MTV’s done it again. Or should we say (oops) Britney did it again? Redeeming herself from last year’s embarrassing opening act, pop veteran Spears shocked this year’s MTV Video Music Awards as the stunning singer swept all three of her nominated categories, including Video of the Year.

Beyond Spears’ shocking cleanup, the VMAs lived up to its hype with hot performances throughout the show, including a showstopper from Kanye West.

Rihanna dazzled the crowd with a creepy-yet-sexy rendition of her latest, “Disturbia.” She appeared again with T.I. premiering the rappers latest single “Live Your Life,” a melodic duet bound to be overplayed by teeny boppers and rap heads alike.

Pop-punkers Paramore performed a raw, gritty version of their hit “Misery Business.” They seemed to be recording from a different location, but later burst out of the screen and into the VMA stage halfway through their performance.

Pink wreaked havoc on her set as she broke glass and sang her heart out about her ex-hubby in her latest single “So What.”

Lil Wayne also rocked the house shirtless—and almost pantless—as the rapper sagged and danced away without missing a beat to “A Milli.”

And yes, even the Jonas Brothers had my heart racing as they showcased both an acoustic and electric performance in the middle of the New York stage set at Paramount Studios.

To top it all off was Kanye West’s epic return to the VMAs. If you were hiding under a rock, Kanye had bitterly vowed not to return to the VMAs last year. Needless to say, the man couldn’t resist the limelight and ended the ceremony with a debut single “Love Lockdown.” The new song unearthed yet another talent of West’s: singing. That’s right, Kanye sang, and might I add that he held every note quite gracefully and passionately.

Though the night was full of exciting performances and surprises, I was left disappointed for a couple of reasons:

1) Tokio Hotel won Best New Artist. What an all-time low for this category. Granted, this year didn’t have the best of nominees, but at least the others have hints of originality. These “winners,” are nothing short of a imported German scene band, and that’s a compliment. Who wants guyliner and dreadlocked dudes in the same band anyway?

2) What is also barely worth mentioning is the overrated host Russell Brand. The comedian failed to impress me. Not even the slightest of chuckles. From cheesy political jokes (you’re British, not American) to overdone sexual punchlines, the guy was a bust. Sorry MTV, but this incoherent Jack Sparrow wannabe left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. English tea, anyone?

A couple of things to remember for next year’s VMAs: (1) MTV is MTV and sadly, scene bands are praised. (2) Use my DVR to skip over potential crap ramblings from the next overhyped mystery host.

Tags: britney spears, Jonas Brothers, Lil' Wayne, mtv, Paramore, Pink, Rihanna, russell brand, T.I., Tokio Hotel, Video Music Awards, vmas