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The Best Memes & Viral Moments From The 2026 VMAs
Here’s what went down during the starry (and sometimes chaotic) ceremony.
From Madonna’s opening performance to the highly anticipated debut of Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero” music video, the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards promised a buzzy show — and the Sept. 27 ceremony didn’t disappoint.
Need a recap? Here’s a look at the most viral moments from the 2026 VMAs.
Madonna & Friends
Kicking off the festivities, Sabrina Carpenter joined Madonna for a live performance of their duet, “Bring Your Love,” but she wasn’t the only celebrity friend who stopped by. Charli XCX also took the stage for her new song with Madge, “Danceteria Afterhours,” which welcomed a few additional guests including Sombr, Seth Rogen, Julia Garner, and Debi Mazar.
But for many viewers at home, it wasn’t a high-profile pal who stole the show but the camera operator capturing it all from the air — in a very on-theme ensemble and heels, no less. In fact, several fans were reminded of Lady Gaga’s high-flying performance of “Paparazzi” at the same show 17 years ago.
LISA Has Us On Our Feet
LISA’s live TV debut of “SaWaDiKa” was one of the evening’s standout performances, and even fans at home could feel the energy in the room. “Lisa is one of the best performers of all time. This is INSANE,” one fan wrote. Another praised, “The way she was live singing, rapping, dancing, acting, and doing EVERYTHING during the first performance of SaWaDiKa. LISA is such an incredible performer.”
A Moving Dolly Parton Tribute
Kacey Musgraves remembered the late legend Dolly Parton with a tender performance of “I Will Always Love You.” The tribute, which began with a clip of Parton singing the song decades ago, had viewers in tears. “I don’t know how Kacey Musgraves kept it together while singing,” one wrote.
Off Campus, After Hours
Off Campus stars Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli stopped by to introduce Sienna Spiro, and later, much to fans’ delight, Bright and Swift shared a hug. “Ella Bright freaking out seeing her is so me!! I love them both,” one fan wrote.
Taylor Swift Makes History
Dakota Johnson presented Swift with the VMAs’ first-ever Artist Director award at this year’s show, cementing Swift as the most-awarded artist in the ceremony’s history. (Of course, by the end of the evening, she’d add another to her trophy case: Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia.”)
Madonna Loses Track Of Her Win
Icon behavior: Madonna took home Best Dance for her “Confessions II - The Film,” but upon accepting the award from Charli XCX and Troye Sivan on stage, she had to clarify what she’d actually won, asking: “I’m kind of unclear what this award is for... I guess it’s for the short film?”
Remembering “The Ultimate Showgirl”
Swift dedicated her Video of the Year win to Dolly Parton, who she called “the ultimate showgirl.” She added, “Every single song that she wrote, her storytelling was so vivid and so rich ... listening to her songs, it’s like watching the best music video you have ever seen in your life, every single time.”
Many viewers were moved by the pitch-perfect conclusion to the evening, with one fan writing, “taylor talking about dolly making me sob like a baby wasn’t on my bingo card for tonight but yet here we are.”
