2007 MTV Video Music Awards

Britney's comeback wasn't pretty, and that just kicked things off. Music critic Josh Tyrangiel sat through every excruciating moment and grades all the performing acts

Kanye West

Kanye West arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Palms Hotel and Casino on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007, in Las Vegas

Matt Sayles / AP
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Good Life

For some reason, MTV split its signature show into one-off performances on a theater stage and full concert performances in packed, sweaty suites high above in the Palms hotel. Naturally, the suite performances — Foo Fighters with Cee-lo and Serj Tankian, Justin Timberlake with Timbaland and Fifty Cent, Kanye West with Common, Fall Out Boy with Gym Class Heroes — looked great, but they were only televised as extended cutaways before the cameras jerked back to the theaters for the presentation of another meaningless award. West at least was allowed to do a full song, and while his performance wasn't particularly memorable (although it'll be hard to forget how much he looks like Fab 5 Freddy in white shades and a tuxedo) at least the people partying around him seemed to have a genuinely good time.

by Josh Tyrangiel

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