The 2006 Video Music Awards marked the first time viewers were able to vote for all performers' categories (Best Video; Best Male, Female, and Group Videos; and genre categories). Like previous years, the artistic categories (Best Direction, Best Cinematography, etc.)
The 2006 Video Music Awards introduced a new voting system where viewers could choose winners in all performer categories, including Best Video, Best Male/Female/Group Videos, and genre-specific awards.  As before, artistic categories like Best Direction and Best Cinematography were still awarded.