Lorde became the first female solo act to win the MTV VMA Best Rock category.
The New Zealand singer made that history at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, winning for “Royals.” The song’s sparse, minimalist video and unconventional pop production had already made Lorde an international breakout star, and its win showed how broadly MTV’s rock category could be interpreted during the 2010s.
The category itself has changed names several times. It began as Best Heavy Metal Video in 1989, shifted through Best Metal/Hard Rock Video and Best Hard Rock Video, and became Best Rock Video in 1997. Since 2017, MTV has generally shortened the title to Best Rock, although nominees are still recognized for specific music videos.
Lorde’s milestone is sometimes misstated as the first woman ever to win. White Zombie bassist Sean Yseult became the first woman to win the award in 1995 as part of a band. Lorde was the first female solo act, which is the key distinction. Aerosmith remains the category’s most frequent winner.