Catch up on the essentials
- Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia," the first single from her 2025 record-breaking album "The Life of a Showgirl," was named Video of the Year at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, held Sunday at Los Angeles's Peacock Theater.
- Parton, an award-winning country singer, songwriter, and businesswoman, died in August at the age of 80.
- With three wins at this year's ceremony, Swift pushed her career VMA total to 33, surpassing Beyoncé, with whom she had been tied at 30.
Selected from this article · 2026-09-28
Read on for the full pictureSwift's showgirl-era video takes the top Moon Person
Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia," the first single from her 2025 record-breaking album "The Life of a Showgirl," was named Video of the Year at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, held Sunday at Los Angeles's Peacock Theater. The video beat out entries from Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, GENER8ION, Madonna, and Sabrina Carpenter. Holding the Moon Person trophy, Swift said she wanted to dedicate the honor to one person without whom "just this wouldn't be happening," calling Dolly Parton "the ultimate showgirl" and praising her for telling stories that were "so vivid and so rich." "I think that we were all very lucky to share this planet with Dolly Parton for a time," Swift said.
A tribute to the late country legend
Parton, an award-winning country singer, songwriter, and businesswoman, died in August at the age of 80. Swift thanked her fans and name-checked collaborators on the video, including choreographer Mandy Moore and cinematographer Rodrigo Pietro, before turning to the dedication. The moment came on an evening that was otherwise dominated by Madonna, who took Artist of the Year and led the field with seven awards, including best dance video for "Confessions II -- The Film."
New record and a first-of-its-kind honor
With three wins at this year's ceremony, Swift pushed her career VMA total to 33, surpassing Beyoncé, with whom she had been tied at 30. She also received the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors, a new category recognizing groundbreaking music artists whose behind-the-camera work has expanded the possibilities of music video and advanced visual storytelling. The honor cited her work writing and directing 18 of her roughly 60 career videos.
'Patient Zero' premiere and best direction
Swift used the broadcast to debut the video for her new single "Patient Zero," which she directed and which stars Colin Farrell and Dakota Johnson as a couple in an unhealthy relationship, with cinematography credited to Oscar winner Emmanuel Lubezki. She also won best direction for her "Opalite" video. "The main reason I love writing and directing music videos so much is because you, the fans, make it so much, so much fun," Swift said. "You actually care about what we're making."
A Madonna-led night
Madonna opened the show with a high-energy performance of two recent collaborations and recalled her 1984 "Like a Virgin" performance at the first VMAs, telling the crowd, "I dove onto the stage to try and make myself look cute and sexy ... My butt cheek was hanging out. In those days, butt cheeks were not hanging out." Speaking about "Confessions II," the 68-year-old said she had spent the past 18 months "finding myself, believing in myself and really making the music I wanted to make." Snoop Dogg hosted the ceremony, which aired live on CBS and MTV and streamed on Paramount+, with fans selecting winners in the top categories.
Share this article
