The highs, lows and whoas of the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards

Starring Dakota Johnson, Colin Farrell, Cara Delevingne and Swift, the video certainly didn’t lack star power. However, it felt rather formulaic, more akin to the sugary, addictive novels of Colleen Hoover or Freida McFadden than the nuanced filmmaking of an auteur. In other words, there was plenty of style, just not an abundance of substance.

Madonna gently roasts Sabrina Carpenter

While picking up the trophy for best collaboration with Bring Your Love, Madonna took the opportunity to have some cheeky banter with her petite collaborator, Sabrina Carpenter.

“Everybody who knows me knows how impatient I am. When five days passed, and I still didn’t get connected with Sabrina and didn’t hear back if she wanted to do a song with me – five days – I DM’d her,” she said.

Thankfully, Carpenter apparently responded soon after, and they made an absolute banger of a hit. But that still didn’t stop the queen of pop from calling out her potential successor. In Carpenter’s defence, she clarified that her team does reply to communications, though a direct line to her is always best. And Madonna went on to praise Carpenter for her professionalism, so it’s clearly still all love here, not war.

The members of Nirvana have always blazed their own path, walked to the beat of their own drum – however you want to phrase it, they do things their own way. That’s precisely why they were honoured with the MTV Vanguard Award this year. So, it was only natural that the band accept the accolade in a way few expected.

Surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear took the stage to thank the crowd for the honour, and to celebrate their late friend and collaborator Kurt Cobain. What you couldn’t help noticing, though, was that guitarist Smear was casually smoking a cigarette. It was pure grunge.

Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday.