Fall Out Boy Didn’t Start the Fire at the 2023 VMAs

Fall Out Boy, a band that almost certainly didn’t start the fire, lit things up at the MTV Video Music Awards Tuesday night with a performance of, well, their version of “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” It marked the third time the group performed at the awards show, following their 2005 rendition of “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down” and their 2007 “suite” concert which included recitals of “Thnks fr th Mmrs” and “Shut Up and Drive” with Rihanna.

Patrick Stump led the group in recounting defining pop culture moments from between 1989 and 2023. Their oversized shoulder pads stuck out the most but didn’t distract from them running through everything from Balloon Boy and Harry Potter to Trump’s two impeachments, Brexit, George Floyd, and Sandy Hook, from the VMAs outdoor stage.

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The band was well rehearsed since a few weeks back, they finished a North American leg of their So Much for (Tour) Dust trek in support of the album they put out this year, So Much (for) Stardust. Fall Out Boy will embark on another U.S. run early next year for a jaunt they’ve dubbed So Much for (2our) Dust. Other performers at the VMAs this year include Anitta, Olivia Rodrigo Demi Lovato, Karol G, Kelsea Ballerini, Måneskin, Doja Cat, Tomorrow x Together, along with Shakira, who’s being honored with the Video Vanguard Award, and Diddy, who earned the Global Icon title.

Fall Out Boy are up for two Moon Person nominations Tuesday night, including Best Alternative for “Hold Me Like a Grudge” and Best Visual Effects for “Love From the Other Side.” They’ve been nominated 16 times total and have won three times over the years. Taylor Swift leads this year’s nominations with eight nods, followed by SZA with six.

The MTV Video Music Awards are airing live on MTV from the Prudential Center in New Jersey.

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