WITH some twerking and shaking, the leading ladies of pop music dominated the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Sunday, while an emotional Miley Cyrus and a touching moment between Beyonce and her family led the Moonman Award wins of the night.

    Cyrus, who set tongues wagging last year with her sexy “twerking” during her VMAs performance, won the night’s top prize for video of the year for “Wrecking Ball,” in which she cavorted naked on a wrecking ball.

    She opted not to collect her award, instead sitting in the audience and holding back tears while sending a homeless young man named Jesse to collect her award.

    “I’ve cleaned your hotel rooms, I’ve been an extra in your movies, I’ve been an extra in your life. Though I may have been invisible to you in the streets, I have many of the same dreams that brought many of you here tonight,” the young man said.

    Since launching in 1984, Viacom-owned MTV’s VMAs have become synonymous with irreverence and unscripted moments that have become part of music history, and all eyes were on whoever delivered the most outrageous or unplanned stunt.

    Beyonce delivered the night’s most touching moment when she accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award for her lifetime achievement in music from her husband, rapper Jay-Z, who called her the “greatest living entertainer.”

    Jay-Z, carrying the couple’s daughter Blue Ivy, then shared a sweet kiss on stage with his wife, who was overcome with emotion, saying “I have nothing to say, I am so full from gratitude.”

    Beyonce picked up three other awards: best collaboration for “Drunk in Love” with Jay-Z, and best cinematography and video with a social message for “Pretty Hurts.”

    Other top winners of the fan-voted awards included Katy Perry landing the best female video Moonman for the Cleopatra-themed music video for “Dark Horse.” British singer Ed Sheeran won best male video Moonman for “Sing,” Lorde won best rock video for “Royals,” and Grande won best pop video for “Problem” featuring Azalea.

    In the tightly contested Artist to Watch category, girl group Fifth Harmony’s “Miss Movin’ On” beat out Australian boyband 5 Seconds of Summer, rapper Schoolboy Q and British singers Sam Smith and Charlie XCX.(SD-Agencies)