ABC News (AU)
· collected 2026-09-28 · by Dan Condon and Mawunyo Gbogbo
At the MTV Video Music Awards held in Los Angeles, Madonna won three awards including Artist of the Year and Best Dance, while Taylor Swift took home two awards, notably winning Video of the Year for "The Fate of Ophelia." The event featured performances by both artists, with Madonna's opening act receiving particular attention. Snoop Dogg hosted the ceremony, promising a celebration that included marijuana, a nod to his well-known preference for the substance.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-28,
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.
A battle between a 68-year-old pop icon and the most powerful woman in entertainment has ended in favour of the veteran at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles Monday morning Australian time.
asserted
battle → end → Angeles
Madonna took home three trophies including Artist of the Year, while Taylor Swift left with two, but one of them was the night's biggest prize.
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one → take → them
Madonna led the nominations for the first time in 28 years, her 13 nods pipping Swift's 11.
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nods → lead → 11
Madonna's big night
Sabrina Carpenter joined Madonna to open the show with a version of Bring Your Love, their duet from Madonna's 2026 album Confessions II, which later won the Best Collaboration award on the night.
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which → join → night
Charli XCX then emerged to perform their track Danceteria Afterhours.
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XCX → emerge → track
This opener won't grab the headlines like 2003's infamous kiss, but reminded fans and naysayers of Madge's continued skills as a performer.
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opener → grab → performer
Madonna beat just about everyone — Taylor, Sabrina, Ariana — to win the Artist of the Year award and backed that up with Best Dance to bring her haul for the night to three.
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Madonna → beat → three
"Most of you were probably not born, but I performed at the first MTV awards 43 years ago," Madonna said in her speech accepting Artist of the Year.
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Madonna → bear → Year
As with any awards show, the night began with a focus on arrivals.
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night → begin → arrivals
Here's what some of the stars wore on the red carpet.
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some → wear → carpet
Taylor Swift has the last laugh
While Madonna took home more trophies, Swift did get the big one, winning Video of the Year for The Fate of Ophelia.
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Swift → have → Ophelia
Swift was also a record breaker before this year's ceremony even started.
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ceremony → start → ?
Tied with Beyoncé at 30 wins apiece before the 2026 VMAs, she took the lead by winning the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors, announced before the ceremony began.
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ceremony → tie → Honors
As a director, Swift has won four VMAs — more than anyone in history.
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Swift → win → history
She used the moment to premiere the video for her song Patient Zero, featuring Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell.
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She → use → Johnson
Swift left with two awards from her 11 nominations.
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Swift → leave → nominations
Snoop Dogg promises weed to winners
Snoop Dogg arrived on stage to rapturous applause and his song Who Am I (What's My Name)? from his 1993 album Doggystyle as the host of the awards show.
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Name → promise → show
It was a sign of things to come, with Snoop classics playing in the background whenever he hit the stage.
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he → come → stage
"Welcome to the 2026 MTV VMAs," Snoop Dogg said.
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Dogg → welcome → VMAs
Snoop told the audience that Madonna killed it with her performance, which opened the show.
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which → tell → show
"Now, that is an icon,"he said.
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that → say → ?
"One thing I want to say is, she ain't a virgin no more."
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she → want → ?
Snoop went on to say that when he was first asked to host the awards show, he asked if it would be in Los Angeles.
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it → go → Angeles
When the answer was no, that was his answer too, with the rapper telling organisers he was busy.
"Then they called me back and said, 'Hold on, Mr Dogg, It's in LA now.'
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It → tell → LA
"
Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll be well aware that Snoop Dogg is more than just a little bit partial to taking a puff or two of marijuana.
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Dogg → live → marijuana
He went on to promise the biggest party the VMAs had ever seen, and some special "sticky-icky-icky" to the winners.
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VMAs → go → winners
"But everybody else, look under your seat," he said before quipping.
"
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he → look → seat
Snoop gave a roll call of some of his "favourite people" who he said he was grateful to be in the company of at the ceremony.
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he → give → ceremony
Shaboozey, Lisa, Bruno Mars, and my girl, Raye, just to name a few," he said.
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he → name → few
"Now, we got a lot of people in here tonight that's ready to party."
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that → get → people
He also said the show would honour some of the most iconic bands and artists of all time including Nirvana, George Michael and Dolly Parton.
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show → say → Nirvana
For his day one fans, Snoop harkened back to his Deeez Nuuuts skit on Dr Dre's The Chronic.
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Snoop → harken → Chronic
He then introduced Teyana Taylor to introduce the first award of the night.
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He → introduce → night
Nirvana, Dolly Parton, George Michael honoured
If you need proof the VMAs is all about pop: this year they discontinued the Best Rock Video award.
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they → honour → award
But the impact of grunge icons Nirvana defies genre, their Vanguard Award further evidence of their enduring influence.
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Award → defy → influence
"Their sound was loud, beautiful, daringly open," Public Enemy's Chuck D said when presenting the award.
"
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D → say → award
"Their music videos defined an era."
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videos → define → era
He called them "a band that changed the course of music" and that "never bent to the will of the mainstream", a stance that seemingly hasn't changed as guitarist Pat Smear smoked a cigarette on stage when accepting the award.
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Smear → call → award
They weren't the only past legends honoured.
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They → honour → ?
Sombr, Raye, and Teddy Swims delivered a high-energy tribute to George Michael, introduced by Canadian country star Orville Peck.
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Sombr → deliver → Peck
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
