In the VMA awards show held every fall, what does "VMA" stand for?

In the VMA awards show, “VMA” stands for Video Music Awards.

The event’s full official name is the MTV Video Music Awards, commonly shortened to the VMAs. MTV created the ceremony to celebrate music videos, including their performers, directors, cinematographers, editors, and visual effects teams. Although the awards are associated with pop stars and live performances, the competition is fundamentally centered on the music-video medium.

The first ceremony took place on September 14, 1984, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Its trophy became famous as the Moonman, an astronaut-inspired figure based on MTV’s early visual identity; MTV later adopted the term Moon Person.

“VMA” is sometimes confused with “MTV Award,” but the letters specifically refer to Video Music Awards. The ceremony is usually held in late summer or early fall, though its venue, broadcast arrangements, and award categories have changed over the years.