When you're planning parties this big, it helps to get started early. That's why MTV is already sending out a save-the-date on its two biggest nights for 2012: the Video Music Awards and the MTV Movie Awards.
Yes, there's still plenty of time, but we might as well tell you now that the Movie Awards will air live on Sunday, June 3, 2012, from Los Angeles and the Video Music Awards will air live four months later on Sunday, September 9.
Both shows are coming off incredible 2011 airings that provided the usual allotment of unexpected and unpredictable moments. This year's VMAs scored MTV's biggest audience in the network's history with a record-breaking 12.4 million total viewers, goosed, no doubt, by one of the most riveting moments in recent pop history: Beyoncé's baby-bump reveal.
The R&B superstar also made social media history by giving Twitter a record bump, scoring 8,868 tweets per second on a night when ladies ruled the (MTV) world. Katy Perry and Adele each took home three VMA Moonmen, with Perry walking away with the biggest prize of the night, Video of the Year for "Firework."
After notching the year's hottest-selling album, Adele snagged "Best Art Direction," "Best Cinematography" and "Best Editing" for her breakthrough "Rolling in the Deep" video. And who could forget Lady Gaga's indelible show-opening turn as her male alter ego Jo Calderone? Add in the TV debut of Jay-Z and Kanye West as the Throne, Adele's VMA debut, Beyoncé's bump-flaunting performance and a moving tribute to Amy Winehouse and you had one unforgettable night.
The 2011 Movie Awards hit ratings gold as well, averaging 4.5 million viewers, and its largest audience among teens since 2004. Long one of Hollywood's most irreverent nights, the show's host, "Saturday Night Live" castmember Jason Sudeikis, brought the funny, on a telecast that featured a surprise pop-in by Justin Bieber and a touching (or was it handsy?) presentation by Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.
Generation Award winner Reese Witherspoon provided a highlight with an inspiring call-to-arms for female empowerment, and no one saw the smooch between "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" co-stars Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner coming when Pattinson went up to accept the Best Kiss award.
To watch video of 2011's biggest Movie Awards and VMA moments and see the full list of winners as well as fashion, celebrity and music commentary from the shows' red carpets, visit MovieAwards.MTV.com and VMA.MTV.com.