VMAs 2026 Winners: Madonna, BLACKPINK’s LISA and Taylor Swift Receive Top Honours – Full List Inside
Discover the full list of VMAs 2026 winners! Madonna led with 7 wins including Artist of the Year, while Taylor Swift nabbed Video of the Year for 'The Fate of Ophelia' and the Artist Director Honours. Snoop Dogg hosted the September 27 ceremony live from Los Angeles, celebrating music's biggest night on MTV, CBS, and Paramount+.
The Peacock Theater in Los Angeles was the epicentre of the music world last night, September 27, 2026, as the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards unfolded with a spectacular ceremony hosted by rapper Snoop Dogg. Broadcast live on CBS, simulcast on MTV, and streaming on Paramount+, the event celebrated outstanding music videos and songs released between June 20, 2025, and June 18, 2026. As anticipated, the evening was largely dominated by pop legends Madonna and Taylor Swift, who collectively swept a significant portion of the night's top honours, solidifying their enduring impact on the industry. MTV VMAs 2026: Madonna, BLACKPINK’s Lisa and More Stars Set To Perform.
VMAs 2026 Major Winners: Madonna and Swift Reign Supreme
Madonna, the Queen of Pop, proved her reign is far from over, leading the nominations with thirteen nods and ultimately securing an impressive seven awards, including the prestigious Artist of the Year. Her ambitious project, “Confessions II – The Film,” was a standout, earning her multiple Moon Person trophies. Taylor Swift, not to be outdone, continued her VMA winning streak by taking home the highly coveted Video of the Year award for her cinematic masterpiece, “The Fate of Ophelia”.
Taylor Swift's ‘The Fte of Ophelia’ Is VMAs Video of the Year
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Swift also received the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honours, a testament to her visionary storytelling and direction, and won Best Direction for her video “Opalite”. The night also saw BTS make a significant impact, winning Song of the Year for “Swim,” Best K-Pop, and Best Group. Newcomer Sienna Spiro was recognised as the Best New Artist, while rock legends Nirvana were honoured with the iconic Video Vanguard Award.
VMAs 2026 Full Winners List
Video of the Year
Winner: Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Nominees: 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”
Artist of the Year
Winner: Madonna
Nominees: Ariana Grande; Bruno Mars; Morgan Wallen; Sabrina Carpenter; Taylor Swift
Madonna is the VMAs 2026 Artiste of the Year!
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Song of the Year
Winner: BTS – “Swim”
Nominees: Ella Langley – “Choosin' Texas”; HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – “Golden”; Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love”; Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”; PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside”; RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”
Best New Artist
Winner: Sienna Spiro
Nominees: Bella Kay; CORTIS; Magnus Ferrell; Malcolm Todd; Myles Smith; Stella Lefty
Best Collaboration
Winner: Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love”
Nominees: Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – “Chains & Whips”; French Montana x Max B – “Ever Since U Left Me”; PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside”; Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai”; Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – “Hard Part”
Best Pop
Winner: LISA feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi – “Dream”
Nominees: Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me”; Charli xcx – “SS26”; Olivia Rodrigo – “drop dead”; Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour”; Tate McRae – “Nobody's Girl”; Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Hip-Hop
Winner: Cardi B featuring Kehlani – “Safe”
Nominees: Don Toliver – “E85”; Drake – “Janice STFU”; Megan Thee Stallion – “LOVER GIRL”; Travis Scott – “DUMBO”; Tyler, The Creator – “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE”
Best R&B
Winner: Bruno Mars – “I Just Might”
Nominees: Chris Brown – “It Depends/Obvious”; Dave & Tems – “Raindance”; Justin Bieber – “YUKON”; Kehlani – “Folded”; Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis – “Is It a Crime”
Best Country
Winner: Ella Langley – “Choosin' Texas”
Nominees: Kacey Musgraves – “Dry Spell”; Lainey Wilson – “Somewhere Over Laredo”; Luke Combs – “Back in the Saddle”; Shaboozey – “Cowgirl”; Stella Lefty – “Boston”; Tucker Wetmore – “Brunette”
Best K-Pop
Winner: BTS – “Swim”
Nominees: BLACKPINK – “JUMP”; CORTIS – “REDRED”; KATSEYE – “PINKY UP”; LE SSERAFIM feat. j-hope – “SPAGHETTI”; LISA feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi – “Dream”
Best Dance
Winner: Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
Nominees: Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion”; Harry Styles – “Aperture”; Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNAWAY”; PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside”; Slayyyter – “DANCE…”; Tate McRae – “Nobody's Girl”
Best Direction
Winner: Taylor Swift – “Opalite”
Nominees: 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”
Best Art Direction
Winner: PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
Nominees: Charli xcx – “SS26”; Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNAWAY”; Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”; SOMBR – “My Body Isn't Ready”; Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Choreography
Winner: Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
Nominees: GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean”; Harry Styles – “Dance No More”; KATSEYE – “PINKY UP”; Tate McRae – “Nobody's Girl”; Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Group
Winner: BTS
Nominees: BLACKPINK; KATSEYE; LE SSERAFIM; twenty one pilots
Special Non-Competitive Honors
Recipient: Nirvana – Video Vanguard Award
Recipient: Taylor Swift – MTV VMA Artist Director Honours VMAs 206: Taylor Swift To Receive First Ever Artist Director Honour at MTV Video Music Awards.
The 2026 VMAs were a vibrant showcase of musical talent and visual artistry, highlighted by Madonna's electrifying opening performance and Taylor Swift's premiere of her new music video, “Patient Zero,” starring Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell. The evening also featured heartfelt tributes to music legends Dolly Parton by Kacey Musgraves and George Michael by RAYE, Sombr, and Teddy Swims, ensuring a memorable night for fans and artists alike. The ceremony underscored the continued evolution of music videos as an essential art form in pop culture.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 28, 2026 10:58 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
