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Madonna opened the 2026 MTV VMAs at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles with Bring Your Love alongside Sabrina Carpenter, while LISA won the first award of the night for best pop.
Madonna opened the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with her 2026 single Bring Your Love alongside collaborator Sabrina Carpenter, and her first words were: It is mother.
The show is being broadcast live on CBS from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and simulcast on MTV and Paramount+ in the United States. The show was delayed 20 minutes by a tight NFL game between the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys, but it wasted no time getting heart rates up. Charli xcx emerged from a club bathroom to perform a reworked version of Danceteria with Madonna.
A trove of dancers and famous friends surrounded them, including actor Debi Mazar, Sombr and Julia Garner. Adam Lambert was also among the arrivals at the Peacock Theater on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. Snoop Dogg, a 13-time VMAs nominee and three-time winner, emerged as host shortly after. Now that is an icon, Dogg said of Madonna, before pivoting to a joke: She ain't a virgin no more.
Then Teyana Taylor presented the first award for best pop to LISA for Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi. Thank you MTV for this amazing award, LISA said while holding back tears. All those late-night dreams brought me here today.
Madonna Leads 2026 VMA Nominations
Madonna's show opener marked her first performance at the VMAs in 23 years. Madonna leads the 2026 MTV Video Music Award nominations. The pop superstar has been nominated in every decade of her musical career. She has 19 competitive MTV VMA wins and in 1986 became the first solo female artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award.
She is up for 11 awards at this year's ceremony, including video, artist and song of the year, as well as best collaboration, dance, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography and visual effects. Taylor Swift follows with the second-most nominations with nine. She is up for video and artist of the year as well as best pop, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography and visual effects. Taylor Swift will make history at the 2026 MTV VMAs.
Taylor Swift Makes VMA History
Earlier this week it was announced that Swift will receive the inaugural Artist Director Honors, becoming the most awarded artist in VMA history. Swift is currently tied with Beyonce for the title of most-awarded musician in VMA history. They have 30 each. Eminem is the male artist with the most VMAs with 15.
The new award, which according to the VMAs is meant to recognize artists whose work behind the camera has expanded the possibilities of music video and advanced the art of visual storytelling, will bring her total to 31. She will also debut the music video for her new song Patient Zero during the award show. Swift directed the visual, which stars Colin Farrell and Dakota Johnson.
Patient Zero is also her first single since marrying Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in July. The two-hour ceremony is airing live from Los Angeles. Madonna and Swift are followed by Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter with seven nods each to their names, as well as Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson with five. Blackpink's LISA has four and Shakira, Tate McRae, GENER8ION and Yung Lean are tied for three.
Dolly Parton and George Michael Tributes
Later, Kacey Musgraves will pay homage to the late, great Dolly Parton. The country music icon, whose soaring vibrato vocals, poignant songwriting and sparkling costumes defined her rise from a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains to the height of stardom and acclaim, died in Nashville of cancer in August. She was 80. Raye, Sombr and Teddy Swims will pay tribute to George Michael, who died 10 years ago on Christmas Day.
He was 53. It is double duty for Raye, who also will perform solo. Other performers include GENER8ION with Yung Lean, Shaboozey with Gunna, as well as Lisa and Sienna Spiro. Alex Warren, Belmont Cameli, Charli xcx, Ciara Miller, David Corenswet, Ella Bright, Isabel May, Jeff Probst, Rachel Dratch, Tyla and Troye Sivan will present.
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CP24:Madonna opens starry 2026 MTV VMAs, LISA wins first award: What to know about the show 
CTVNews:Madonna opens starry 2026 MTV VMAs, LISA wins first award: What to know about the showThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Entertainment Arts 2026 MTV Vmas Madonna Taylor Swift LISA Snoop Dogg MTV Vmas 2026 Award Show
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