From the first Video Music Awards in 1984 until 1992, MTV always honored at least one artist or director as a Video Vanguard. This lifetime acheivement prize -- which was renamed for 1988 recipient Michael Jackson in 1991 -- was only bestowed eight more times from 1994 till 2006 when it went to helmer Hype Williams. Last year, MTV reintroduced the award and Lady Gaga presented it to Britney Spears. Despite naming 27 honorees over the years, MTV overlooked the late Whitney Houston, Prince and Bruce Springsteen.
This year, MTV could fete any of the eight acts below:
Aerosmith
Beyonce Mariah Carey is one of the music successful artists to come out the nineties. While she has won five Grammys and 11 American Music Awards but has never won an MTV Video Music Award. She has been nominated three times for Best Female Video, four times for Best R&B Video and once for Best Hip-Hop Video. It was just announced that she will be a judge on next season’s "American Idol" and it is possible she will attend this year's VMAs to promote that gig. I predict she will be part of a tribute to Whitney Houston. It would be a good time for MTV to bestow upon Mariah this long overdue honor.
Eminem
Green Day
Jay-Z
No Doubt
Justin Timberlake
