MTV VMAs 2026: Taylor Swift and Madonna win at awards dominated by female artists — SkimNews
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- Madonna won seven total awards including artist of the year at the 2026 VMAs, entering the night with a leading 13 nominations and winning best collaboration (with Sabrina Carpenter) and best dance during the telecast.
- Taylor Swift took video of the year for 'The Fate of Ophelia' and the inaugural artist director honor, extending her run as the VMAs' most-awarded artist in history, and dedicated her win to the late Dolly Parton.
- Madonna and Swift swept four of six awards handed out during the two-and-a-half-hour telecast at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, which was delayed more than 20 minutes by an NFL game.
- Nirvana received the Michael Jackson video vanguard lifetime achievement award, with Krist Novoselic accepting and honoring Kurt Cobain's vision behind era-defining videos including 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and 'Heart-Shaped Box.'
- Swift premiered the video for 'Patient Zero,' the lead single from 'The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore,' featuring Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell, while Kacey Musgraves paid tribute to Parton with a harmonized performance alongside archival footage.
- Other winners included Lisa (best pop for 'Dream'), Sienna Spiro (best new artist via fan vote), BTS (song of the year for 'Swim'), Bad Bunny (best Latin for 'NUEVAYoL'), and Olivia Rodrigo (best alternative for 'The Cure').
Why it matters: The VMAs pulled in a combined 8.4 million viewers across CBS and MTV — the show's most-watched telecast since 2015 and up 51% from last year, according to Variety — handing the network a rare win during a period when the awards show had struggled to find its identity in the streaming era.
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