MTV’s VMAs threw a lavish 40th anniversary party for the network’s flagship awards show on Wednesday night (Sept. 11) during a three-hour extravaganza at New York’s UBS Arena. There were few on-screen awards handed out, but there were lavish performances from some of the network’s iconic stars, from the former video channel to its current chart-topping pop icons.

Speaking of MTV royalty, Slim Shady himself was back in the building to open the show with a nod to one of his most memorable VMA moments, when Eminem took the stage in a blond wig alongside a parade of Marshall Mathers lookalikes for a run through “Houdini” and his Jelly Roll collaboration, “Somebody Save Me.”

The first half of the show also included BLACKPINK’s LISA making her VMA solo debut for an energetic run through her new Rosalía collaboration “New Woman,” followed by her solo single “Rockstar,” while Shawn Mendes debuted his new Jeff Buckley-esque atmospheric ballad “Nobody Knows.” Colombian superstar Karol G gave a sultry performance of her hit single “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” (“If I Had Known You Before”), and Brazilian star Anitta turned the stage into a sizzling party by premiering “Paradise” featuring Fat Joe and DJ Khaled, followed by “Savage Funk” and “Alegría” featuring Tiago PZK.

Sabrina Carpenter took us into space for a Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears-channeling medley of “Please Please Please,” “Taste,” and “Espresso,” Katy Perry blew minds with a danceable mega-mix of her biggest hits before accepting her Video Vanguard award, and the undisputed viral champion of 2024, Chappell Roan, gave us serious Roan of Arc vibes during her Gaga-goes-medieval run by performing her breakthrough hit “Good Luck, Babe!”

Host Megan Thee Stallion brought the house down with a fiery mash-up of “BAS” and “Hiss,” topped off by a surprise appearance from Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba for “Mamushi,” Halsey rocked “Ego” from a suburban garage, Benson Boone flipped out in a sparkly onesie while performing his breakthrough hit “Beautiful Things,” and rock icon Lenny Kravitz ripped through “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” his disco-flavored 2024 single “Human” and the 1998 remake of “Fly Away” featuring Migos’ Quavo, “Fly.”

One of the most notable set pieces came during Puerto Rican rapper Rauw Alejandro’s Broadway-style VMAs debut on “Touching the Sky,” which segued into a Caribbean drummer jam on “Diluvio,” followed by his latest single, “Déjame Entrar.” The show’s final hour also featured a double-down from Memphis rapper GloRilla on her Hot 100 hits “Yeah Glo!” and “TGIF,” and Camila Cabello bidding her ex a fiery farewell with a mash-up of “June Gloom” and a rousing rendition of “Godspeed.”

The night closed out with a career-spanning medley from LL Cool J, who honored Def Jam Records in honor of their 40th anniversary with help from DJ Z-Trip and Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Flavor Flav as he ran through “Headsprung,” PE’s “Bring the Noise,” as well as his own “Mama Said Knock You Out,” “Rock the Bells,” “Around the Way Girl” and “Goin’ Back to Cali,” as well as his new singles “Passion” and “Proclivities” before switching into “Doin’ It,” a song he first performed at his final VMAs set in 1996.

Watch all* of the evening’s main stage performances below.

*At the time of going to press, video of Halsey’s performance was not yet available.