Taylor Swift becomes most-awarded artist in MTV history
Taylor Swift becomes most-awarded artist in MTV history
Telegraph reportersMon, September 28, 2026 at 4:47 AM UTC
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The pop star accepts the Artist Director Honors award onstage, which she dedicated to Dolly Parton - Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Taylor Swift broke records at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Sunday, becoming the most-awarded artist in VMA history.
The pop star, 36, was previously tied with Beyoncé for the title, with 30 VMAs each. However, Swift took home three awards at the ceremony, bringing her career total to an unmatched 33.
The Fate of Ophelia, Swift’s first single from her record-breaking The Life of a Showgirl album, claimed the top trophy – Video of the Year – and she dedicated the honour to the late country music legend Dolly Parton.
During her speech, Swift praised Parton as “the ultimate showgirl” who told 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,” she said.
Parton, an award-winning country singer, died in August at the age of 80.
Swift also received the inaugural Artist Director Honors, a new award meant to recognise artists “whose work behind the camera has expanded the possibilities of music video and advanced the art of visual storytelling”.
The 36-year-old has written and directed 18 videos of her roughly 60 videos during her career. The most recent, for her new single Patient Zero, debuted during the ceremony.
Swift with Dakota Johnson, who starred in the pop singer’s new Patient Zero music video - Rich Polk/Billboard via Getty Images
The video starred Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell as a couple in an unhealthy relationship.
“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 in her speech. “You actually care about what we’re making.”
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She also won Best Direction for her Opalite video.
The awards were hosted by Snoop Dogg and winners in the top categories were selected by fan votes.
Madonna leads winners
Pop legend Madonna led this year’s field of winners with seven awards, including Artist of the Year and Best Dance Video for Confessions II – The Film.
Speaking about the Confessions II album, Madonna said she spent the past 18 months “finding myself, believing in myself and really making the music I wanted to make”.
“To me, that really is the definition of being an artist,” she said.
Madonna scooped seven awards at this year’s VMAs - Christopher Polk/CBS via Getty Images
Madonna kicked off the show with a high-energy performance of two of her recent collaborations.
Sabrina Carpenter joined her for Bring Your Love – a song later named best collaboration – and Charli XCX took the stage for Danceteria Afterhours surrounded by dancers on a set that looked like a club bathroom.
Meanwhile, British singer and songwriter Sienna Spiro, who combines pop, jazz and soul music, was named Best New Artist.
Sienna Spiro performed onstage before being named Best New Artist - Kevin Winter/Getty Images
“I didn’t think this would happen, so I just have to say thank you so much,” Spiro said in her speech.
“Thank you to the fans and the people that voted for me. I love you. I can’t believe this.”
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
