One Direction and Rihanna top spark-free MTV VMAs

By CHRIS TALBOTT

AP Music Writer

LOS ANGELES

One Direction had the girls screaming, Frank Ocean gave a soft, poignant performance and Chris Brown and Drake were in the same venue with not a bottle thrown. Save for a saucy Rihanna number and a few off-color jokes, the MTV Video Music Awards were a rather tame affair this year.

Perhaps that’s to be expected with a group of teenagers at the center of things.

Rihanna started the show with a sexy medley performance before capping it with a win for the night’s top honor, video of the year.

One Direction owned the rest of the show. The heartthrob British boy band quickly changed the focus Thursday night, winning three awards and stealing the attention from Rihanna.

“We’ve grown up watching this show and to even be here is an honor,” Niall Horan said from the stage.

Rihanna kicked off the party sitting regally upon a throne as she performed her new song “Cockiness (I Love It)” with A$AP Rocky and two groups of dancers. She then made her way into the pit at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and launched into her hit “We Found Love” as she weaved through the crowd, touching hands with dozens of fans.

“Doesn’t my girl Rihanna look sexy tonight?” Katy Perry asked the crowd after the performance.

The camera was on her all night — when it wasn’t highlighting One Direction. The group quickly took the overall spotlight, bringing high-pitched screams from the crowd upon winning best pop video. It was the night’s first televised award and one of five top-nominee Rihanna was up for. They also won best new artist and the most share-worthy moonman.

The quintet, put together by Simon Cowell after “The X Factor” auditions and the first British act to debut atop the Billboard 200 album chart, seemed stunned as fans screamed upon announcement of their win.

While there was no easily identifiable signature moment early on, there were a few interesting sights. Pink floated above the crowd on a pair of oversized lips before Ocean wowed with a somber, moonlit version of his song “Thinking About You.”