The statues given to winners of the award are often called "Moon Men" because the statue is of a man on the moon, one of the earliest representations of MTV.

The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on MTV.

Award Categories

• Best Video of the Year
• Best Male Video
• Best Female Video
• Best Group Video
• Best Rap Video
• Best R&B Video
• Best Hip Hop Video
• Best Dance Video
• Best Rock Video
• Best Pop Video
• Best Video from a Film
• Best New Artist
• Best Direction
• Best Choreography
• Best Special Effects
• Best Art Direction
• Best Editing
• Best Cinematography
• MTV2 Award
• Breakthrough Video
• Viewer's Choice

• Best Concept Video
• Best Stage Performance
• Best Overall Performance
• Best Post-Modern Video
• Best Long Form Video
• Most Experimental Video
• Best Alternative Video