2006 MTV Video Music Awards

The 2006 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on August 31, 2006, honoring the best music videos from June 11, 2005, to June 26, 2006. The show was hosted by Jack Black at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
The 2006 Video Music Awards marked the first time viewers were able to vote for all performers' categories. Like previous years, the artistic categories are still chosen by music industry professionals. The 2006 Awards also discontinued the major category Breakthrough Video.
The show was criticized by fans and viewers as being uninteresting or lacking substance. The award ceremony's ratings were down 28% from the 8 million viewers it averaged in 2005 and down 45% from the 10.3 million viewers it averaged in 2004.
Shakira and Red Hot Chili Peppers received the most nominations, with seven each. Followed by Madonna and Panic! at the Disco with 5 nominations. Avenged Sevenfold won Best New Artist and "I Write Sins Not Tragedies", by Panic! at the Disco, became the first video to win Video of the Year without winning a single other award since "This Note's for You" by Neil Young in 1989.

Background

MTV announced on March 21 that the 2006 Video Music Awards would be held on August 31 at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, returning to the city after two consecutive ceremonies in Miami. Nominees were announced at a press conference held at Top of the Rock and hosted by Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg, Beyoncé, and Justin Timberlake on July 31. Jack Black was announced as host on August 10. The ceremony broadcast was preceded by Red Carpet on the Rock. Hosted by Kurt Loder and SuChin Pak with reports from John Norris, Sway, and Gideon Yago, the pre-show featured red carpet interviews and performances from Fergie and My Chemical Romance. It also marked Loder’s final hosting appearance at a VMA pre-show, having hosted each broadcast since 1990. The ceremony marked MTV's first attempt at integrating multi-platform content into the broadcast. Expanding the previous year’s use of MTV Overdrive for bonus material, MTV Overdrive simultaneously aired a VMA Live: Backstage Uncensored channel, providing live footage of presenters and performers in the backstage areas, which was heavily promoted during the linear broadcast. For the first time, the live broadcast expanded beyond MTV to include a live simulcast on MTV2 with commentary from the MTV2 VJs and the first high-definition simulcast on MHD.

Performances

In addition, The Raconteurs served as the house band, being joined by Lou Reed and Billy Gibbons on select songs.

Appearances

Pre-show

The Black Eyed Peas – introduced Fergie's performance
Main show
Jay-Z – opened the show
Montel Williams, Justin Timberlake and Michael Bloomberg – made brief appearances during Jack Black's opening sequence
Lil' Kim – presented Best Male Video
André 3000 and Ciara – presented Best Hip-Hop Video
The Rock – introduced Shakira and Wyclef Jean
The cast of Jackass Number Two – appeared in different vignettes about Viewer's Choice voting, and later on presented Viewer's Choice
50 Cent and LL Cool J – presented Best Female Video
Lil Jon – introduced Pharrell and Ludacris
Sarah Silverman – appeared in backstage skits and coverage, and later performed a stand-up routine
Kyle Gass – appeared in a couple of on-stage sequences with Jack Black and The Black Eyed Peas
Jessica Simpson – presented Best Dance Video
Chris Brown – introduced OK Go
Shaun White – introduced as of the Jackass Number Two cast's vignettes
Paris Hilton – introduced The All-American Rejects
Nick Lachey and Nicole Richie – presented Best Pop Video
Snoop Dogg – presented Best Rap Video
Diddy – introduced T.I.
Amy Lee and Jared Leto – presented Best Group Video
Ne-Yo and Rihanna – presented Ringtone of the Year
Fall Out Boy – introduced Panic! at the Disco
Fergie – introduced Abigail Breslin and presented Best New Artist in a Video with her
Jim Shearer and EBRO – presented the MTV2 Award
Britney Spears and Kevin Federline – presented Best R&B Video
Kanye West – presented the Video Vanguard Award
Pink and Lou Reed – presented Best Rock Video
The Black Eyed Peas – appeared in an on-stage sequence with Kyle Gass, which led to Tenacious D's "reunion" and performance
Queen Latifah – introduced Al Gore
Al Gore – spoke about global warming and the world's environmental crisis
Jennifer Lopez – announced the launch of MTV Tr3́s and presented Video of the Year
Axl Rose – introduced The Killers
Also, MTV's Vanessa Minnillo and John Norris appeared before and after some commercial breaks to remind viewers to check out MTV Overdrive's backstage VMA coverage
Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold text.

Artists with multiple wins and nominations

Nominations	Artist
7	Red Hot Chili Peppers
7	Shakira
5	Madonna
5	Panic! at the Disco
4	Christina Aguilera
3	AFI
3	Angels & Airwaves
3	Chris Brown
3	Common
3	Gnarls Barkley
3	James Blunt
3	Kanye West
3	Missy Elliott
3	Nelly Furtado
3	Timbaland
2	10 Years
2	Atari
2	Busta Rhymes
2	DMX
2	Electronic Arts
2	Fall Out Boy
2	Kelly Clarkson
2	The Pussycat Dolls
2	Rihanna
2	Sean Paul
2	The All-American Rejects
2	The Black Eyed Peas
2	Thirty Seconds to Mars
2	Three 6 Mafia
2	T.I.
2	U2
2	Yung Joc

Contests

VMA Karaoke Contest

In this contest, participants picked one of three songs and made a video of themselves singing their choice. Winners received a paid trip to the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards.

VMA Insider Contest

The winner selected by voters at received a paid trip to the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, and was allowed to interview all the stars on the red carpet.

"Reveal the Real You" Contest

Participants sent in a story of "a moment in their life that makes them, them." Winners received an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, as well as the chance to win a trip to the VMAs in 2007.