High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 13, 2009, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, honoring the best music videos from June 19, 2008, to June 29, 2009. Comedian Russell Brand hosted the event for the second time in a row. The awards were held a few months after Michael Jackson died. The VMAs dedicated the night to Jackson with a retro-music video montage as a tribute. Madonna opened the show with a speech about Jackson. Janet Jackson made an appearance at the VMAs to pay musical tribute to her late brother and honor his career. For the finale of the show, they showed the trailer of Michael Jackson`s This Is It.