Madonna and Taylor Swift Shine at the 2026 MTV VMAs in Los Angeles
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards took place on Sunday, September 27, at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. This year’s ceremony was hosted by Snoop Dogg and broadcast live on CBS and MTV, with streaming available on Paramount+ in the US.
Madonna made a spectacular return to the VMAs stage after more than 20 years, opening the show with a high-energy performance of songs from her latest album, “Confessions II.” She was joined by Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX for parts of the performance. Madonna’s night was a big one, as she walked away with seven awards, including Artist of the Year, Best Collaboration for “Bring Your Love” with Carpenter, and Best Dance for “Confessions II – The Film.”
Taylor Swift also had a memorable evening, winning three awards. She took home Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia,” Best Direction for “Opalite,” and received the first-ever Artist Director Honors, an award recognising artists who have expanded the art of music video storytelling. With these wins, Swift became the most-awarded artist in MTV VMA history with 33 trophies. During her acceptance speech, she paid tribute to the late Dolly Parton, calling her “the ultimate showgirl.”
Other highlights included K-pop star LISA winning Best Pop for “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi.” LISA also performed her new single “SaWaDiKa” for the first time on television. British singer Sienna Spiro was named Best New Artist, while BTS won Song of the Year for “Swim” and Best Group.
The legendary grunge band Nirvana received the Video Vanguard Award, recognising their lasting influence on music videos. The ceremony also featured a touching tribute to Dolly Parton by Kacey Musgraves, who sang “I Will Always Love You.”
The VMAs this year continued to celebrate the power of visual storytelling in music, with a focus on direction, choreography and other creative elements that bring music videos to life. It was a night that balanced the return of icons like Madonna with the continued success of stars like Taylor Swift and rising talents from around the world.