After two years at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., the 2024 Video Music Awards are moving back to New York — but not to Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan or Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Instead, the VMAs will be held at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.J.

Party Train on the Long Island Rail Road!

But while New York has always brought out the best in the awards show — which began 40 years ago on Sept. 14, 1984 — the location likely wouldn’t have made much of a difference this year, given its waning relevance.

But while no longer the must-attend affair it once was — as MTV continues to distance itself from music — the VMAs aren’t dead yet. While there was nothing Wednesday night that came close to the iconic moments of years past — and the awards themselves have become even more of an afterthought to the performances — there was still the almighty Taylor Swift, who won her fifth Video of the Year award for “Fortnight.”

These are the best and worst moments from the 2024 VMAs.

Worst: Eminem

It made sense that Eminem would open the show: He is, after all, the royal host of the VMAs — and he had six nominations coming into the night for his “Houdini” video from his album “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace).” But his lookalike-rich throwback to his 2000 performance — which segued from “Houdini” into “Somebody Save Me” (with pre-recorded footage of Jelly Roll) — was a reminder that, 24 years later, the VMAs aren’t the same.

Best: Taylor Swift

First, kudos to Tay for making an appearance at the VMAs, bringing some much-needed relevance and star power to the proceedings. And with 10 nominations under her belt, she certainly wasn’t going home empty-handed when she and Post Malone took home the night’s first television award: Best Collaboration for “Fortnight.” But a day after making a political statement by endorsing Kamala Harris for president, Swift also remembered 9/11 in a way that put all the festivities into perspective.

Worst: Lisa

After being introduced by Paris Hilton — who introduced her catchphrase, “That’s hot” — Lisa was anything but. The K-pop singer was more of a K-flop as she performed with an army of dancers who couldn’t save her from the sheer cheesiness that left us all wondering how she even got invited.

Best: Teddy Swims

While it’s a bit of a mystery why he was relegated to the Extended Play Stage, the singer-songwriter was a welcome rush of soulful vocals — and gritty feelings — as he performed his mega-hit “Lose Control” and “The Door.” He certainly outshone Shawn Mendes, who had a spot on the main stage to perform his new single “Nobody Knows.”

Best: Sabrina Carpenter

In a performance that reminded you of how the VMAs past have celebrated the hottest artists of the moment, Carpenter performed a medley of “Please Please Please,” “Taste” and “Espresso” with a pair of dancing astronauts pretending to be Moonmen.

Worst: Katy Perry/Orlando Bloom

After all the TMI the couple shared, it was a little awkward for Orlando Bloom to introduce her fiancé Katy Perry’s Video Vanguard performance and present her with the award. It felt a little too nepotistic to have someone other than her baby daddy do the honors. It took away from her moment — and, including that extended kiss, gave us more couple creepiness we didn’t need. And her performance wasn’t exactly something to shout about, either.

Best: Chappell Roan

After getting into a scuffle with a photographer on the red carpet, breakout artist Roan brought a different kind of fire to the VMAs stage with her performance of “Good Night, Babe!” Alongside Carpenter, Roan felt like the right artist to be there at the right time. It helped compensate for the fact that other A-listers — like Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and SZA — were MIA. And then she went on to win Best New Artist with a powerful, queer-positive speech.

Worst: Megan The Stallion

From Nicki Minaj to Doja Cat, the VMAs have combined hosts and performers in recent years. It’s almost as if they have to sweeten the deal to get anyone to commit — or else they just need enough big names to go around. But Megan Thee Stallion was hardly worthy of pulling double duty. She just wasn’t that good of a host, though she did a better job when she performed a medley. But it was all more Megan than we needed.

Best: Lenny Kravitz

On a night where rock was needlessly absent, bring on the 60-year-old Kravitz, who upped the tempo with “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” “Human” — for which he won Best Rock Video — and a revamped “Fly Away” featuring Migos’ Quavo, who had us all in stitches again 26 years later.

Worst: Camila Cabello

The former Fifth Harmony singer gave a melodramatic performance of her new single “Godspeed” — a song no one knows or cares about yet — that was staged as if she were in a cage. It was almost enough to make you wish her ex, Mendes, would go in there and save her with a little “Señorita.”