Webby Lifetime Achievement Winner and late artist Prince delivered one of the best 5-Word Speeches made at The Webby Awards: “Everything you think is true.” He then closed out the ceremony with a performance, breaking his guitar at the end.

David Bowie, affectionately known by his stage personas “Ziggy Stardust” and “The Thin White Duke,” received the 2007 Webby Lifetime Achievement Award. The visionary artist, his life’s work and the Internet were intrinsically tied. From launching BowieNet, his seminal Internet service provider, to encouraging fans to remix his music to BowieArt, an innovative website that connected visual artists with art collectors worldwide. Watch the iconic himself accept his honor.  

Sometimes the best thing to do is focus on yourself. The Late Show host Stephen Colbert did just that, as he accepted the Webby Person of the Year Award. His 5-Word Speech is the epitome of self-love and a healthy dose of self-obsession: “Me, me, me, me, me!!!”

At the 13th Annual Webby Awards, Beaker of The Muppets accepted a 2009 Webby People’s Voice Award for “Ode to Joy,” their special music video.

The PS22 Chorus, directed by educator Gregg Breinberg, is a public elementary school chorus from PS 22 in Graniteville, Staten Island, New York. They accepted the Webby Artist of the Year Award for gaining more than 17,000,000 YouTube views, and countless fans, including some of the most respected artists of the time.

Incomparable singer-songwriter Norah Jones performed “Ain’t No Grave” at the 15th Annual Webby Awards, as part of The Johnny Cash Project. The project was a collaborative and interactive music video, led by immersive artist and entrepreneurs Chris Milk and Aaron Koblin. 

Egyptian filmmakers Mohamed Diab and Amr Salama accepted a Webby Special Achievement Award on behalf of the people of Egypt for leveraging the power of social media to spark a revolution in Egypt. Their actions would go on to create a blueprint for activists around the world — from the movement for Black Lives to protesters in Peru to women and allies in Iran.

No one does Björk like Björk. Interactive media artist Scott Snibbe presented the visionary with the 2012 Webby Artist of the Year Award for her seventh studio album Biophilia, the world’s first app album. The project was released with a series of apps and workshops, exploring the link between music, nature and technology.

This one really sent the Internet into a tailspin: Steve Wilhite, late inventor of the GIF finally settled the debate on the correct pronunciation of his file format. Officially, “It’s pronounced “JIF” not “GIF.”

Actor, comedian and Portlandia creator Fred Armisen performed as Ian Rubbish, his alter-ego. His fake Sex Pistols-like band originally performed in Saturday Night Live’s “History of Punk” sketch, but the bit was so good, Armisen went on to release a real EP.

Co-founded by Pat Quinn, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was the largest medical fundraising campaign at this time on the Internet. It raised $115 million for the national office of The ALS Association in 2014 and inspired participation across the world, including from celebrities like Oprah, Bill Gates, Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian, and Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters. The latter showed up to surprise Quinn in a special moment on the Webbys stage. 

There was a time when celebrity apps were all the rage. From Shakira to Will.i.am to Ellen Degeneres to Selena Gomez, there was an app for everything. Before receiving the Break the Internet Award at the 20th Webbys, Kim Kardashian gave us an exclusive preview of her upcoming new Kimoji on the red carpet. This one’s a message to the haters.

Artist and filmmaker Kara Walker presented Solange with the 2017 Webby Artist of the Year Award for the creation of Saint Heron, her collective, collaborative platform and store for artists of color. While accepting she sang her 5-Word Speech, “I got five on it.”

Amber Ruffin, comedian, writer and returning host of the 28th Annual Webby Show, gave our audience a quick lesson on blockchain technology—in song, while dressed as Sheila E. The moment was too good to miss. Watch her incredible return across our socials on Monday, May 13th! 

Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers’ beloved mascot made a surprise visit at the 23rd Annual Webby Awards. In a strange moment filled with confetti, Gritty accepted his Webby Award for his true display of exceptional character.

During the height of the pandemic, Miley Cyrus launched her Instagram Live show, Bright Minded: Live with Miley. The show featured positive conversations about which tools celebrities used to maintain healthy minds, bodies and spirits during stay-at-home orders. Her 5-Word Speech was a positive affirmation for us all: “Stay lit in dark times!”

Megan Thee Stallion, the 2022 Webby Artist of the Year, took the Webby stage with grace and used her onstage moment to plug a critical call to action. She demanded bodily autonomy in five simple words: “Take bans off our bodies!”