From its very first ceremony in 1984, the MTV Video Music Awards became known for outrageous moments. Madonna's performance of "Like a Virgin" featured the singer unexpectedly rolling around on the floor in a wedding dress. This moment that set the tone of the show from that point forward.
The VMAs went on to become the biggest night in pop culture. Celebrities from all corners of the entertainment industry came to have fun. Many of the appearances were talked about the following day. You could always count on something unexpected to happen at the VMAs.
Here are eight stars who made surprise appearances at the MTV Video Music Awards.
8 Whitney Houston
The 2000 MTV Video Music Awards were a famous, if not infamous, award show. Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, and Red Hot Chili Peppers all delivered outstanding performances. Spears' performance would set the world on fire and change her image forever. However, it was when Spears and Aguilera came on stage to present that a big surprise happened. Whitney Houston graced the stage singing "I Will Always Love You" and presented Best Video of the Year to Eminem.
7 James Brown
When Jimmy Fallon hosted the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, he was known as one of the many funny cast members of Saturday Night Live. Fallon's comedic chops were well-known and admired, even back then. His hosting gig would serve as a preview of where he is now, hosting The Tonight Show. During his opening skit, Fallon not only delivered a monologue, but he performed parodies of current popular songs. To everyone's surprise, James Brown came out during Fallon's performance and busted a move. Brown then introduced Britney Spears.
6 Michael Jackson
When Britney Spears graced the stage of the 2002 VMAs, she introduced Michael Jackson, who made a surprise appearance. During her introduction, Spears referred to Jackson as the "Artist of the Millennium" and Jackson seemingly took that title literally. Jackson came on stage with a sheet of paper, naming people he wanted to thank for helping him receive the "Artist of the Millennium Award." MTV later said that it was just supposed to be a birthday cake for Jackson, since the show fell on his birthday. But some wonder why MTV would have Jackson come on stage and go up to the microphone if that's all that it was supposed to be.
5 Madonna
Madonna has actually made a few surprise appearances at the VMAs. Her first came in 1999 when she was greeted with a group of drag queens who were all dressed in her iconic looks. Madonna took a look at each performer and said, "All I have to say, is that it takes a real man to fill my shoes!" She was then joined by Paul McCartney who assisted her in presenting the award for Video of the Year.
Ten years later, Michael Jackson passed away. Jackson's sister Janet was announced as a performer in their opening tribute. But Madonna's opening speech was a complete surprise. Madonna paid tribute to Jackson, recalling their time spent together and his impact on the music world. In 2021, Madonna surprised VMA viewers again by opening the show to honor MTV's 40th anniversary.
4 Cher
When Cher released her music video for "If I Could Turn Back Time," people were shocked by her revealing outfit. The look became an infamous and iconic part of music video history. Another artist who made headlines for her outfits was Lady Gaga. The singer was on a roll in 2010, when she was nominated for multiple awards. When the night's highest honor, Video of the Year, came up, Cher came out in her outfit from "If I Could Turn Back Time." Gaga won for "Bad Romance" and used her acceptance speech to announce her album "Born This Way." Not only did Gaga give audiences a preview of the title track, but she delivered the memorable line, "I never thought I'd be asking Cher to hold my meat purse."
3 Fergie
Fergie found herself at the center of many negative headlines for her performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" in 2018. It had been many years since anyone heard from the singer. Then, in 2022, Jack Harlow helped bring Fergie back into the spotlight. Riding high off the success of Lil Nas X's smash hit "Industry Baby," Harlow announced his next album, "Come Home The Kids Miss You." The album's first single, "First Class," sampled Fergie's hit "Glamorous." When performing the track at the 2022 VMAs, Harlow surprised viewers by bringing Fergie on stage to perform a mashup of the tracks.
2 Taylor Swift
When the stars began walking the red carpet at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, the internet had a collective meltdown when Taylor Swift arrived at the red carpet. Swift's appearance was a big surprise, despite the fact that the star was nominated for several awards. During the final award of the night, Video of the Year, Swift was announced as the winner for "All Too Well: The Short Film." Joined by cinematographer Rina Yang, producer Saul Germaine, and actor Dylan O'Brien, Swift announced her "Midnights" album during her acceptance speech.
1 Johnny Depp
The defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard was a media event unlike anything the public ever saw. The entire trial was streamed online, with YouTubers and everyone else reacting to the events unfolding in real time. Having been vindicated by the trial, Depp made a surprise remote appearance at the 2022 MTV VMAs. Depp appeared via pre-filmed soundbites with his face projected onto an astronaut. The appearance featured Depp poking fun at himself and his image in the media.