The annual MTV Music Video Awards, celebrating the best in rock videos, are usually handed out in late August or early September. The MTV awards have always been hipper than most of their competition (which includes the Grammys and the American Music Awards), and their live shows at the Universal Amphitheatre offered L.A. fans a chance to see many of their favorite rock stars live and on stage, often performing, from Madonna and Janet Jackson to Naughty By Nature, Beck, the Rolling Stones, U2 and The Wallflowers..

For the first eight years of its existence, the MTV awards show was held at various L.A. locations (including the Shrine Auditorium), and until 1994 the show seemed to have settled down at the Universal Amphitheatre.

In 1994, though, MTV joined the Grammy Awards in moving their awards show to New York City. And they stayed there for four years. (The 1997 show was held at the New York's Radio City Music Hall.)

 L.A. won the MTV awards show back in 1998, when it returned to the Universal Amphitheatre.

Pop singers Brandy and Monica sang their hit "The Boy Is Mine," together at the 1998 Awards show, marking its first performance before a live audience. Other performers for the Sept. 10 event included Madonna, Hole, Marilyn Manson, the Backstreet Boys, the Dave Matthews Band, the Beastie Boys, Master P, and the Bryan Setzer orchestra. Presenters at the '98 show included Sarah Michelle Gellar, Puff Daddy, Jada Pinkett, Val Kilmer, Jackie Chan, Salma Hayak, Hanson, David Spade, Sarah McLachlan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Natalie Imbruglia, Trey Parker & Matt Stone, Missy Elliott, Tori Amos, Rupert Everett, Tyra Banks, Rupert Everett, Usher, and Marlon Wayans.

1998 award winners included Will Smith, Natalie Imbruglia, Aerosmith, the Backstreet Boys, Madonna, Wyclef Jean, Prodigy, Puff Daddy, Björk, Green Day and Fiona Apple.

Alas, after a year in Los Angeles, the "MTV Video Music Awards" returned to New York City in 1999, and they stayed in New York since then, rotating between the Met and Radio City Music Hall, until this year (2005), when the award show moved again, this time to Miami, Florida. The big winners in Miami were Green Day, Kelly Clarkson, Missy Elliott and Gwen Stefani.

So for the time being, at least, it looks like the MTV Awards are no longer a West Coast show. (But given the show's past record, it wouldn't be surprising to see them back in L.A. eventually...)