The MTV Video Music Awards are turning 40 this year, and they’re feeling nostalgic. Lots of old rappers, for instance, at a show that opened with Eminem and closed with LL Cool J, in honor of Def Jam’s 40th anniversary. But that’s not the only reason this year’s awards had a more grown-up feel, with a Lenny Kravitz/Quavo team-up straight out of the Grammys, a special performance by TRLCarson Daly (who said he returned to the VMAs mainly because the event was held at the arena of his and his children’s favorite hockey team) and flashback footage (of Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley!) that specifically targeted the parents of the target audience.

To be honest, the entire three-hour show felt calmer than usual: less hectic editing, fewer shots of the audience, hardly any reactions from Taylor Swift. (Last year, we saw her react to almost the entire thing.) Of course, Swift went with the first And latest awards, winning Best Collaboration and Video of the Year (among others) for the self-directed video “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone, just 24 hours after she made headlines for her endorsement of Kamala Harris.

Everyone here is media-savvy, but this year’s VMAs felt particularly safe for work. That’s in part thanks to first-time host Megan Thee Stallion, who undoubtedly has a long television career ahead of her, and an extra-long new Pepsi commercial remaking the Beyoncé, Britney, and P!nk gladiator classic. Even for a show that regularly features advertiser logos onstage, the marketing tie-ins were inevitable (Big Sean said, “We love Doritos”). Scan to order your VMA Whopper Meal , and read on for our best and worst performances from music’s most bewildering night.

–Anna Gaca

The best

Give Sabrina Carpenter a double

She works late because she’s a singer! As she descended from the rafters on a diamond-shaped swing (how many carats is that?), Sabrina Carpenter sang delightfully, unmistakably live, and even showed off a little, earning a rapturous reception with a mashup of “Please Please Please,” “Taste,” and that espresso of mine. She also kissed a sexy blue alien for some reason, although the inside of a neon sign shop full of breakdancing astronauts at the VMAs fits the mood of the occasion perfectly. As our Short and sweet Queen’s set wasn’t… that short.