2026 MTV VMAs highlights include Madonna, Taylor Swift

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards wowed audiences on Sunday night as Madonna brought out high-energy dance numbers and Taylor Swift made MTV awards history.

Here are some of the highlights from the 2026 VMAs so far.

Madonna performs with Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX

Madonna took the VMAs stage at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, her first time in over 20 years, announcing: "It's mother."

She opened the show with newly iconic imagery from her recent album, "Confessions II," including green lasers and hordes of cameras following her and Sabrina Carpenter around.

The two performed "Bring Your Love" together, which later won the Best Collaboration award, before Madonna transitioned into another dance-fueled club number, "Danceteria" with Charli XCX. The performance featured appearances from others who appeared in the song's music video, including Debi Mazar and Julia Garner.

Kacey Musgraves pays tribute to Dolly Parton

Kacey Musgraves paid tribute to Dolly Parton on Sunday after the VMAs played a short video of the late country music superstar. Musgraves sang "I Will Always Love You," a song Parton released in 1974 that took on a second life when it was later recorded by the late Whitney Houston.

Parton, one of the most groundbreaking and successful musicians in the history of country music, died last month after a brief battle with cancer.

LISA performs "SaWaDiKa"

K-Pop star LISA performed her new single "SaWaDiKa" in the song's TV debut. Part of the performance included the singer riding in the front of Thailand's iconic tuk-tuk taxi.

Earlier in the night, she accepted the Best Pop award for "Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi."

Nirvana accepts Video Vanguard award

The surviving members of genre-defining grunge band Nirvana were given the Video Vanguard award, recognizing their contribution to the form. 

The tribute included archival footage of late frontman Kurt Cobain discussing the process behind the making of several of the band's videos, including "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "Come As You Are" and "Heart-Shaped Box"

Taylor Swift making history

The VMAs also bring a milestone for Taylor Swift, who is being given the VMAs' first-ever Artist Director Honors, which organizers said recognizes artists "whose work behind the camera has expanded the possibilities of music video and advanced the art of visual storytelling."  

The new accolade guarantees that Swift, who's also nominated in 11 categories, will become the show's most-awarded artist, breaking the tie between her and Beyoncé, who each collected 30 Moon Persons as of 2024. 

The VMAs are airing on CBS television stations (find your local station here) and on MTV. The show is streaming on Paramount+.

Alex Sundby contributed to this report.

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