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The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards took over LA on Sunday night (Sept. 27), and some of the biggest names in music gathered in the Peacock Theater to find out who would take home a Moon Person (or seven). Madonna was the telecast’s biggest winner, taking home seven prizes in total, including three onstage wins: artist of the year, best dance (her Confessions II short film) and best collaboration (“Bring Your Love” with Sabrina Carpenter).

The next big winner: Taylor Swift, who accepted the first-ever Artist Director Honors (before premiering her latest self-directed video, for her brand-new track “Patient Zero”) and returned to take home the final award of the night: video of the year for “The Fate of Ophelia”; she also won best direction for “Opalite.”