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The awards known as the VMAs may be formally called the MTV Video Music Awards, but after this year\u2019s ceremony, they may as well be renamed \u201cThe Madonna Show\u201d.<\/p>\n
The veteran pop star burst back into the VMA arena, winning seven awards from a total of 13 nominations \u2013 the most of any artist in 2026. This included artist of the year, a massive feat given she\u2019s been on the scene since the 1980s and was up against powerhouses like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter.<\/p>\n
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Madonna… Enough said.Stewart Cook\/CBS\u00a0<\/p>\n
Speaking of Swift, the pop juggernaut also unsurprisingly made waves, picking up the top gong of the night \u2013 video of the year for Fate of Ophelia \u2013 as well as best direction (for Opalite) and the inaugural Artist Director Honours.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s now officially the most decorated artist in VMA history, having surpassed her previous tied record with Beyonc\u00e9.<\/p>\n
While it wasn\u2019t Australia\u2019s night \u2013 the one Aussie nominated this year, Tame Impala, was pipped by Olivia Rodrigo in the best alternative category \u2013 a slew of other artists enjoyed notable wins, including 21-year-old Sienna Spiro, who took home best new artist, and Lisa, who became the first K-pop solo artist to win best pop.<\/p>\n
From Madonna\u2019s dad jokes to Swift\u2019s Colleen Hoover-esque music video, here are the most memorable moments from the 2026 VMAs.<\/p>\n
HighsRelated Article Everything Madonna<\/p>\n Guys, it\u2019s Madonna. Of course she stole the show.<\/p>\n The queen of pop kicked off the awards ceremony, performing on the coveted stage for the first time in 23 years. You may recall the last time she performed there, she smooched both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera in one of the most unforgettable moments in pop-culture history. She therefore had a lot to live up to, and boy, did she deliver.<\/p>\n Her opening performance made such waves that she ended up crowd-surfing. She was joined by a line-up of stars including Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, Julia Garner and Sombr, all of whom raved alongside Madonna like it was 1989. Need I remind you that Madonna is 68 years old? Iconic.<\/p>\n She also won three of the eight trophies handed out during the live broadcast. She won so often that she eventually forgot which prize she was receiving, turning to Charli xcx and Sivan for guidance during the best dance segment.<\/p>\n Every time she appeared it was captivating chaos. At one point, she thanked her fingers for being something she could \u201calways count on\u201d, and later pulled a prop laser from her backside in what one can only assume was an inside joke between Madonna and \u2026 Madonna. No wonder Gen Z love this veteran pop star \u2013 you can\u2019t get more authentically bonkers than this.<\/p>\n Live performances galore<\/p>\n It\u2019s hardly surprising that a music awards show contained great live music. But this year\u2019s VMAs felt particularly elevated. From Bruno Mars\u2019 extended guitar riffs and Shaboozey setting the stage on fire, to Lisa\u2019s high-octane ride on a red tuk-tuk, each star offered something refreshingly different.<\/p>\n Special mention must, however, go to Gener8ion and Yung Lean. They brought Storm to a live televised stage for the first time, establishing the anarchic energy early on by having Yung Lean smash a Moon Man trophy on the stage. This was followed by one of the most incredibly choreographed sequences in VMAs history \u2013 a chorus of young men dressed in schoolboy uniforms dipping and diving in unison while Yung Lean casually licked a blue ice cream. It was a human optical illusion, leaving the audience in a dazed trance. I don\u2019t want to know how long it took to rehearse.<\/p>\n The cherry on top? Yung Lean spat ice cream directly into the camera lens, a fitting ending to a performance hooked on youth rebellion and institutional decay.<\/p>\n Tributes worthy of legends <\/p>\n Two tributes, two very different approaches.<\/p>\n The first paid homage to the one-of-a-kind Dolly Parton, who died in August. The legendary singer appeared on-screen, in a recording of her introducing her 1974 track I Will Always Love You.<\/p>\n As soon as she began singing, country musician Kacey Musgraves joined in, crooning through the song in honour of the legendary artist. Stripped-back and raw, the tribute was simple yet effective.<\/p>\n The second went to George Michael, who released his debut solo album Faith nearly 40 years ago. Raye, Sombr, Adam Lambert, and Teddy Swims each took to the stage to celebrate the pop icon, singing a medley of his songs, including Careless Whisper and Father Figure. <\/p>\n There were lights, colourful graphics, sequins and oodles of fringe. It was a proper party, one worthy of a singular talent.<\/p>\n Lows<\/p>\n Tick, tick, tick: A delayed start<\/p>\n The broadcast was supposed to kick off at 9.30am (AEST) sharp. By the time 9.50am ticked around, heads were turning. The culprit? Sports.<\/p>\n Apparently, a live NFL game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys ran late, bleeding into the VMAs\u2019 scheduled slot. This meant everyone streaming the broadcast was at risk of having some of the wins spoiled on social media. Was the award show ultimately worth the wait? Sure. But let\u2019s not make a habit of it.<\/p>\n Taylor Swift channels Colleen Hoover<\/p>\n There\u2019s no denying that Taylor Swift is a visionary, a poet, a mastermind \u2013 all words used to describe the pop juggernaut before she accepted the VMAs\u2019 first-ever Artist Director Honour. But the way she chose to celebrate this milestone \u2013 by premiering the music video to her new track Patient Zero, released over the weekend \u2013 gave more \u201cairport novel thriller\u201d than prestige film.<\/p>\n Starring Dakota Johnson, Colin Farrell, Cara Delevingne and Swift, the video certainly didn\u2019t lack star power. However, it felt rather formulaic, more akin to the sugary, addictive novels of Colleen Hoover or Freida McFadden than the nuanced filmmaking of an auteur. In other words, there was plenty of style, just not an abundance of substance.<\/p>\n Madonna gently roasts Sabrina Carpenter<\/p>\n While picking up the trophy for best collaboration with Bring Your Love, Madonna took the opportunity to have some cheeky banter with her petite collaborator, Sabrina Carpenter.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody who knows me knows how impatient I am. When five days passed, and I still didn\u2019t get connected with Sabrina and didn\u2019t hear back if she wanted to do a song with me \u2013 five days \u2013 I DM\u2019d her,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n![\"Troye](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790586853_281_8a51c584c3797fc3fcf1de423ff1cda354e0744b.jpeg\")
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Lisa was one of the first artists to receive an award at the 2026 VMAs \u2013 after a 20-minute delay.Kevin Winter\/Getty<\/p>\n![\"Dakota](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/b6f90c27a8b1c813805c61be955324567ccb5d38.jpeg\")
Dakota Johnson (right) presented the Artist Director Honours to Taylor Swift (left) before the Patient Zero music video premiered.APWhoas<\/p>\n
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