Iconic VMAs Duos Over the Years: From Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears to Eva Longoria and Nelly

Credit: Laura Cavanaugh/MEGA; Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock

Iconic VMAs Duos Over the Years: From Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears to Eva Longoria and Nelly

The MTV Video Music Awards may be intended to celebrate the best music videos of the year, but sometimes, the celebrity couples steal all of the attention. Us Weekly is looking back at the iconic duos who attended the show together — including some you may have forgotten about! The VMAs are an important event for Beyoncé and Jay-Z. In 2004, they made their first red carpet appearance as a couple when the gathering was held in Miami. The “Run This Town” rapper wore a white suit and matching fedora, while the “Black Parade” singer arrived in an all-gold ensemble. During Beyoncé’s acceptance speech for Best Female Video, she gave Jay-Z a shout out by saying: “What up, Jay?” Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, for their part, looked completely lovey-dovey during their 2000 VMAs arrival. The moment occurred one year before they wore their iconic matching denim look. Sadly, the megastars called it quits the following year in 2002. [jwplayer 9B4WsFvb-l3ahXupL]

While attending the 2014 VMAs, Katy Perry and Riff Raff recreated Timberlake and Spears’ outfits. Spears, in turn, gave the “Smile” singer the stamp of approval for her efforts.

“I did my best impression, hope u likey!” Perry tweeted at the time, to which Spears replied back, “Just when I thought the denim dress had retired .... you bring it back! You looked amazing tonight bb.”

Pamela Anderson has attended the VMAs with two of her ex-husbands: Tommy Lee in 1999 and Kid Rock in 2001. Sometime after both marriages concluded, the two music stars got into a fight at the 2007 ceremony.

“I actually left [before the fight happened],” Anderson said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in September 2007. “As soon as I left, meow! They all went after each other.”

Days later, Rock claimed on KROQ-FM’s The Kevin & Bean Show that the tussle “had absolutely zero to do” with Anderson.

Scroll through the gallery below for a trip down memory lane.

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Credit: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock; Charles Sykes/Shutterstock

Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears

Two years before calling it quits, the twosome looked more in love than ever at the 2000 VMAs.

Credit: Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock

Beyoncé and Jay-Z

Beyoncé and Jay-Z, who tied the knot in 2008, gave each other sweet shoutouts in their acceptance speeches as they took home the awards for Best Female Video and Best Rap Video, respectively, at the 2004 show.

Credit: Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock

Eva Longoria and Nelly

While it’s unclear if the Desperate Housewives star and the rapper ever actually dated, they were a picture-perfect duo on the carpet in 2005.

Credit: Laura Cavanaugh/MEGA

Jennifer Lopez and Diddy

J. Lo’s then-boyfriend was by her side as she took home the Moonman for Best Dance Video in 2000. “Baby! You see this!” the “Waiting for Tonight” singer gushed during her acceptance speech as the camera panned to Diddy.

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Carson Daly and Jennifer Love Hewitt

The former TRL host joked that he “made” a dress for the I Know What You Did Last Summer star to wear as they walked the carpet together at the 1998 VMAs. While they split a year later, Hewitt shared a throwback photo from the show in 2018.

“In honor of the VMA red carpet tonight. This was my VMA moment,” she wrote alongside the photo via Instagram. “Someone said that hair was cute. We are no longer friends lol. Wow that was a long time ago. #throwback #vmaredcarpet #ifeeloldaf.”

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Benji Madden and Paris Hilton

Seven years before he married current wife Cameron Diaz, the Good Charlotte rocker had the heiress by his side at the 2008 VMAs.

Credit: MTV

Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber

The former couple — who dated on-and-off from 2010 to 2018 — had a very cute moment at VMAs in 2011, in which Bieber planted a kiss on Gomez’s cheek at the 2011 event.  

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Marilyn Manson and Rose McGowan

During their three-and-a-half-year relationship, they attended the 1998 VMAs together in rather flashy outfits. Manson wore a colorful leopard-print suit, while McGowan sported a see-through knee-length dress that put her black thong on full display. The Charmed alum would later claim that her outfit was a “political statement” against Harvey Weinstein.

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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

KimYe have attended countless red carpets over the course of their years-long romance, but the pair were super lovey-dovey when they arrived at the 2016 VMAs.

Credit: Kevork Djansezian/AP/Shutterstock

Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee

The former married pair attended VMAs together in 1999. Years later, Anderson would hit the MTV event with her third ex-husband, Kid Rock, in 2001. During the 2007 ceremony, Lee and Rock got into a scuffle — an event the Baywatch alum was also in attendance for. 

Credit: JASON SZENES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson

Just a couple months before ending their engagement, Grande and Davidson packed on the PDA while on the red carpet for the 2018 VMAs. It was a big night for the “Thank U, Next” singer, who performed her hit “God Is a Woman” and was up for five nominations.

Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker

The Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum and the Blink-182 drummer packed on the PDA at the 2021 VMAs — both on the carpet and backstage during the show. Kardashian was in attendance to cheer on her beau, whom she was first linked to in late 2020, ahead of his performance with longtime pal Machine Gun Kelly.

Credit: Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox

The Transformers actress went nearly nude while attending the 2021 show with her boyfriend. Fox posed alongside the “Bloody Valentine” singer before Kelly hit the stage to perform “Papercuts” with Travis Barker.