Every Single VMA-Nominated Video With a Social Message
(And Their Messages)
- Katy Perry — “Firework”
be who you are & don’t use explosives irresponsibly
- P!nk — “Fuckin’ Perfect”
you don’t need plastic surgery, just a love of aerial gymnastics
- Rise Against — “Make It Stop (September’s Children)”
i don’t know this song but it seems to be about teen suicide and bullying
- Taylor Swift — “Mean”
don’t be mean to taylor swift! just think: if you were nice to her in high school then she might still be your friend and let you hang out at her summer house with lots of models
- Lady Gaga — Born This Way
lady gaga was actually hatched from an egg
- Kelly Clarkson — “Dark Side”
“The video begins with Clarkson singing in a dark background.” ok
- Gym Class Heroes (featuring Ryan Tedder) — “The Fighter”
i think this song is about boxing?
- K’naan (featuring Nelly Furtado) — “Is Anybody Out There?”
“K’naan raps about the character Mary, comparing her to American actress Cameron Diaz; Something ’bout Mary, never won a pageant / Never felt pretty, never looked like Cameron / Diaz was her last name, always been abandoned / Keep your head up baby girl, this your anthem.” what
- Rise Against — “Ballad of Hollis Brown”
this is a cover of a bob dylan song about poverty
- Lil Wayne — “How to Love”
“you look great!!!!!!!!” shouts lil wayne from a helicopter
- Demi Lovato — Skyscraper
don’t bully demi lovato or she’ll transform into a building
- Beyoncé — “I Was Here”
beyoncé ……………… did 9 / 11
- Kelly Clarkson — “People Like Us”
people like kelly clarkson gotta stick together and
- Miguel — “Candles in the Sun”
i thought all miguel songs were sexy, but apparently it’s not!
- Snoop Lion (featuring Drake and Cori B.) — “No Guns Allowed”
guns are bad but weed is still cool
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis — Same Love
gay stuff
- Beyoncé, “Pretty Hurts”
bey stuff
- Angel Haze ft. Sia, “Battle Cry“
the message here is that you should get sia on your track
- Avicii, “Hey Brother”
no
- Kelly Rowland, “Dirty Laundry”
this is about how beyoncé is not a very good friend
- David Guetta ft. Mikky Ekko, “One Voice”
i think this is about speaking up by using your voice
- J. Cole ft. TLC, “Crooked Smile”
it’s funny because tlc’s “unpretty” is the only video that has ever had an actual social message