The 2026 MTV VMAs kicked off 22 minutes late thanks to an NFL game overrun, but once Madonna hit the Peacock Theater stage with Sabrina Carpenter and Charli xcx, nobody was thinking about football anymore. The Queen of Pop walked away with seven Moon Person trophies, including three during the live telecast, and Billboard ranked her opening medley as the best performance of the entire night.
Taylor Swift made history as the inaugural artist director honoree and won video of the year for“The Fate of Ophelia,”which she directed herself. But the moment that truly stopped the show was Nirvana’s surviving members accepting the MTV Video Vanguard Award, three decades after Kurt Cobain’s death. LISA, RAYE, and an all-star George Michael tribute kept the energy high throughout the evening.
Not every performance landed though. Bruno Mars’pre-recorded set from Miami was ranked dead last by Billboard for lacking in-venue energy, and fans online had plenty to say about it. Which performance was your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.