The Grammys and Tonys don't really compare. Those awards were created by other organizations and are just carried by the broadcast networks. The VMAs, on the other hand, were created by MTV at a time when it devoted itself to music, in order to promote the music it showed. So I don't think its unreasonable to ask why they still do it.

But to try to answer the question, I guess they do it because it still gets good enough ratings.

Where you can still find videos:

MTV (usually from 3-9 AM weekdays)
MTV2 (mornings)
VH1 (usually in the morning)
VH1 Classic (various times, includes a new version of 120 Minutes)
Fuse
GAC (Great American Country)
MTV Hits
MTV Jams
VH1 Soul
Tr3s (Spanish music...get it?)
PalladiaHD (Mostly concerts and concert film, not so many videos anymore)

The only music award shows I watch anymore all have to do with the country circuit. CMAs, ACMs, CMTs...that's it. I gave up on the VMAs about ten years ago, and haven't watched the Grammys in full for at least five.

Hey everyone go here http://www.youtube.com/
you can watch any music video ever 24-7
no need to worry about commercials or having to sit through a crap band to get to the good artists

Why doesn't MTV play video complaints if they were a person would be old enough to buy cigs just like the remember when SNL was funny riffs.

^^^ Shouldn't you be in jail?

And we complain about MTV because the name means Music Television and those of us old enough remember when it was constant music, 24/7, and many new bands were discovered that way.

I like Daft Punk.

Well, there are commercials, but only for a few seconds. But yes, YT is where I most often watch music videos.

Here's someone who would say that music videos are still relevant:

There's a difference. MTV was created as a music video channel, then pretty much ditched that format but continued to have a show about something they used to relate to.
Broadway plays never had their own formatted channel nor did CBS start off as a Broadway play channel. It's not called the CBS Tony Awards.

Weren't music videos just created as ads for music anyway? Not sure how relevant that still is, but I often check YT along with sound samples as I'm exploring a band.

Agree with the OP though if they did show videos all the time who on this board would be actually happy with the selection they choose?

It would probably be all Justin Bieber and and boy bands like the Wanted and One Direction and the latest generic rap pop videos.

Palladia should show them.

I'd rather see MTV show crappy videos than no videos at all. The idea of cable was to give us stuff without worrying about "ratings" or "profitability", just that it was good and what at least some people wanted. There's no excuse for the crap MTV shows now- looking at their schedule I've seen them even show sitcom reruns and movies, not musical ones and probably cut for TV versions at that. Looks like VH-1 Classic is also showing movies and "Married With Children" reruns, and CMT has been showing movies and reality shows. I'm not even a country music fan, but if I were paying for cable I would expect to get country music on a channel called Country Music Television.

"Just go to YouTube" doesn't cut it either- the quality there isn't as good as what you would get from a proper cable signal (which doesn't always happen either, another of many reasons why I don't have cable.) I've collected many of my favorite 80s videos on pre-recorded tapes and laserdiscs, which are miles ahead of anything on YouTube.

Where on Earth did you get that idea?

Music Videos on VEVO/YouTube are some of the most viewed videoclips on the net so they're definitely still relevant to an extent. They're generally a little less over the top than they were a decade ago though (or rather, less expensive).

Timerlake's Mirrors won the VMA thing tonight, his video has about 93m views.
Mackelmore's Thrift Shop was nominated, that video has about 406m views.

Psy's Gentleman video got 526m views and Gangnam Style is closing in on 2 billion views (1.748b).

Blurred Lines (Robin Thicke) has about 150m views, unfortunately his vastly superior Unrated version which is the same video, but all the girls are topless, only has about 15m hits.

The Mackelmore video for Same Love was pretty effective.

Maybe a YouTube Video Awards on VH1 next year.

Did I miss Daft Punk? Saw Gaga, Miley/Thicke, West, Perry, and Mars perform but only saw the robots in the audience and backstage.

They did not perform. They presented an award and that's it.

I think the last time I watched the VMAs was when Chris Rock was the host. He did a skit about the security measures in case ODB were to rush the stage.

FYI Wu Tang is for the children!

So they cancelled Colbert to present an award? What a crock.....on somebody's part. Not sure if it was DP or corporate.

Thirty Seconds to Mars performed ... When?
I know MTV gave them the Best Rock award BEFORE the show (we all know MTV cant have rock during the show)

For anyone who has never seen this before, it's pretty accurate, and funny. And this is coming from a guy who is old enough to remember MTV in their glory days.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/9ysyZF-DZFY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Yeah, that about sums it up.

What are you talking about ? Who mentioned JEM ?

We don't get most of those. It's not that we couldn't, it's that they're not available on Comcast, which is the only system available.

You've mentioned your love for Jem before.

And I thought I was on your Ignore List?