MTV VMAs 2026 Will Smell Like Teen Spirit With Nirvana Receiving Video Vanguard Award
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The ’90s will be in bloom at the MTV VMAs 2026.
At the music award show—hosted by Snoop Dogg on Sept. 27—Nirvana will be honored for their iconic place in rock history as the year’s Video Vanguard Award winner.
“This day in 1992, Nirvana took to the VMAs stage for the first time—shaping music, culture and MTV forever,” the network’s Sept. 9 Instagram announcement stated. “Nirvana is our 2026 #VMAs Video Vanguard recipient!!!”
Indeed, the ’90s grunge ensemble—known for its primary bandmates Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl—has lived out many historic milestones on MTV. In 1993, they recorded a live taping of MTV Unplugged that was later released as its own album and became an esteemed part of their discography.
The music video for the Nevermind artists’ biggest hit—1991’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”—debuted on the music video channel, introducing fans to the then-up-and-coming group through an avant-garde pep rally.
