Who was the most-awarded artist at the 1984 MTV VMAs?

Herbie Hancock was the most-awarded artist at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, winning five awards.

Hancock’s victories centered on “Rockit,” an innovative video whose electronic music and surreal visual effects made it one of the ceremony’s defining works. The video won five categories, including Video of the Year? No—the top prize went to The Cars’ “You Might Think.” Instead, “Rockit” prevailed in categories such as Best Male Video, Best Concept Video, Most Experimental Video, Best Special Effects, and Best Art Direction.

Hancock’s five awards placed him ahead of Michael Jackson, who won three for “Thriller.” David Bowie and ZZ Top each collected two awards. Hancock’s performance is especially notable because Cyndi Lauper was the evening’s most-nominated artist, with nine nominations, while Hancock and The Police’s videos were among the most nominated.

The distinction between most awards and most nominations causes many mix-ups. Lauper led nominations, but Hancock led actual wins. “Rockit” also became the most-awarded video of that inaugural ceremony.