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.
The best music videos of the year will be honored tonight at the 43rd annual MTV Video Music Awards.
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videos → honor → Awards
For the second year in a row, the awards will be broadcast on CBS in addition to its regular home of MTV, making the VMAs easier to watch at home.
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VMAs → broadcast → home
The VMA ceremony will be hosted by three-time winner Snoop Dogg, who was last on the VMAs stage as a performer in 2022.
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who → host → 2022
Nominations, which were announced on Aug. 18, are led by Madonna, who tied Lady Gaga’s record for the most nominations by a single artist in one year with 13.
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who → announce → 13
Watch MTV VMAs 2026 for free
- When: Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Peacock Theater (Los Angeles, California)
- How to watch for free: DIRECTV (five-day free trial)
- TV Channel: CBS
She is followed by Taylor Swift with 11; Sabrina Carpenter with nine; and Ariana Grande with eight.
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She → watch → eight
In addition to her 11 nominations, Swift is set to receive the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors.
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Swift → set → Honors
The special award will be her 31st VMA, Swift is now the most-awarded individual in VMA history, passing Beyoncé (30).
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Swift → award → Beyoncé
Earlier this week, Swift announced that the music video for her new single “Patient Zero” would premiere during tonight’s VMAs.
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video → announce → VMAs
A teaser shared earlier this week revealed the music video’s stars: A-listers Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell.
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teaser → share → stars
“The timing made sense with the release,” a source told Page Six.
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source → make → release
“She really wanted to be there and the network wanted to figure out a moment in the show that was special to her where she wasn’t just in the background so MTV made this moment happen.”
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moment → want → background
MTV’s signature Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award will be given to ’90s rock band Nirvana tonight as well.
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Award → give → Nirvana
The VMAs begin at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight, Sept. 27.
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VMAs → begin → ?
Where to stream the VMAs for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the 2026 VMAs for free.
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you → stream → VMAs
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching TV live for free because of its flexible plans and great deals.
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DIRECTV → watch → plans
CBS is currently included in two discounted genre packs: MyNews ($39.99/month for two months) and MySports ($44.99/month for six months), both of which come with a five-day free trial before payment begins.
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payment → include → trial
VMAs red carpet info
This year, the VMAs red carpet will not be televised traditionally, but fans nationwide can tune in to the CBS Los Angeles live stream at 6 p.m. ET to watch CBS LA’s coverage of the red carpet.
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fans → televise → carpet
Who is hosting the 2026 VMAs?
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Who → host → VMAs
Rapper Snoop Dogg will host the VMAs for the first time this year.
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Dogg → host → time
The three-time VMA winner has appeared on the ceremony as a performer in 1994,1999, 2003, 2005 and 2022.
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winner → appear → 1994,1999
Who is performing at the VMAs?
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Who → perform → VMAs
Madona, who leads all nominees this year, will open the ceremony marking her first VMA performance in 23 years.
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who → lead → years
Gener8io, Yung Lean, Lisa, Raye, Shaboozey, Gunna and Sienna Spiro will also perform.
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Gener8io → perform → ?
Kacey Musgraves is set to perform a tribute to the late Dolly Parton, while Raye, Sombr and Teddy Swims will honor George Michael a decade after his passing with a medley.
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Raye → set → medley
There will be 23 awards handed out tonight; 17 will be fan-voted, while the rest (including craft categories like directions, cinematography and choreography) will be determined by industry professionals.
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rest → hand → professionals
These are a few of the top prizes, but you can find the full list of 2026 VMA nominations on MTV’s official site.
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you → find → site
| Category | Nominees |
|---|---|
| Video of the Year | Ariana Grande – “Hate That I Made You Love Me” Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” Gener8ion – “Storm” starring Yung Lean Madonna – Confessions II – The Film Sabrina Carpenter – “Tears” Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” |
| Artist of the Year | Ariana Grande Bruno Mars Madonna Morgan Wallen Sabrina Carpenter Taylor Swift |
| Song of the Year | BTS – “Swim” Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” Huntrix – “Golden” Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” Olivia Dean – “Man I Need” PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” Raye – “Where Is My Husband!” |
| Best New Artist | Bella Kay Cortis Magnus Ferrell Malcolm Todd Myles Smith Sienna Spiro Stella Lefty |
2026 VMAs presenters
Alex Warren, “Off Campus” stars Belmont Cameli and Ella Bright, Charli XCX, Chuck D, Ciara Miller, David Corenswet, Emma Bunton, Isabel May, Jeff Probst, Orville Peck, Paris Hilton, Rachel Dratch, Teyana Taylor, Tyla and Troye Sivan were announced as presenters ahead of this year’s VMAs.
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Husband → make → VMAs
Why Trust Page Six Shopping
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for the New York Post, Page Six, and Decider.
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article → trust → Post
Angela keeps readers up to date with information on how to watch all of your favorite reality TV shows and movies on each streaming service.
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Angela → keep → service
Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, celebrities and pop culture.
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she → test → shopping
Prior to joining The Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews
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she → join → Reviews
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