The following is a list of the MTV Video Music Awards winners for Female Artist of the Year. From 1984 to 2006, it was known as Best Female Video. It acquired its recent name in 2007.
| Year | Artist | Video |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Cyndi Lauper | "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" |
| 1985 | Tina Turner | "What's Love Got to Do with It" |
| 1986 | Whitney Houston | "How Will I Know" |
| 1987 | Madonna | "Papa Don't Preach" |
| 1988 | Suzanne Vega | "Luka" |
| 1989 | Paula Abdul | "Straight Up" |
| 1990 | Sinéad O'Connor | "Nothing Compares 2 U" |
| 1991 | Janet Jackson | "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" |
| 1992 | Annie Lennox | "Why" |
| 1993 | k.d. lang | "Constant Craving" |
| 1994 | Janet Jackson | "If" |
| 1995 | Madonna | "Take a Bow" |
| 1996 | Alanis Morissette | "Ironic" |
| 1997 | Jewel | "You Were Meant for Me" |
| 1998 | Madonna | "Ray of Light" |
| 1999 | Lauryn Hill | "Doo Wop (That Thing)" |
| 2000 | Aaliyah | "Try Again" |
| 2001 | Eve featuring Gwen Stefani | "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" |
| 2002 | Pink | "Get the Party Started" |
| 2003 | Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z | "Crazy in Love" |
| 2004 | Beyoncé | "Naughty Girl" |
| 2005 | Kelly Clarkson | "Since U Been Gone" |
| 2006 | Kelly Clarkson | "Because of You" |
| 2007 | Fergie | "Fergalicious", "Glamorous" featuring Ludacris, "Big Girls Don't Cry" |
