Today marks 15 years since Madonna's infamous VMA performance with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliot.

 

Paying homage to Madonna's performance at the first MTV Video Music Awards, Britney and Christina emerge from a wedding cake, dressed as brides and perform 'Like a Virgin'. As wedding bells chime, Madonna rises from the cake to perform 'Hollywood', posing as the groom. It's a big pop culture moment already: three of the biggest female artists sharing a stage and poking fun at the media attention surrounding Britney and Christina breaking out of their innocent teen boxes and Madonna being replaced by younger contemporaries. What secured its position as the most iconic moment in award ceremony history was the mouth-on-mouth kisses Madonna gave them both and a timely cut to the face of Britney's ex Justin Timberlake. Missy Elliott joins the stage to perform 'Work It' whilst the crowd looks either ecstatic or bemused by the absurdity of the situation.

 

The media went wild for the performance, with Madonna's embrace with Britney making front page news, and it continues to top polls and countdowns of the most outrageous awards moments ever. The kiss maybe the most remembered, but the whole performance is so much more. Remind yourself of the performance and celebrate below.

The camera cuts to the audience are everything. Snoop Dogg in hysterics. Mary J Blige's WTF face. Paris Hilton flopping around like a rag doll. Avril Lavigne and Kelly Osbourne pretending they're too cool for this. I live for these reactions.

It’s such a hot mess I love it!