LIVE: 2026 MTV Video Music Awards: September 27 / Online Streaming

MTV VMAs 2026: Female Artists and Rock Legends Dominate the Night

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles turned into a historic night, driven by record-breaking wins from female powerhouses and an emotional celebration of music legacies.

Key Highlights from the Ceremony:

• Madonna and Taylor Swift Make History. Setting the stage on fire with her first VMAs performance in 23 years, 68-year-old Madonna took home the coveted Artist of the Year award. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift extended her reign as the most-awarded artist in VMAs history by winning Video of the Year for The Fate of Ophelia.
• Moving Tributes to Dolly Parton. Swift dedicated her top honor to the legendary Dolly Parton, who passed away last month. The tribute was amplified by Kacey Musgraves, who delivered a stirring rendition of I Will Always Love You alongside archival footage of the late country icon.
• Nirvana Honored with Vanguard Award. Surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, and Pat Smear accepted the prestigious Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, dedicated to the uncompromising creative vision and enduring visual legacy of Kurt Cobain.
• Big Wins for K-Pop and Fresh Talent. British newcomer Sienna Spiro was voted Best New Artist, while Lisa secured the Best Pop title. Global icons BTS swept multiple categories, taking home trophies for Best Group, Best K-Pop, and Song of the Year for their hit Swim.

Watch MTV Video Music Awards 2026 Livestream from USA

Full List of MTV Video Music Awards 2026 Winners

• Video of the Year: Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
• Artist of the Year: Madonna
• Song of the Year: BTS – Swim
• Best New Artist: Sienna Spiro
• Best Collaboration: Madonna feat. Sabrina Carpenter – Bring Your Love
• Best Pop: LISA – Dream (feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi)
• Best Hip-Hop: Cardi B feat. Kehlani – Safe
• Best R&B: Bruno Mars – I Just Might
• Best Alternative: Olivia Rodrigo – The Cure
• Best Dance: Madonna – Confessions II: The Film
• Best Latin: Bad Bunny – NUEVAYoL
• Best K-Pop: BTS – Swim
• Best Country: Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas
• Best Direction: Taylor Swift – Opalite
• Best Art Direction: PinkPantheress – Stateside + Zara Larsson
• Best Cinematography: Madonna – Confessions II: The Film
• Best Editing: Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour
• Best Choreography: Madonna – Confessions II: The Film
• Best Visual Effects: Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me
• Best Group: BTS
• Best Longform Video: Madonna – Confessions II: The Film
• Best Album: Madonna – Confessions II
• Song of Summer: Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me

2026 MTV Video Music Awards: Overview

• Date & Venue: September 27, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California.
• Where to Watch: Live on CBS, simulcast on MTV, and streaming via Paramount+.
• Host: Legendary rapper Snoop Dogg.

Nominations and Special Honors

• Most Nominated: Madonna leads the event with a staggering 13 nominations.
• Video Vanguard Award: Nirvana will be honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
• Artist Director Honors: Taylor Swift will receive the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors.
• Exclusive Premiere: Taylor Swift will globally debut the music video for her latest single, “Patient Zero.”

Live Performances & Tributes

The initial lineup was revealed on September 17. Madonna kicks off the show as the opening act—her first VMA performance in 23 years. Special tribute sets include a George Michael tribute announced on September 22, and a Dolly Parton tribute by Kacey Musgraves announced on September 23.

Performance Lineup:

Madonna – “Bring Your Love” (with Sabrina Carpenter), “Danceteria Afterhours” (with Charli XCX)
RAYE – “I Will Overcome”, “Where Is My Husband!”
Bruno Mars – “Dance With Me”
Kacey Musgraves – Tribute to Dolly Parton – “I Will Always Love You”
Shaboozey – “Cowgirl”, “High Noon” (with Gunna)
Lisa – “Sawadika”
Sienna Spiro – “Great Expectation”
Sombr, RAYE, Teddy Swims, Adam Lambert, Meek, MNEK, Saint Harison – Tribute to George Michael – “Faith”, “Father Figure”, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)”, “Careless Whisper”, “Freedom! ’90”
Gener8ion, Yung Lean – “Storm II”

Watch MTV Video Music Awards 2026 Online:

2026 VMA Performances:

Videos MTV :

2026 Video Music Awards:

Videos Facebook:

Twitter X:

Nominees

Video of the Year
Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
Bruno Mars, “I Just Might”
Gener8ion, “Storm starring Yung Lean”
Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Tears”
Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”

Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande
Bruno Mars
Madonna
Morgan Wallen
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift

Song of the Year
BTS, “Swim”
Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
Huntr/X: Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami, “Golden”
Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter, “Bring Your Love”
Olivia Dean, “Man I Need”
PinkPantheress, “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Raye, “Where Is My Husband!”

Best New Artist
Bella Kay
Cortis
Magnus Ferrell
Malcolm Todd
Myles Smith
Sienna Spiro
Stella Lefty

Best Collaboration
Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice, “Chains & Whips”
French Montana x Max B, “Ever Since U Left Me”
Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter, “Bring Your Love”
PinkPantheress, “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Shakira & Burna Boy, “Dai Dai”
Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye, “Hard Part”

Best Pop
Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
Charli xcx, “SS26”
Lisa, “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Olivia Rodrigo, “Drop Dead”
Sabrina Carpenter, “House Tour”
Tate McRae, “Nobody’s Girl”
Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Hip-Hop
Cardi B feat. Kehlani, “Safe”
Don Toliver, “E85”
Drake, “Janice STFU”
Megan Thee Stallion, “Lover Girl”
Travis Scott, “Dumbo”
Tyler, the Creator, “Sugar on My Tongue”

Best R&B
Bruno Mars, “I Just Might”
Chris Brown, “It Depends/Obvious”
Dave & Tems, “Raindance”
Justin Bieber, “Yukon”
Kehlani, “Folded”
Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis, “Is It a Crime”

Best Alternative
Geese, “Taxes”
MGK & Fred Durst, “Fix Ur Face”
Noah Kahan, “The Great Divide”
Olivia Rodrigo, “The Cure”
Sombr, “Homewrecker”
Tame Impala, “Dracula”
Twenty One Pilots, “Drag Path”

Best Dance
Bebe Rexha & Faithless, “New Religion”
Harry Styles, “Aperture”
Lady Gaga & Doechii, “Runway”
PinkPantheress, “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Slayyyter, “Dance…”
Tate McRae, “Nobody’s Girl”

Best Latin
Anitta with Shakira, “Choka Choka”
Bad Bunny, “Nuevayol”
Fuerza Regida, “Tu Sancho”
Karol G, “Papasito”
Rosalía feat. Yahritza Y Su Esencia, “La Perla”
Ryan Castro, Kapo & Gangsta, “La Villa”
Shakira & Burna Boy, “Dai Dai”

Best K-Pop
Blackpink, “Jump”
BTS, “Swim”
Cortis, “Redred”
Katseye, “Pinky Up”
Le Sserafim (feat. j-hope of BTS), “Spaghetti”
Lisa, “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”

Best Country
Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
Kacey Musgraves, “Dry Spell”
Lainey Wilson, “Somewhere Over Laredo”
Luke Combs, “Back in the Saddle”
Shaboozey, “Cowgirl”
Stella Lefty, “Boston”
Tucker Wetmore, “Brunette”

Best Direction
Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
Bruno Mars, “I Just Might”
Gener8ion, “Storm starring Yung Lean”
Madonna, “Confessions II – The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter, “House Tour”
Taylor Swift, “Opalite”

Best Art Direction
Charli xcx, “SS26”
Lady Gaga & Doechii, “Runway”
Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
PinkPantheress, “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Sombr, “My Body Isn’t Ready”
Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Cinematography
A$AP Rocky, “Punk Rocky”
Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
Lisa, “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
Shaboozey, “Cowgirl”
Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Editing
Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
Bruno Mars, “I Just Might”
Lisa, “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Madonna, “Confessions II – The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter, “House Tour”
Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Choreography
Gener8ion, “Storm starring Yung Lean”
Harry Styles, “Dance No More”
Katseye, “Pinky Up”
Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
Tate McRae, “Nobody’s Girl”
Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
Jisoo x Zayn, “Eyes Closed”
Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
PinkPantheress, “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Raye feat. Hans Zimmer, “Click Clack Symphony”
Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Group
Blackpink
BTS
Cortis
Fuerza Regida
Geese
Katseye
Twenty One Pilots

Best Long Form Video
Charli xcx, “Music, Fashion, Film”
Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
Gener8ion, “Storm starring Yung Lean”
Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”

Best Album
Drake, Iceman
Madonna, Confessions II
Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving
Olivia Rodrigo, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love
Sabrina Carpenter, Man’s Best Friend
Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl

Song of the Summer
Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
Bruno Mars, “Risk It All”
Charli xcx, “Camera”
Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
Katseye, “Hootie Frutti”
Latto feat. Doja Cat, “Okayyy”
Morgan Wallen, “Been by Now”
Olivia Dean, “So Easy (To Fall in Love)”
Olivia Rodrigo, “Stupid Song”
Sabrina Carpenter, “House Tour”
Slayyyter, “Brand New Chanel$”
Sombr, “Homewrecker”
Stella Lefty, “Boston”
Tame Impala and Jennie, “Dracula”
Taylor Swift, “I Knew It, I Knew You”