The 1992 MTV VMAs saw a change in the host and the venue, Arsenio Hall was succeeded by standup comedian Dana Carvey of Saturday Night Live fame and this year the show was held at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion. Dana Carvey was an apt replacement for Hall, he had the audience in splits with his take on George Bush and other comedy routines and even playing drums for U2 who were performing via satellite from Detroit. Grunge rock posterboy Kurt Cobain and Guns N Roses frontman Axl Rose get into a tiff backstage (More details on that below.) Van Halen and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers both took home three Moonmen each. Van Halen was all smiles after winning the all important Video of the Year for Right Now. RHCP bassist “Flea” jumped up on the podium and did his celebratory dance when the band went up to receive the Moonman for Breakthrough Video.
It looked like Nirvana were going to be the trouble makers this year, Kurt Cobain spits on the keys of a piano, which he thought belonged to Axl Rose with whom he had a dispute backstage. During the performance of their award winning Lithium Krist Novoselic throws his guitar into the air and it crash lands onto his face, Krist is seen swaying off stage after which Kurt proceeds to trash the amps and Dave Grohl repeatedly screams into the mike “Hi Axl!”. MTV was sure glad when they got off stage. Performers for the night included Def Leppard, Eric Clapton, Pearl Jam, Bobby Brown, and GNR. Here’s the clincher, the piano that Kurt spat on, it belonged to Elton John and he performed November Rain on it with GNR right after the incident. It sure was a memorable night.
List of Nominees and Winners at the MTV Video Music Awards 1992
Video of the Year
- Van Halen - Right Now
- Def Leppard - Let's Get Rocked
- Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
- Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge
Best Male Video
- Eric Clapton - Tears In Heaven
- John Mellencamp - Get A Leg Up
- Tom Petty - Into The Great Wide Open
- Bruce Springsteen - Human Touch
- Weird Al Yankovic - Smells Like Nirvana
Best Female Video
- Annie Lennox
- Tori Amos - Silent All These Years
- Madonna - Holiday
- Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last
Best Group Video
- U2 - Even Better Than The Real Thing
- En Vogue - My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge
- Van Halen - Right Now
Best Rap Video
- Arrested Development - Tennessee
- Black Sheep - The Choice Is Yours
- Kris Kross - Jump
- Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch - Good Vibrations
- Sir Mix-A-Lot - Baby Got Back
Best Dance Video
- Prince & The New Power Generation - Cream
- En Vogue - My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)
- Madonna - Holiday
- Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch - Good Vibrations
Viewer's Choice
- Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge
- Def Leppard - Let's Get Rocked
- Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
- Van Halen - Right Now