Madonna turned the 2026 VMAs into her own victory lap. The Queen of Pop opened the show at Los Angeles’Peacock Theater with tracks from her Confessions II album, then went on to collect seven awards across the night. It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone why she’s still the standard.\n\nThe ceremony packed plenty of other moments too. A star-studded tribute to MTV legend George Michael had the room on its feet, while GENER8TION featuring Yung Lean delivered choreography so sharp it instantly made them names to watch. Billboard’s Keith Caulfield was in attendance and shared behind-the-scenes commentary on the Pop Shop Podcast, giving fans a closer look at everything that went down.\n\nOn the charts, Miley Cyrus celebrated her first Billboard 200 No. 1 in more than a decade, with Riley Green and beabadoobee each landing their first top 10s. Meanwhile, Ella Langley’s Hot 100 reign with“Choosin’Texas”may be nearing its end. Which moment from the 2026 VMAs are you still thinking about?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.