Nirvana to Receive Video Vanguard Award at 2026 MTV VMAs

From left: Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana perform at 'MTV Live and Loud: Nirvana Performs Live' in December 1993. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Nirvana is set to receive the Video Vanguard Award at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards.

The news was announced Wednesday on social media, and the announcement noted that it was on this day in 1992 that the iconic band took the VMAs stage for the first time.

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Nirvana — which consisted of the late Kurt Cobain (lead singer/guitarist), Dave Grohl (drummer) and Krist Novoselic (bassist) — had an enormous impact on the music scene in the 1990s (and beyond). The band is credited with ending the glam-rock trend of the 1980s and giving rise to the alternative rock scene. Their breakout album, 1991’s Nevermind, has sold more than 30 million copies, and the first single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” has racked up nearly 3.1 billion streams on Spotify.

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In 1993, Nirvana recorded an episode of MTV Unplugged that is touted as the highlight of the series, reportedly standing at the most-watched episode of the entire show.

Nirvana broke up in April 1994 following the death of Cobain from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Grohl went on to found the Foo Fighters, while Novoselic formed the supergroup 3rd Secret with drummer Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden and guitarist Kim Thayil of Soundgarden.

Details have not yet been made available regarding who will be accepting the award on the band’s behalf.

The 2026 VMAs, which are taking place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, will air Sept. 27 (7:30-9:30 p.m. ET/4:30-6:30 p.m. PT) on CBS and MTV and stream on Paramount+ (Premium) in the U.S. It also will be available globally the next day on Paramount+ and MTV.

Past recipients of the Video Vanguard Award include Michael Jackson, Madonna, George Michael, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Katy Perry, among others.