MTV Video Music Awards 2026: here are all the winners. Madonna artist of the year, Swift breaks records, tribute to Nirvana. Photos and videos from the show

Madonna reigned over the night with seven statuettes, while Taylor Swift became the new all-time record holder in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards. The 2026 edition of the VMAs, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles with Snoop Dogg as host, celebrated two generations of popstars, delivering spectacular comebacks, new records and tributes to great musical figures who have recently passed away.

The undisputed star of the ceremony was Madonna, back on the VMAs stage for the first time since 2003. At 68, the popstar opened the show with "Bring Your Love" alongside Sabrina Carpenter, before being joined by Charli XCX for "Danceteria Afterhours", turning the stage into a giant nightclub and pulling Julia Garner, Debi Mazar, Seth Rogen and Sombr into the spectacle as well.

Madonna closed out the night with seven awards, more than any other artist: Artist of the Year, Best Album for "Confessions II", Best Collaboration for "Bring Your Love" with Sabrina Carpenter, Best Dance, Best Cinematography, Best Choreography and Best Long Form Video for "Confessions II – The Film".
Accepting the Artist of the Year award, the singer looked back on her legendary debut at the very first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, when during "Like A Virgin" she lost a shoe and, trying to retrieve it, ended up flashing part of her backside. Backstage, she recalled, her manager told her that her career was over. History, of course, would take a very different turn.
Madonna also revisited her New York roots while accepting the award for best dance music: having moved to the city to become a dancer, she explained that she was "reborn on the dancefloor", a place where she found community, love, and also the pain of losing many people dear to her. Alongside Sabrina Carpenter, she recounted the origins of "Bring Your Love": after five days without a reply, Madonna decided to reach out to her directly, and within a few weeks the two were already in the studio together.

If Madonna was the night's biggest star, Taylor Swift came away with a new record of her own. Thanks to her first Artist Director Honors, an award recognising her work behind the camera and in shaping her own visual identity, the singer-songwriter overtook Beyoncé to become the most-awarded artist in VMAs history.
Swift recalled having taken part in around sixty music videos over twenty years, having written and directed eighteen of them herself. Shortly after, she also won Video of the Year for "The Fate of Ophelia", dedicating it to Dolly Parton and her extraordinary gift for storytelling. "Every song she wrote had such a vivid, rich narrative that listening to it was like watching the best music video of your life, every single time," she said, remembering the recently deceased singer.
The evening also gave Swift the chance to unveil the world premiere of "Patient Zero", her newly directed video, starring Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell, with cinematography by three-time Oscar winner Emmanuel Lubezki.

Among the most significant honours, Nirvana received the Video Vanguard Award, becoming the first band to win the prestigious prize in over twenty years. Krist Novoselic paid tribute to Kurt Cobain at the end of a retrospective dedicated to the band's videos, noting how Nirvana's music keeps finding new generations of listeners precisely because of its pursuit of authenticity.
LISA of Blackpink was honoured for "Dream", while Sienna Spiro took home the award for best new artist. Kacey Musgraves paid tribute to Dolly Parton, while Teddy Swims, Sombr and RAYE celebrated George Michael and the fortieth anniversary of "Faith". Bruno Mars, Shaboozey and Gunna also took to the stage during the evening.

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will air in Italy tonight, September 28, at 9pm on MTV and at 10:45pm on Comedy Central, as well as streaming on NOW. From September 29 to October 5, Pluto TV will also dedicate a pop-up channel to the event in its original language; the ceremony will later be available on Paramount+ as well.

The list of winners (in bold)

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 ft. 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 – Runaway
Madonna – Confessions II – The Film
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 ft. 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 – i
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 – Runaway
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 ft. Hans Zimmer – Click Clack Symphony
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

Social categories:

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

Best Long Form Video
Charli xcx – Music, Fashion, Film – Atlantic Records
Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas – Columbia Records
Gener8ion – Storm starring Yung Lean – Iconoclast Music
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records

Best Album
Drake – Iceman – OVO/Republic Records
Madonna – Confessions II – Warner Records
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving – Island
Olivia Rodrigo – You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend – Island
Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl – Republic Records

Song of the Summer
Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – Risk It All – Atlantic Records
Charli xcx – Camera – Atlantic Records
Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas – Columbia Records
Katseye – Hootie Frutti – HYBE x Geffen Records
Latto ft. Doja Cat – Okayyy – Steamcut / RCA Records
Morgan Wallen – Been By Now – Big Loud / Mercury Records
Olivia Dean – So Easy (To Fall in Love) – Island
Olivia Rodrigo – Stupid Song – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour – Island
Slayyyter – Brand New Chanel$ – Records/Columbia Records
Sombr – Homewrecker – SMB Music / Warner Records
Stella Lefty – Boston – Sandlot / Atlantic Outpost
Tame Impala & Jennie – Dracula – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – I Knew It, I Knew You – Walt Disney Records / Republic Records

Special Awards

Video Vanguard Award: Nirvana
MTV VMA Artist Director Honors: Taylor Swift

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google