It’s was a decade since the birth of the MTV VMAs it called for a celebration, So MTV roped in Christian Slater as the host and the VMAs were back at the Universal Amphitheatre. Pearl Jam stole the limelight at the show, with their 1992 released song Jeremy reaping four shiny Moonmen including Video of the Year and Best Metal/Hard Rock Video(The band went on a hiatus from making videos soon after this one, explaining- people should come see them live instead of watching them on TV.) Aerosmith walked away with the Viewer’s Choice award for Livin’ on the Edge and Stone Temple Pilots took home the Moonman for Best New Artist for their song Plush.MTV’s odd pair of presenters, RuPaul(a drag queen) and Milton Berle (Actor and comedian) had an uncomfortable moment when Berle groped Ru’s breast for a laugh and an annoyed RuPaul passed the infamous line "So you used to wear gowns, but now you're wearing diapers." A few wrinkled brows on that but the show went on.
The night’s performers included Sting, Spin Doctors, Janet Jackson and R.E.M. Neil Young joined Pearl Jam for a rendition of Keep On Rockin' In The Free World and Madonna belted out Bye Bye Baby for the opening of the show. Big Snoop Dogg appeared on the show even though he was wanted for interrogation in drive-by murder case (he was later acquitted). The show had its moments and MTV kept the groove going for the tenth year in a row.
List of Nominees and Winners at the MTV Video Music Awards 1993
Video of the Year
- Pearl Jam - Jeremy
- Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge
- En Vogue - Free Your Mind
- Peter Gabriel - Digging In The Dirt
- R.E.M. - Man On The Moon
Best Male Video
- Lenny Kravitz
- Peter Gabriel - Steam
- George Michael - Killer/Papa Was A Rolling Stone
- Sting - If I Ever Lose My Faith
Best Female Video
- k. d. lang - Constant Craving
- Neneh Cherry - Buddy X
- Janet Jackson - That's The Way Love Goes
- Annie Lennox - Walking On Broken Glass
Best Group Video
- Pearl Jam - Jeremy
- En Vogue - Free Your Mind
- Depeche Mode - I Feel You
- R.E.M. - Man On The Moon
Best Rap Video
- Arrested Development
- Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
- Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang
- Naughty By Nature - Hip Hop Hooray
Best R&B Video
- En Vogue - Free Your Mind
- Mary J. Blige - Real Love
- Boyz II Men - End Of The Road
- Prince and the New Power Generation – 7
Best Dance Video
- En Vogue - Free Your Mind
- Janet Jackson - That's The Way Love Goes
- Ru Paul - Supermodel (You Better Work)
- Stereo MC's – Connected
Viewer's Choice
- Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge
- En Vogue - Free Your Mind
- Peter Gabriel - Digging in the Dirt
- Pearl Jam - Jeremy
- R.E.M. - Man on the Moon
Best New Artist
- Stone Temple Pilots - Plush
- Tasmin Archer - Sleeping Satellite
- Belly - Feed The Tree
- Pornos For Pyros – Pets
Breakthrough Video
- Los Lobos - Kiko & The Lavender Moon
- Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge
- Terence Trent D'Arby - She Kissed Me
- Green Jelly - Three Little Pigs
- George Michael - Killer/Papa Was A Rolling Stone
- Pornos For Pyros – Pets
Best Metal/Hard Rock
- Pearl Jam - Jeremy
- Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge
- Helmet - Unsung
- Nine Inch Nails – Wish
Best Alternative Video
- Nirvana - In Bloom
- 4 Non Blondes - What's Up
- Belly - Feed The Tree
- Pornos For Pyros - Pets
- Stone Temple Pilots – Plush
Best Video From A Film
- Alice In Chains - Would?
- Arrested Development - Revolution
- Boy George - The Crying Game
- Paul Westerberg - Dyslexic Heart
Best Direction
- Pearl Jam - Jeremy
- En Vogue - Free Your Mind
- Los Lobos - Kiko & The Lavender Moon
- R.E.M. - Man On The Moon
Best Choreography
- En Vogue - Free Your Mind
- Mary J. Blige - Real Love
- Janet Jackson - That's The Way Love Goes
- Michael Jackson – Jam
Best Special Effects
- Peter Gabriel
- Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge
- Terence Trent D'Arby - She Kissed Me
- Billy Idol - Shock To The System
Best Art Direction
- Madonna - Rain
- Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge
- Faith No More - A Small Victory
- k. d. lang - Constant Craving
- Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way
- R.E.M. - Man On The Moon
- Sting - If I Ever Lose My Faith
Best Editing
- Peter Gabriel
- Tasmin Archer - Sleeping Satellite
- Billy Idol - Shock To The System
- R.E.M. - Man On The Moon
Best Cinematography
- Madonna - Rain
- Duran Duran - Ordinary World
- En Vogue - Free Your Mind
- k. d. lang - Constant Craving
- Sting - If I Ever Lose My Faith