Madonna won seven VMAs at the 2026 ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 27, setting a new record for the most wins in a single night. The show was hosted by Snoop Dogg and broadcast live from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on CBS, with simulcasts on MTV and Paramount+ (Premium) in the U.S. The show will also be available globally the next day on Paramount+ and MTV. The VMAs were produced by Gunpowder & Sky, with Van Toffler serving as producer.
Seven awards came Madonna’s way, among them Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for “Opalite,”. She took Best Collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter for “Bring Your Love,” and she received Video Vanguard for Nirvana. Best Direction was hers too, for “Opalite,” marking her fifth win in that field. The ceremony took place at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.
Madonna’s Record Night
Madonna’s seven wins put her ahead of everyone else at the show. BTS won three awards and were the night’s runners-up. Taylor Swift won two awards and received the inaugural VMA Artist Director honor. Ariana Grande also won two awards.
The VMAs have crowned Madonna as the artist with the most wins of the night, with seven awards to her name. That total brings her count of VMAs in competition to 26, placing her just behind Taylor Swift and Beyoncé on the all-time leaderboards, where those two sit at positions 32 and 29.
The VMAs saw Madonna return to the stage for her first performance there in 23 years. It marked her fifth time opening the show, breaking the record she shared with Rihanna, who also had four show-openers.
Swift’s Sixth Video of the Year
Six times is the count for Video of the Year wins belonging to Taylor Swift, a record that stands three times higher than any other artist in the history of the VMAs. Beyoncé, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Missy Elliott and Rihanna all hold two victories apiece.
Swift also won the VMA for best direction for a record-extending fifth time, for “Opalite.” She had previously won for “The Man,” “All Too Well: The Short Film,” “Anti-Hero” and “Fortnight.” David Fincher is runner-up for most wins in the category (three).
Swift has written and directed 18 of the 60 music videos she has made to date.
Carpenter’s Collaboration Win
Sabrina Carpenter and Madonna were honored with the best collaboration prize for “Bring Your Love.”, which made it the sixth time an all-female team had claimed the category. The previous winners included Beyoncé and Shakira’s “Beautiful Liar” (2007), Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé’s “Telephone” (2010), Lady Gaga alongside Ariana Grande’s “Rain on Me” (2020), Doja Cat feat. SZA’s “Kiss Me More” (2021), and Karol G & Shakira’s “TQG” (2023).
Carpenter was there in person at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles when he received the honor.
BTS’s Three Awards
The group BTS took home song of the year, best K-Pop and best group video honors, all tied to “Swim,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. This marks the second consecutive year that song of the year has gone to a K-pop act; last year, Rosé claimed the prize for “APT.,” her collaboration with Bruno Mars.
BTS’s win at best K-pop marks their fourth such triumph, while their fifth best group video award breaks a tie with LISA for the most wins in that category. No other group, regardless of genre, has claimed best group five times. The closest competitor remains No Doubt, who hold three victories in the field.
Spiro’s New Artist Win
The best new artist award went to Sienna Spiro, and she is the first English artist to take it home since One Direction claimed the prize back in 2012. That English/Irish boy band’s victory put an end to a long stretch during which no other English act had managed to win in the category.
The Grammys are likely to hand Spiro their own best new artist award, which would make her the sixth performer ever to claim that honor at both ceremonies. The previous winners include Hootie & the Blowfish, Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo.
Grande’s Second Song of Summer
Song of summer went to Ariana Grande for a second time. She took it home after her “Hate That I Made You Love Me”, having already claimed the prize in 2019 with “Boyfriend,” a collaboration with Social House. Grande now stands as the only second artist ever to win the title twice. Jung Kook secured his own victory in 2023 with “Seven”, which featured Latto. He previously won the award as part of BTS in 2021, when their track “Butter.” took the crown.
Nirvana’s Vanguard Award
The Video Vanguard award has been given to a group or duo only once before Nirvana, when Duran Duran received it in 2003, a span of 23 years. Nirvana is also the first group to win it after breaking up since The Beatles at the first VMAs in 1964. Chuck D, the leader and frontman of Public Enemy, presented the award.
Late, great artists were remembered at the VMAs through several tributes. Kacey Musgraves paid tribute to Dolly Parton. RAYE, SOMBR, Teddy Swims and Adam Lambert honored George Michael. Nirvana was given the video vanguard award.
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Artist of the Year | Madonna |
| Video of the Year | Taylor Swift (“Opalite”) |
| Best Collaboration | Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter (“Bring Your Love”) |
| Song of the Year | BTS (“Swim”) |
| Best New Artist | Sienna Spiro |
| Song of Summer | Ariana Grande (“Hate That I Made You Love Me”) |
| Video Vanguard | Nirvana |
The Night’s Runners-Up
Three awards went to BTS, making them the night’s runners-up. Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande each took home two awards. Carpenter was there in person at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles to accept her prize, while BTS and Grande were not present.
Throughout the night, Madonna and Swift were highly visible at the venue, while BTS’s members did not show up to claim their three awards.
That evening also brought a notable achievement for Spiro, who became the first English artist to take home best new artist since One Direction in 2012. Should she win a Grammy, she would join a select group of performers who have claimed the category at both ceremonies, a rare accomplishment that few manage.
Paramount+ and MTV make the performances available worldwide the following day, so viewers in any country can see them no matter where they are.
Madonna’s seven wins in one night is a remarkable achievement. Setting a record for opening the VMAs five times by beating Rihanna’s old mark of four is a funny footnote — she beat Rihanna’s record by doing exactly what Rihanna did, just one more time.
Madonna took the stage to perform live and collect her trophies in person, opening the show for the night. In contrast, the members of BTS chose to stay home rather than attend.
The VMAs have always been about spectacle, and this year’s ceremony delivered plenty of it. Madonna’s record-breaking night, Swift’s sixth Video of the Year, BTS’s three awards and Spiro’s debut win all added up to a show that celebrated both veteran stars and emerging talent.
Tributes to Dolly Parton and George Michael were part of the ceremony’s honors for the past. Kacey Musgraves paid tribute to Dolly Parton, and RAYE, SOMBR, Teddy Swims and Adam Lambert honored George Michael.
The Video Vanguard award was given to Nirvana, with Chuck D presenting it, while the industry took time to remember the band’s lasting mark on music.
This year’s VMA telecast confirmed that the award show continues to carry significant weight within pop culture.
Source material: “Here Are the VMAs Records Set by Madonna & Taylor Swift With Big 2026 Wins,” Billboard.
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