Music is officially back on MTV, and the 2026 Video Music Awards delivered everything from comeback queens and Spice Girls to emotional tributes and one very dark Taylor Swift music video.

Madonna made her long-awaited return to the VMAs stage and ended the night with multiple Moon People, Taylor Swift made history, LISA pulled off a huge win and some of music’s biggest names paid tribute to legends including Dolly Parton, Nirvana and George Michael.

And after an action-packed few hours, the VMAs are officially over for another year.

Here are the biggest moments from the night.

Madonna is back and she brought some friends

Football is over and Madonna is back.

The Queen of Pop returned to the VMAs stage for the first time in more than two decades and, naturally, she wasn’t coming alone.

Madonna opened the show alongside Sabrina Carpenter with their dance-floor anthem Bring Your Love, before Charli XCX joined the party for a remix of Danceteria.

Seth Rogen, rising star Sombr and Julia Garner also appeared during the star-studded opening, with Garner’s cameo particularly fitting after she was previously attached to play Madonna in a planned biopic.

And Madonna and Carpenter weren’t finished.

Bring Your Love later took out Best Collaboration, before Madonna also picked up Best Dance.

She appeared slightly confused about the latter.

“I’m unclear what this is for, is it short film?” she asked Charli XCX and Troye Sivan before making a characteristically Madonna joke about “having a laser up my ass”.

But her biggest moment came when Baby Spice herself, Emma Bunton, joined Rachel Dratch to announce Madonna as Artist of the Year.

“First of all I would like to thank my fingers, because I can always count on them,” Madonna joked.

She then reflected on performing at the very first VMAs 42 years ago, when losing one of her stilettos almost became a career-ending moment.

“In those days, butt cheeks were not hanging out! My manager told me my career was over,” she said.

“Seriously, I really want you to know that I spent the last year and a half finding myself, believing in myself and really making the music that I wanted to make.”

Safe to say, she found it.

Taylor Swift makes history and goes very dark

Taylor Swift arrived with plenty to do.

Dakota Johnson presented her with the inaugural MTV Artist Director Honour, celebrating Swift’s work behind the camera since she began directing her own music videos.

Johnson described her friend as “a storyteller” and “an architect of emotional landscapes” before Swift took the stage.

After thanking MTV for giving music videos a platform, including around 60 of her own, Swift expertly threw to the premiere of her latest video, Patient Zero.

And it got dark. Fast.

Starring Johnson and Colin Farrell, the video follows their unravelling relationship while the ghost of Farrell’s former lover, played by Swift, haunts the pair.

Yes, she’s actually dead.

And Johnson’s character might be joining her.

Swift then capped off her night by winning Video of the Year for The Fate of Ophelia, becoming the first artist to win the award six times.

“Thank you so much for giving this award to this video, because I’m so proud of it,” she said.

But Swift used her history-making moment to honour Dolly Parton.

“I want to thank and dedicate this award to one person, without whom this wouldn’t be happening. That person is the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton,” an emotional Swift said.

“Every single song that she wrote, her storytelling was so vivid and so rich, it was like watching the best music video you have ever seen in your life.”

Music legends remembered

Swift wasn’t the only star honouring those who came before her.

One month after Parton’s death, Kacey Musgraves delivered one of the ceremony’s most emotional moments with a rendition of I Will Always Love You.

Nirvana were also honoured with the Video Vanguard Award, with Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear taking to the stage to accept.

Of course, Kurt Cobain was never far from their minds.

“Kurt was one of one,” Novoselic said, reflecting on the late frontman and the band’s enduring legacy.

George Michael was also celebrated in a star-studded tribute featuring Sombr, RAYE, Adam Lambert and Teddy Swims.

With the 10th anniversary of Michael’s death approaching and a restored concert film, George Michael: The Faith Tour, heading to cinemas in November, the performance celebrated a catalogue stacked with hits including Father Figure, Careless Whisper, Faith and Freedom.

LISA pulls off huge win

BLACKPINK superstar LISA claimed one of the night’s biggest awards, taking out Best Pop for Dream.

And this was no easy category.

LISA faced Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae and Taylor Swift for the Moon Person.

Consider K-pop’s power very much alive and well.

RAYE reminds everyone about those vocals

Then came RAYE.

The British star stripped things right back with I Will Overcome before launching into Where Is My Husband! and reminding everyone exactly why she has become one of music’s most talked-about voices.

No gimmicks required. Just vocals.

Shaboozey also brought the spectacle, transforming the stage with an elaborate Western-themed performance, while Bruno Mars dialled in Dance With Me from his current tour.

And with that, another VMAs is done.

Madonna came back, Taylor Swift made history, LISA scored a massive win and some of music’s biggest stars celebrated the legends who came before them.

Now all that’s left is to see what happens at the after-parties.