Madonna returns to VMAs after 23 years and wins 7 awards from 13 nominations

Madonna won seven awards at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, marking her first VMA wins in 27 years after receiving 13 nominations at this year’s ceremony.

The singer also returned to the VMAs stage for the first time in 23 years, opening Sunday’s show with performances of “Bring Your Love” featuring Sabrina Carpenter and “Danceteria Afterhours” featuring Charli xcx.

Madonna won Best Dance, Best Collaboration and Artist of the Year among her seven awards. Accepting the Artist of the Year award, she said, “I spent the last year and a half finding myself, believing in myself and really making the music that I wanted to make. And to me that really is the definition of being an artist.”

Her 13 nominations matched the record for most VMA nominations received by an artist in a single year, previously achieved by Lady Gaga in 2010.

Madonna’s latest VMA success follows the release of her 2026 album Confessions II, described in the supplied report as a sequel to 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor.

The album became her latest Billboard 200 chart-topper and made her the first artist of the 2020s to reach No. 1 after previously topping the chart in three earlier decades.

Madonna previously won 20 VMAs between 1986 and 1999. Her performances at the ceremony have included “Like a Virgin” in 1984 and a 2003 performance with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.