Madonna will open the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on September 27, 2026, marking her return to the event after 23 years. At age 68, she arrives as the most-nominated artist with 11 nods and will be joined by special guests including Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter. The article highlights Madonna's iconic looks from past VMAs starting from her debut in 1984 when she performed "Like a Virgin" in a provocative white lace outfit that caused a stir, to more recent performances like the one in 1990 where she wore an elaborate period costume inspired by the film "Dangerous Liaisons."
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Taylor Swift will receive the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards Artist Director Honor at the 43rd annual ceremony on September 27, making it her 31st Moon Person trophy and officially breaking the tie with Beyoncé for most awards in VMA history. The event, hosted by Snoop Dogg, will also see the premiere of Swift's new music video for "Patient Zero" at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Madonna returns to perform after a 23-year hiatus and holds 11 nominations, followed closely by Taylor Swift with 11 nods herself. The ceremony will be broadcast on CBS alongside MTV. DIRECTV offers a five-day free trial to watch the VMAs live for free. This year’s show celebrates the best music videos of 2026, marking a significant milestone for both Madonna and Taylor Swift in terms of recognition and impact on the award show's legacy. Other notable performances include Sabrina Carpenter with nine nominations and Ariana Grande with eight. MTV also honors Nirvana with this year's Video Vanguard Award. The event features various categories such as Best Direction, Best Editing, and Best Choreography, among others, recognizing excellence in music video artistry and innovation. Madonna's appearance is set to open the show on September 27 at Peacock Theater. Madonna’s comeback performance is anticipated with special guests including Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter. MTV VMAs continue to celebrate iconic moments, performances, and innovations in music videos throughout the years. Swift's contribution includes a deluxe edition release titled "The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore," which debuted alongside “Patient Zero,” further cementing her creative influence on modern pop culture. DIRECTV provides a free trial for VMAs viewership starting September 27, ensuring widespread accessibility and engagement with the event. Overall, this year's MTV Video Music Awards are set to be a memorable celebration of music video artistry and fan community interactions. Madonna’s presence is marked by her historic contributions since the inaugural ceremony in 1984, signaling an era of continued innovation and cultural significance for the VMAs. Snoop Dogg, as host, brings his unique blend of entertainment, comedy, and musical prowess to the stage, promising a dynamic and engaging evening for all music lovers. The combination of Madonna’s comeback performance and Swift's historical award acceptance promises to make this year’s MTV Video Music Awards an unforgettable event in the annals of pop culture history. DirectTV's free trial offer enhances viewer accessibility, ensuring that fans can enjoy the full spectrum of performances, awards, and fan interactions live from Peacock Theater on CBS. The VMAs continue to celebrate creativity, innovation, and community engagement in music video artistry, making September 27 a highly anticipated date for music enthusiasts worldwide.
Written for “MTV Video Music Awards 2026” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 50 other(s) covering the same event.
Madonna is ready to strike a pose on the VMAs stage again.
asserted
Madonna → strike → stage
The Queen of Pop will open the VMAs 2026 on Sunday, Sept. 27, returning for her first performance at the show in 23 years.
asserted
Queen → open → years
She’ll be joined by “special guests,” rumored to include Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter.
asserted
She → join → XCX
The 68-year-old also heads into the night as the most-nominated artist, with 11 nods including Video of the Year for “Confessions II – The Film” and Song of the Year for “Bring Your Love,” featuring Sabrina Carpenter.
asserted
old → head → Carpenter
Few artists have made a bigger impact on the VMAs than the “Vogue” singer, who made history at the very first ceremony in 1984.
asserted
who → make → 1984
Ahead of her return, we’re revisiting her most memorable ensembles from MTV’s big night.
asserted
we → revisit → night
Madonna climbed down a 17-foot tall wedding cake at Radio City Music Hall to perform “Like a Virgin” at the inaugural ceremony.
asserted
Madonna → climb → ceremony
Styled by Maripol, she wore a sheer white lace tulle bustier and skirt, a bridal veil and her scandalizing “Boy Toy” belt.
asserted
she → style → bustier
After a lost heel sent her diving, her dress flipped up, and “my manager told me my career was over with,” she told Jimmy Fallon in 2022.
asserted
she → send → 2022
Instead, the provocation helped launch her into the pop stratosphere.
asserted
provocation → launch → stratosphere
The night’s most-nominated artist with nine nods for “Vogue”, Madonna performed the hit in 18th-century finery.
asserted
Madonna → nominate → finery
Her ivory gown came with a corset, hip-widening panniers, ribbons and bows, topped off by a tall blond wig adorned with white feathers.
asserted
gown → come → feathers
Glenn Close first wore the period costume as the scheming Marquise de Merteuil in the 1988 film “Dangerous Liaisons.”
asserted
Close → wear → film
“All of a sudden the idea popped into my head that voguing was not that much different than the court gestures of Marie Antoinette’s court,” choreographer Vincent Paterson, who co-directed Madonna’s Blond Ambition World Tour, told ANALOGr in 2022.
asserted
who → pop → 2022
Madonna opened the show with “Bye Bye Baby” in a tuxedo with tails, a crisp white shirt, cummerbund and tie, finished with a black top hat.
asserted
Madonna → open → hat
The menswear moment previewed her Girlie Show World Tour, which launched that fall.
asserted
which → preview → Tour
The Material Girl ushered in another style era in a pale seafoam Atelier Versace haute couture minidress with a crystal-studded bodice and flouncy skirt, plus silver strappy sandals from the house.
asserted
Girl → usher → house
Platinum blond finger waves and smoky dark eyes finished the flapper-inspired look.
asserted
waves → finish → look
1995
Madonna wore Tom Ford-era Gucci: a blue satin shirt unbuttoned over a black bra, with black trousers and a voluminous blowout by Garren.
asserted
Madonna → wear → Garren
“She [was inspired by] a picture of Catherine Deneuve walking through the lobby with her hair pulled up,” the hairstylist told Page Six Style.
asserted
hairstylist → inspire → Style
Madonna dressed for a more somber evening in buttoned-up menswear: a shirt and tie under a black coat, a pencil skirt and a gold pendant necklace.
asserted
Madonna → dress → coat
She used her time onstage to honor Princess Diana, who had died that weekend.
asserted
who → use → Diana
For her “Shanti/Ashtangi” performance at the 1998 ceremony, Madonna paired a black silk dress with gold jewelry, henna-painted hands and a Vaishnava tilak forehead marking.
asserted
Madonna → pair → jewelry
She later collected her first Video of the Year Moonman in Alexander McQueen: a sequin top and lipstick-red python trousers from his fall 1998 “Joan” collection.
asserted
She → collect → collection
1999
Madonna kept it minimalist in a black button-down and trousers from Saint Laurent’s menswear collection by Hedi Slimane.
asserted
Madonna → keep → Slimane
The pared-back look stood in contrast to the drag queens who took the Metropolitan Opera House stage in re-creations of her past video looks.
asserted
who → par → looks
2003
Madonna brought back the wedding cake in 2003 for a twist on her 1984 “Like a Virgin” performance, this time playing the groom to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera’s brides.
asserted
Madonna → bring → brides
She wore a tailcoat and top hat over a black tank with a corseted waist, trousers and mesh arm sleeves.
asserted
She → wear → waist
2018
Fresh off a 60th birthday trip to Morocco, Madonna wore an Amazigh-inspired ensemble: a spiked silver headpiece, layers of traditional jewelry and a printed robe over a long black dress.
asserted
Madonna → wear → dress
2021
Opening MTV’s 40th anniversary show, Madonna shrugged off a Burberry trench to reveal a dominatrix-worthy look: an Atsuko Kudo crop jacket, latex bra and corset, a Moschino leather apron, fishnets and Christian Louboutin pumps.
asserted
Madonna → open → look
“And they said we wouldn’t last.
asserted
we → say → ?
But we’re still here, motherf–kers,” she told the crowd.
asserted
she → ’re → crowd
The Aporia
