Fall Out Boy Light Up the 2023 MTV VMAs with “We Didn’t Start the Fire”

Pop-rock outfit Fall Out Boy brought their reimagined version of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” to the MTV Music Video Awards on Tuesday night (September 12). The high-energy performance was their first since taking the stage for a career-spanning medley of hits in 2007.

Frontman Patrick Stump was ready for the spotlight, clad in an oversized jacket reminiscent of Talking Heads frontman David Byrne’s iconic outfit from the band’s music documentary Stop Making Sense. He powered through their rapid-fire rendition of Joel’s trademark song, which recalls notable cultural events from 1989 to today. 

While the original references everything from the assassination of John F. Kennedy to the opening of Disneyland, Fall Out Boy’s updated take mentions the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Harry Potter.

[RELATED: 3 Songs You Didn’t Know Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump Wrote]

Fall Out Boy’s version of “We Didn’t Start the Fire” was released in June and included as a bonus track on special editions of their latest album, So Much (for) Stardust. Their unconventional cover earned a stamp of approval from Joel, who agreed it was time to cover the many events that have occurred since he debuted the song in 1989.

“Fall Out Boy yeah, I heard about this… Everybody’s been wanting to know when there’s going to be an updated version because my song started in ‘49 and ended in ‘89 – it was a 40-year span,” Joel stated in an interview with BBC Radio 2. “And everybody’s been saying ‘Are you going to do part 2? Are you going to do part 2?’ and I said ‘Nah I’ve already done part 1’ so Fall Out Boy, go ahead, great, take it away!”

Fall Out Boy’s return to the VMAs also comes days after announcing an extensive 2024 headlining tour featuring support from Jimmy Eat World. The stretch of North American dates begins on February 28 in Portland, Oregon, and continues across the U.S. through early April.

The 2023 MTV Music Video Awards were held at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Rapper Nicki Minaj hosted the ceremony for a second consecutive year. Find a complete list of this year’s award winners HERE. 

(Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)