BTS continued their winning streak at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards held Sunday at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, securing multiple honors including song of the year for "Swim." The track prevailed over competitors such as Ella Langley’s "Choosin’ Texas," Huntr/X’s "Golden," Raye’s "Where is my Husband?" and the collaboration "Bring Your Love" by Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter. "Swim" also earned the award for best K-Pop, narrowly surpassing entries from Blackpink, Cortis, Katseye, Le Sserafim featuring BTS’s J-Hope, and Lisa.

Lisa, a member of Blackpink, received the first award of the night for best pop with her song "Dream," featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi. In the best new artist category, Bighit Music’s Cortis was nominated but ultimately lost to fan-favorite Sienna Spiro, who secured the win through live voting during the broadcast. Other performers and nominees included Raye, Sombr, Teddy Swims, Shaboozey (both solo and alongside Gunna), and Gener8ion featuring Yung Lean.

Madonna emerged as the night’s most decorated artist, arriving with the highest number of nominations at 13 and walking away with multiple trophies. She was honored on stage with awards for artist of the year, best dance for her short film "Confessions II," and best collaboration for "Bring Your Love," her duet with Sabrina Carpenter.

Taylor Swift, who entered the evening with 11 nominations and holds the all-time record of 30 VMAs, was presented with the inaugural Artist Director Honors. She premiered the self-directed video for her new single "Patient Zero," won best direction for "Opalite," and closed the ceremony by taking home video of the year for "The Fate of Ophelia." Other notable nominees included Sabrina Carpenter with nine nods, Ariana Grande with eight, Bruno Mars with six, and both PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson with five each.

The ceremony was hosted by Snoop Dogg and broadcast live on CBS. Madonna opened the show, while Kacey Musgraves performed a tribute to Dolly Parton. George Michael was honored by performances from Raye, Sombr, and Teddy Swims. Rock band Nirvana received the prestigious Video Vanguard Award, recognizing their enduring influence in the music industry.