later and whisper that they agree, thinking they were the only ones that thought that same thing. There you go, America. I give you permission. We can all stop pretending to like Hamilton so much. Just like when the World Cup ends and we all stop pretending to care about soccer.)
But no, I’ll save Tony Award retribution for far off in the future, once I’ve exhausted most of the music and movie themed award shows. As soon as I’ve properly beaten that dead horse, then I can move on to retroactive judgment of musicals.
Who shall it be this time? I see Oscar cowering over there, afraid to take another bruising after I called it out on the Shakespeare in Love debacle during the initial Hindsight Awards. No, don’t you worry Oscar. I’m going to let you off the hook this time around. I see Emmy looking cocky over there, figuring I would leave it alone. As I essentially admitted in my previous Hindsight Awards that the Emmys do take a bit more research than I had initially planned on. Since it is a bit more time-consuming to properly analyze Emmy’s errors, I am putting off picking at Emmy’s dead carcass for another day when I have more time. But do not think too highly of yourself, Emmy. This is but a mere delay until I pore over your foibles. Your day of reckoning will come before too long.
This will once again be a music-focused Hindsight Awards. Grammy or MTV, who shall it be? Or perhaps even the American Music Awards? So many possibilities. But only one can be chosen. And that victim will be our first ever two-time recipient! The MTV Video Music Awards. The year this time will be 2001. The Video of the Year winner that year really bothered me, as it was a terrible choice. And this wrong must be righted.
Without further ado, let the snarkiness begin!
2001 MTV Video Music Awards
Thursday, September 6, 2001
Metropolitan Opera House, New York City
Video of the Year
Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa and Pink (featuring Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott) – “Lady Marmalade”
Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott – “Get Ur Freak On”
Eminem (featuring Dido) – “Stan”
Fatboy Slim – “Weapon of Choice”
Janet Jackson – “All for You”
U2 – “Beautiful Day”
Christina Aguilera and friends won this award, with this awful, awful, awful song. I can distinctly remember sitting there, watching the 2001 VMAs, awaiting the winner of the Video of the Year. Thinking to myself, “there’s multiple good videos here. Really, as long as Lady Marmalade doesn’t win. That is pretty much the only way MTV could screw this up. Eighty percent of the possibilities are worthy. One is awful. If MTV were to choose the incorrect video, this foolishness very well might burrow deep within my soul and motivate me to create Hindsight Awards 18 years in the future.”
But MTV went ahead and did it, forcing me to create the Hindsight Awards. Hey, here’s a tip for everyone, if you want to hear a non-awful version of Lady Marmalade, listen to Patty LaBelle.
As for the proper winner of this Hindsight Award, who shall it be? Janet Jackson’s All for You is a great song. It really is, I forgot how good it was. Missy Elliott is fine. Stan very well could be Eminem’s most powerful song. Beautiful Day might be the best combination of song and video in U2’s entire catalog. I love that song and video, and it is oh so close to being declared victor. But this is Video of the Year, and nothing trumps Christopher Walken dancing in the video for Fatboy Slim’s Weapon of Choice. There are not enough adjectives that exist in the English language for me to express the awesomeness that is Christopher Walken. MTV must have since realized that they know nothing about music television, because since this horribly incorrect choice they’ve essentially removed themselves from the music television business and dedicated itself to Ridiculousness. Which is good. They are better at Ridiculousness than Christina and friends are at Lady Marmalade. Christopher Walken, get up here and accept your Hindsight Award!!
Best Male Video
Moby (featuring Gwen Stefani) – “South Side”
Eminem (featuring Dido) – “Stan”
Lenny Kravitz – “Again”
Nelly – “Ride wit Me”
Robbie Williams – “Rock DJ”
I genuinely enjoy all five songs in this category. I have no major qualms with Moby’s South Side (featuring Gwen Stefani) winning for Male Video of the year. It’s a good song, and as I rewatch the video for the first time in years, it stands up well. As I mentioned in the previous category, I think Stan might be Eminem’s most powerful song. Lenny Kravitz is really good at everything he does. Nelly has a darn catchy song here with Ride Wit Me. And Robbie Williams’ Rock DJ is a good song, even if he is not as well-known in America as he is in the UK. The video though, is really good, a nice plot twist to the video. Plus the video seems to almost be an homage to the Roller Derby. (Go T-Birds!)
I was really close to simply declaring this a 5-way tie for the Hindsight Award. But after listening to all five songs, there was only one song which I immediately wanted to listen to right away once again. And that was Nelly’s Ride Wit Me. It’s simply a fun song. And the video spoofs Smokey and the Bandit! Get me a diablo sandwich and a Dr Pepper, got to love that. Congrats, Nelly. You are the Hindsight Award winner.
Best Female Video
Eve (featuring Gwen Stefani) – “Let Me Blow Ya Mind”
Dido – “Thank You”
Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott – “Get Ur Freak On”
Janet Jackson – “All for You”
Jennifer Lopez – “Love Don’t Cost a Thing”
Madonna – “Don’t Tell Me”
Eve won the original award. I love the fact that Gwen Stefani essentially won both the Female Video of the Year and the Male Video of the Year, without technically winning either award. I rather enjoy Let Me Blow Ya Mind, and similar to the previous award, I have no major qualms with it winning. Missy Elliott is fine, but I’m just not a big fan of this song. And I am not a fan at all of J.Lo.
All For You is really, really good. It’s such a happy song, which in this current modern world of negativity, genuinely is refreshing. I am a huge fan of Madonna’s Don’t Tell Me. Both the song and the video. It might be a top 3 all time Madonna song for me, which is quite a bold statement considering her catalog of music. And Dido, wow, just another really high-caliber song. The video, I never realized it back then, but it seems like the Pixar motion picture Up stole part of its storyline from Dido’s video.
After watching all five videos, I have to admit, I wanted to keep rewatching three of them again and again. Therefore, I am declaring a 3-way tie for this Hindsight Award. Sorry Eve and Gwen, this one is going to Dido, Janet, and Madonna.
Best Group Video
N Sync – “Pop”
Destiny’s Child – “Survivor”
Incubus – “Drive”
Dave Matthews Band – “I Did It”
U2 – “Elevation (Tomb Raider Mix)”
N Sync won the original award with Pop. I must admit, at the time, I was a hater. Both of N Sync and of Backstreet Boys. I looked down on them as just a couple of boy bands. But with hindsight, hopefully comes wisdom. I long ago stopped hating those bands. They made some of the most enjoyable music of the era. I turn the volume up on their music all the time these days.
Incubus’ Drive is probably my favorite song among the five in this category. If all five nominated songs were on the radio, that is one to which I would choose to listen. The video is pretty good too.
Count me as a fan of DMB, but I must admit this song/video did not ring a bell with me at all. I forgot all about it. I have to say, it’s a good song. I’m adding it to a few playlists of mine as soon as I finish writing this edition of the Hindsight Awards. Additionally, I think I might like the video more than the song itself.
U2 very well could be my favorite band of all time, but Elevation is probably only my 4th or 5th favorite song off of their album from that year.
Destiny’s Child. No thank you, I’d rather listen to En Vogue’s greatest hits.
I’m torn here. Shall I reward N Sync for their boy band achievements, even if it is not necessarily my favorite song by them. DMB? Incubus? If it were a different U2 song, maybe I would choose them. But wait, that’s it! Why the heck is Elevation nominated here instead of Beautiful Day!?!?
I’m going off the board here. The Hindsight Award goes to U2, but not for Elevation. The victory goes to Beautiful Day.
Best New Artist in a Video
Alicia Keys – “Fallin'”
Coldplay – “Yellow”
Nikka Costa – “Like a Feather”
David Gray – “Babylon”
Sum 41 – “Fat Lip”
It’s interesting to look back on a Best New Artist category. Simply because, of course, now we know the success and sustained popularity of all the acts. Alicia Keys won the original award, and it’s hard to argue with that. She certainly has had a heck of a career since then. The same can be said for Coldplay. And Coldplay has become one of my favorite bands, nearly on par with my love of U2.
At the time, I am certain that I wanted David Gray to win. It was, and probably still is, my favorite song of the five songs nominated here. I can’t say I was a huge fan of Sum 41, but I cannot deny that Fat Lip was a fun song, one that I am literally listening to as I type this. It’s damn catchy. I am singing along with it right now. I have no memory of Nikka Costa.
But this is Best New Artist, not Best Song by a New Artist. If it were Best Song by a New Artist, I would give it to David Gray. But no, this award has to come down to Coldplay or Alicia Keys.
I’m giving the Hindsight Award to Coldplay. I’m just a big fan of theirs, I can’t help it.
Best Pop Video
N Sync – “Pop”
Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa and Pink (featuring Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott) – “Lady Marmalade”
Backstreet Boys – “The Call”
Destiny’s Child – “Survivor”
Britney Spears – “Stronger”
N Sync won the original, and I completely agree that they deserve the victory. Lady Marmalade is horrible. The Call is not Backstreet’s best by any means. I’m not a big fan of Destiny’s Child or Britney.
N Sync retains the Hindsight Award.
Best Rock Video
Limp Bizkit – “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)”
Aerosmith – “Jaded”
Linkin Park – “Crawling”
Staind – “It’s Been Awhile”
Weezer – “Hash Pipe”
Limp Bizkit won the original award. In a way, I cannot blame MTV for making that selection. When I think of MTV during that era, in a lot of ways I think of Limp Bizkit appearing on TRL with Carson Daly. It is a microcosm of that moment in time. But I just don’t care for the song. Sorry Fred, you’re not winning the Hindsight Award.
Jaded might be Aerosmith’s last great song. I really like it. Staind has a great song too. Weezer’s Hash Pipe is one of my absolute faves by them. And I am a HUGE fan of Linkin Park’s Crawling.
All the non-Limp Bizkit videos here have a genuine chance at taking home the Hindsight Award. For me, since these are video awards, it’s going to have to come down to that, the visual. Which video do I like the best? After rewatching them all, I have to say, I think Aerosmith’s Jaded is the best at incorporating the visual medium.
Steven Tyler and friends, get up here and enjoy your one last shot at relevance. You win the Hindsight Award!
Best Rap Video
Nelly – “Ride wit Me”
Eminem (featuring Dido) – “Stan”
Ja Rule (featuring Lil’ Mo and Vita) – “Put It on Me”
Jay-Z – “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)”
Snoop Dogg (featuring Master P, Nate Dogg, Butch Cassidy and Tha Eastsidaz) – “Lay Low”
Nelly won the original award. However, I am shamelessly going to give this award to Eminem because I really like Stan, and I feel that it deserves at least one award. Ride Wit Me already received enough kudos earlier in these Hindsight Awards. Thus Eminem will receive the Best Rap Video Hindsight Award in order to properly ration out kudos to all deserving videos. Attaboy Marshall, please accept these kudos!
Best Dance Video
N Sync – “Pop”
Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa and Pink (featuring Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott) – “Lady Marmalade”
Fatboy Slim – “Weapon of Choice”
Janet Jackson – “All for You”
Jennifer Lopez – “Love Don’t Cost a Thing”
All For You is a great song and video. Pop is catchy, and the original winner in this category. There are other nominees in the category, but frankly I grow weary of discussing Lady Marmalade or J.Lo, since they are awful.
This comes down to one thing. All videos that have Christopher Walken dancing in them, raise your hand. All the rest, get the bleep out of here. You are not, and never will be, as cool as Christopher Walken. It’s almost shameful that you are being mentioned in the same breath as the guy that (spoiler alert) hid a gold watch up his ass in Pulp Fiction. This is your Hindsight Award winner!!! It’s not even a debate. Fatboy Slim’s Weapon Of Choice. It should have been the only nominee in this category.
Here’s a few in a row that MTV got right. Let’s see if we can spot a trend.
Breakthrough Video
Fatboy Slim – “Weapon of Choice”
Common (featuring Macy Gray) – “Geto Heaven (remix)”
Gorillaz – “Clint Eastwood”
‘N Sync – “Pop”
R.E.M. – “Imitation of Life”
Robbie Williams – “Rock DJ”
Weapon of Choice wins, and will retain its victory.
Best Direction in a Video
Fatboy Slim – “Weapon of Choice” (Director: Spike Jonze)
Eminem (featuring Dido) – “Stan” (Directors: Dr. Dre and Phillip Atwell)
Linkin Park – “Crawling” (Directors: Brothers Strause)
OutKast – “Ms. Jackson” (Director: F. Gary Gray)
R.E.M. – “Imitation of Life” (Director: Garth Jennings)
Weapon of Choice!
Best Art Direction in a Video
Fatboy Slim – “Weapon of Choice” (Choreographers: Michael Rooney, Spike Jonze and Christopher Walken)
Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa and Pink (featuring Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott) – “Lady Marmalade” (Choreographer: Tina Landon)
Janet Jackson – “All for You” (Choreographers: Shawnette Heard, Marty Kudelka and Roger Lee)
Madonna – “Don’t Tell Me” (Choreographer: Jamie King)
I see you, Christopher Walken.
Best Editing in a Video
Fatboy Slim – “Weapon of Choice” (Editor: Eric Zumbrunnen)
Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott – “Get Ur Freak On” (Editor: Scott Richter)
‘N Sync – “Pop” (Editor: Chrome)
U2 – “Elevation (Tomb Raider Mix)” (Editor: Joseph Kahn)
Walken, for the win!
Best Cinematography in a Video
Fatboy Slim – “Weapon of Choice” (Director of Photography: Lance Acord)
Aerosmith – “Jaded” (Director of Photography: Thomas Kloss)
Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott – “Get Ur Freak On” (Director of Photography: James Hawkinson)
Eminem (featuring Dido) – “Stan” (Director of Photography: Dariusz Wolski)
Knock knock
Who’s there?
Christopher Walken
Last but not least, is the Viewer’s Choice Award, in which I will ask the three people who happen to be sitting nearby me right now which their favorite song is among the nominees.
Viewer’s Choice
N Sync – “Pop”
Backstreet Boys – “The Call”
Destiny’s Child – “Independent Women Part I”
Eve (featuring Gwen Stefani) – “Let Me Blow Ya Mind”
Limp Bizkit – “My Way”
Nelly – “Ride wit Me”
N Sync won the original award, but the Hindsight Award, by a landslide vote of 3-0, goes to Nelly’s Ride Wit Me!
Thanks for joining me once again for another edition of Hindsight Awards. It has been my honor and privilege to correct the mistakes of history. As soon as history stops making mistakes, I’ll stop making Hindsight Awards!
– MTR
You can follow MTR on Twitter and let him know what you think.