Madonna opened the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with her first performance at the event in 23 years. From there she just kept going, collecting seven awards in total, including Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration (“Bring Your Love” with Sabrina Carpenter).
The MTV icon was joined on stage by both Sabrina and Charli XCX, to perform her collabs “Bring Your Love” and “Danceteria,” respectively.
She was so busy, at one point when she was collecting the award for Best Dance with Troye Sivan and Charli XCX, she claimed not to even know which category it was for.
Taylor Swift was the other big winner on the night, receiving the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors, as well as Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia,” for which she dedicated the award to “the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton.”
Both the recently-departed country legend and the late George Michael were paid tribute to with performances. Kacey Musgraves performed a touching tribute to Dolly Parton by singing “I Will Always Love You.” Meanwhile, RAYE, sombr, Adam Lambert and Teddy Swims honoured George Michael with a medley of his songs.
Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear of Nirvana reunited on stage to collect the Video Vanguard Award, which honours musicians and directors for outstanding contributions and profound impact on music videos and popular culture.
“The idea for [our] videos grew out of the vision of one of the greatest artists of all time, Kurt Cobain,” Novoselic said from the stage. “Kurt was one of one. None of us could have imagine our band or our sound or our aesthetic would mean so much to so many people.”
BTS swept all three categories they were nominated in: Song of the Year (“Swim”), Best Group and Best K-Pop (“Swim”).
Other notable winners on the night included LISA for Best Pop (“Dream”), Bad Bunny for Best Latin (“NUEVAYoL”), Ella Langley for Best Country (“Choosin’ Texas”), Sienna Spiro for Best New Artist, Bruno Mars for Best R&B (“I Just Might”), and Olivia Rodrigo for Best Alternative (“the cure”).
See the full list of winners and big moments from the show below.
Genre-Neutral Categories
Video of the Year
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
GENER8ION – “STORM” starring Yung Lean – Iconoclast Music
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Tears”- Island
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
WINNER: Madonna – Warner Records
Morgan Wallen – Big Loud/Mercury Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Song of the Year
WINNER: BTS – “Swim” – BIGHIT MUSIC
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – “Golden” – Republic Records/Visva Records
Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
Olivia Dean – “Man I Need” – Island
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – Human Re Sources
Best New Artist
Bella Kay – Atlantic Records
CORTIS – BIGHIT MUSIC
Magnus Ferrell -Visva Records/Republic Records
Malcolm Todd – Columbia Records
Myles Smith – RCA Records
WINNER: Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records
Stella Lefty – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
Best Collaboration
Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – “Chains & Whips” – Roc Nation Distribution
French Montana x Max B – “Ever Since U Left Me” – Coke Boys Records
WINNER: Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin
Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – “Hard Part” – Def Jam Recordings
Genre-Specific Categories
Best Pop
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
WINNER: LISA – “Dream” feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi – Lloud Co./RCA Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “drop dead” – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
Best Hip-Hop
WINNER: Cardi B feat. Kehlani – “Safe” – Atlantic Records
Don Toliver – “E85” – Cactus Jack/ Atlantic Records
Drake – “Janice STFU” – OVO/Republic Records
Megan Thee Stallion – “LOVER GIRL” – Hot Girl Productions
Travis Scott – “DUMBO” – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
Tyler, The Creator- “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE” – Columbia Records
Best R&B
WINNER: Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
Chris Brown – “It Depends/Obvious” – RCA Records
Dave & Tems – “Raindance” – Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
Justin Bieber – “YUKON” – Def Jam Recordings
Kehlani – “Folded” – Atlantic Records
Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis – “Is It a Crime” – Epic Records
Best Alternative
Geese – “Taxes” – Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
mgk & Fred Durst – “FIX UR FACE” – EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide” – Mercury Records
WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo – “the cure” – Geffen Records
SOMBR – “Homewrecker” – SMB Music/Warner Records
Tame Impala – “Dracula” – Columbia Records
twenty one pilots – “Drag Path” – Fueled By Ramen
Best Dance
Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion” – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
Harry Styles – “Aperture” – Columbia Records
Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
WINNER: Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Slayyyter – “DANCE…” – RECORDS/Columbia Records
Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
Best Latin
Anitta with Shakira – “Choka Choka” – Republic Records/UMLE
WINNER: Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL” – Rimas Entertainment
Fuerza Regida – “TU SANCHO” – Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
KAROL G – “Papasito” – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia – “La Perla” – Columbia Records
Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA – “LA VILLA” – AWOO Corp./ Sony Music US Latin
Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin
Best K-Pop
BLACKPINK – “JUMP” – YG Entertainment
WINNER: BTS – “SWIM” – BIGHIT MUSIC
CORTIS – “REDRED” – BIGHIT MUSIC
KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) – “SPAGHETTI” – SOURCE MUSIC
LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
Best Country
WINNER: Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
Kacey Musgraves – “Dry Spell” – Lost Highway/Interscope Records
Lainey Wilson – “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Broken Bow Records
Luke Combs – “Back in the Saddle” – Columbia Nashville
Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
Stella Lefty – “Boston” – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
Tucker Wetmore – “Brunette” – Back Blocks Music/Mercury Records
Technical Categories
Best Direction
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour”- Island
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “Opalite” – Republic Records
Best Art Direction
Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
WINNER: PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
SOMBR – “My Body Isn’t Ready” – SMB Music/Warner Records
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
Best Cinematography
A$AP Rocky – “PUNK ROCKY” – A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
WINNER: Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
Best Editing
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour”- Island
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
Best Choreography
GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
Harry Styles – “Dance No More” – Columbia Records
KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
WINNER: Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
Best Visual Effects
WINNER: Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
JISOO X ZAYN – “Eyes Closed” – Warner Records
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony.” – Human Re Sources
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records