2026 MTV VMAs Winners: Madonna Leads With Seven Awards as Taylor Swift Takes Video of the Year

Madonna led the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with seven victories on Sunday, September 27, while Taylor Swift won Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia” and became the most-awarded artist in VMA history.

Hosted by Snoop Dogg at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the ceremony brought together major pop, rock, hip-hop, country, Latin and K-pop winners, alongside special honors recognizing Nirvana and Swift’s work behind the camera.

Madonna’s seven awards included Artist of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best Dance, Best Cinematography, Best Choreography, Best Long Form Video and Best Album. CBS reported that the wins raised her career total to 27 VMAs.

Swift collected Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia” and Best Direction for “Opalite,” while also receiving the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors. The three additions brought her career total to 33 VMAs, moving her ahead of Beyoncé’s previous total of 30.

BTS also finished with three awards, winning Song of the Year and Best K-Pop for “Swim,” along with Best Group. Sienna Spiro was named Best New Artist, while LISA won Best Pop and Ella Langley took Best Country.

Read: Taylor Swift Wins 2026 MTV VMA Video of the Year for ‘The Fate of Ophelia,’ Honors Dolly Parton

2026 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS – COMPLETE WINNERS

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Madonna – Warner Records

SONG OF THE YEAR

BTS – “Swim” – BIGHIT MUSIC

BEST COLLABORATION

Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records

BEST NEW ARTIST

Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records

BEST POP

LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records

BEST DANCE

Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records

BEST HIP-HOP

Cardi B ft. Kehlani – “Safe” – Atlantic Records

BEST R&B

Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records

BEST ALTERNATIVE

Olivia Rodrigo – “the cure” – Geffen Records

BEST LATIN

Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL” – Rimas Entertainment

BEST K-POP

BTS – “SWIM” – BIGHIT MUSIC

BEST COUNTRY

Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records

BEST DIRECTION

Taylor Swift – “Opalite” – Republic Records

BEST ART DIRECTION

PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK / Atlantic Records

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records

BEST EDITING

Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records

BEST GROUP

BTS

BEST LONG FORM VIDEO

Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records

BEST ALBUM

Madonna – Confessions II – Warner Records

SONG OF SUMMER

Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records

SPECIAL AWARDS

VIDEO VANGUARD

Nirvana

MTV VMA ARTIST DIRECTOR HONORS

Taylor Swift

Nirvana’s Video Vanguard Award recognized the band’s lasting influence on music video culture, with Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear accepting the honor during the ceremony. Swift became the first recipient of the Artist Director Honors, created to recognize artists whose directorial work has expanded music-video storytelling.

Watch Taylor Swift’s official “The Fate of Ophelia” music video, winner of Video of the Year at the 2026 MTV VMAs, below:…Read more by Gino Alache