It’s only September 3, but the countdown to the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards has already begun.
Us Weekly can exclusively report that CBS will air not one but two must-watch VMAs specials this month that look back at the most memorable — and shocking — moments in the iconic MTV awards show’s storied 42-year history.
The first special, Best of VMAs: Iconic Vanguard Performances, airs Sunday, September 13 at 9:30 pm EST/9:00 pm PST on CBS, streams live on Paramount+ for Premium plan subscribers and will be available on demand the next day for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs.
Host Donnie Wahlberg will guide you through four decades of memorable performances, from Madonna rolling around on stage in a wedding dress singing “Like a Virgin” to Lady Gaga belting out “Paparazzi” while covered in fake blood. The Video Vanguard honorees’ show-stopping performances stand as some of the most iconic, career-defining moments in MTV history, forever cementing their legacy as industry titans.
The second special, Best of VMAs: Unforgettable Moments, airs on Sunday, September 20 at 9 pm EST/PST on CBS, streams live on Paramount+ for Premium plan subscribers and will be available on demand the next day for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs.
Former MTV VJ and current Love is Blind host Vanessa Lachey will lead a special retrospective of the most unpredictable moments in MTV’s VMAs history. Unforgettable Moments will spotlight bold fashion choices, like Gaga’s meat dress in 2010 and Lil’ Kim’s purple pastie outfit in 1999, and controversial moments from the show’s past that had everyone talking, like Madonna’s then-shocking three-way smooch with pop star heirs Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera in 2003.
Both VMA specials are produced by Gunpowder & Sky. Van Toffler serves as Producer. Alex Castino serves as Executive Producer, alongside Barry Barclay and Floris Bauer. Rebecca Terán serves as Senior Producer.
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be broadcast live on CBS and MTV and will be available to stream on Paramount+.
Madonna leads the 2026 VMA nominations with 11 nods, followed closely by Mrs. Travis Kelce herself, Taylor Swift, with 9. Other nominees include Ella Langley, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande, Geese, Mariah the Scientist and Sombr.
The VMAs’ top category, Video of the Year, includes nominees Ariana Grande for “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” Bruno Mars for “I Just Might,” GENER8ION ft. Yung Lean for “Storm,” Madonna for “Confessions II – The Film,” Sabrina Carpenter for “Tears” and Taylor Swift for “The Fate of Ophelia.”
