2026 MTV Video Music Awards Performances: Charli xcx, Madonna, Gunna, Yung Lean, RAYE, and More

Ask a sampling of VMAs frequenters to name their all-time favorite performance from across the annual ceremony’s decades-strong history, and you’re likely to get a plethora of different answers.

This is a testament, of course, to the unique position the MTV Video Music Awards have long held within the larger pop culture infrastructure. Simply put, this is where you go to see performances that may very well go on to be talked about for years to come.

Kicking things off for the 2026 edition was the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna, whose Confessions II has garnered fittingly enthusiastic acclaim this year. She was joined for the show-opening performance by Charli xcx, Sabrina Carpenter, Seth Rogen (which makes a lot more sense than you might assume), and more.

Below, we’re running down all of this year’s VMAs performances as they pour in, including a tribute to the late Dolly Parton. For the full list of this year’s winners, see here.