VH1 debuted the first annual VH1 Divas concert in 1998. VH1 Divas Live was created to support the channel's Save The Music Foundation and subsequent concerts in the series have also benefited that foundation. The VH1 Divas concerts aired annually from 1998 to 2004. After a five-year hiatus, the series returned in 2009 with a younger-skewed revamp. In 2010 the concert saluted the troops and in 2011 it celebrated soul music, doubling the previous year's ratings. The latest edition, which aired live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on December 16, 2012, celebrated dance music and paid tribute to Whitney Houston and Donna Summer. The show was revived on December 5, 2016, at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York with a holiday theme and achieved its highest ratings in over a decade.

VH1 Divas Live: An Honors Concert For The VH1 Save The Music Foundation aired live on April 14, 1998.

The very first "VH1 Divas" show at New York's Beacon Theatre offered an unprecedented summit of stars - Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Aretha Franklin, Shania Twain and Mariah Carey. The spontaneity continued with the guest appearance of singer-songwriter Carole King, who led the team through versions of her own "You've Got a Friend" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."

The show was produced by Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich, directed by Michael Simon and written by producer/writer Martin Lewis.

(in order of appearance)

Aretha's band was used for her duet with Mariah Carey (Chain of Fools) and the finale (Natural Woman, and Testimony).

VH1 Divas Live/99: An Honors Concert For The VH1 Save The Music Foundation aired live on April 13, 1999.

VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute To Diana Ross - An Honors Concert For The VH1 Save The Music Foundation was the first of three concerts in the series not aired live. It was recorded on April 9, 2000 at New York's Madison Square Garden and first aired on April 11, 2000. Diana Ross requested the concert be recorded as time constraints for the airing of commercials would not allow enough time for her to change costumes. The well-received show took a mammoth 6 hours to record. This special also marked the introduction of Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne as Supremes, who were touring with Diana Ross. Laurence and Payne were Supremes during the 1970s.

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