Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards air live tonight, Sunday, September 27, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with Snoop Dogg hosting. Here's everything you need to know before showtime.
What time do the 2026 VMAs start?
The two-hour ceremony begins at 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CT / 4:30 p.m. PT.
What channel are the VMAs on?
The show airs on CBS and MTV simultaneously. It also streams live on Paramount+ for subscribers, and the full ceremony is expected to be available on demand starting Monday, September 28.
Who is performing at the 2026 VMAs?
Madonna opens the show with her first VMA performance in 23 years. The rest of the lineup:
- Lisa of BLACKPINK
- Raye
- Shaboozey with Gunna
- Sienna Spiro
- GENER8ION with Yung Lean
Two tribute performances are planned. Kacey Musgraves honors Dolly Parton, while Raye, Sombr and Teddy Swims pay tribute to George Michael.
Taylor Swift makes VMA history
Taylor Swift receives the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors, recognizing her work behind the camera. The award pushes her career total to 31 VMA wins — the most of any artist in the show's history. Swift will also premiere her self-directed music video for "Patient Zero" during the broadcast. The video stars Colin Farrell and Dakota Johnson.
Nirvana receives the Video Vanguard Award
Nirvana is this year's Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award recipient, honoring a catalog of videos — "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "Heart-Shaped Box," "Come As You Are" — that defined MTV in the '90s.
Who leads the 2026 VMA nominations?
Madonna is the night's most-nominated artist with 11 nods, driven largely by "Confessions II — The Film." Taylor Swift follows with nine, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter have seven each.
Can you still vote?
Yes. Fan voting remains open in several categories, and Best New Artist voting stays live through the broadcast itself at vote.mtv.com.