Madonna was the night’s biggest winner at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, taking seven trophies including Artist of the Year, while Taylor Swift won Video of the Year and BTS took Song of the Year. The ceremony, hosted by Snoop Dogg, took place on Sunday night, September 27, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
The main winners
- Video of the Year: Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”
- Artist of the Year: Madonna
- Song of the Year: BTS, “Swim”
- Best New Artist: Sienna Spiro
- Song of the Summer: Ariana Grande, “hate that i made you love me”
- Best Album: Madonna, Confessions II
- Best Collaboration: Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter, “Bring Your Love”
- Best Pop: Lisa, “Dream” (featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi)
- Best Group and Best K-Pop: BTS
- Best R&B: Bruno Mars, “I Just Might”
- Best Hip-Hop: Cardi B and Kehlani, “Safe”
- Best Alternative: Olivia Rodrigo, “The Cure”
- Best Latin: Bad Bunny, “Nuevayol”
- Best Country: Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
Madonna’s big night
Madonna’s sweep also included Best Dance for Confessions II – The Film, the companion to her album. Seven awards in one night put her at the centre of a show that often favours newer stars.
Records for Swift and a strong year for BTS
Swift’s win for “The Fate of Ophelia” pushed her career VMA tally to 32, which Official Charts reports puts her ahead of Beyoncé. BTS, back as a full group after completing military service, won three awards: Song of the Year, Best Group and Best K-Pop.
A night of tributes
Country star Kacey Musgraves led an emotional tribute to Dolly Parton, one of several moments that leaned on music history. British singer Sienna Spiro took Best New Artist, one of the night’s most competitive categories.
For the music industry, the VMAs remain less important than the Grammys but are a useful indicator of which songs and videos are cutting through with fans. Nominations for the 2027 Grammy Awards are due in November.