MADONNA AND TAYLOR SWIFT LEAD WINNERS AT 2026 MTV VMAS

Madonna and Taylor Swift led the winners at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles. Madonna, the most nominated artist with 13 nods, won seven awards overall, including best collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter, best dance and artist of the year — a prize she won ahead of Swift, Carpenter, Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars and Morgan Wallen. Swift won three awards, including the ceremony's top honour, video of the year, for "The Fate of Ophelia", and the inaugural artist director honour, extending her record as the most-awarded artist in VMAs history. K-pop star Lisa and British newcomer Sienna Spiro also won awards during the broadcast.

Madonna opened the ceremony with her first VMAs performance in 23 years, having last taken the stage for her widely reported on-stage kiss with Britney Spears in 2003. She performed two songs from her album Confessions II, joined by Carpenter and separately by Charli xcx and dancers. Accepting artist of the year, Madonna recalled falling and accidentally exposing her rear during her first VMAs performance 43 years earlier. She said she had spent the past year and a half "finding myself, believing in myself" while making the music she wanted to make.

Madonna closed her speech by saying she hoped others would also "find yourself and believe in yourself." Swift dedicated her top award to Dolly Parton, describing her as the "ultimate showgirl," according to coverage of the ceremony. The ceremony's major prizes went largely to female artists, including Madonna, Swift, Lisa and Spiro. Madonna's total of seven wins continued her long association with the awards, which her performances in the 1980s helped establish as a major cultural event.