Nirvana will receive the MTV Video Vanguard Award at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, recognizing the band’s lasting impact on music videos and popular culture. The honor was announced ahead of this year’s ceremony, which is scheduled for September 27 in Los Angeles.
The announcement comes 34 years after Nirvana made its first appearance at the VMAs in 1992. During the band’s breakthrough years, videos for songs including Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come as You Are and Heart-Shaped Box became closely associated with the rise of alternative rock on television.
Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl formed Nirvana’s best-known lineup during the group’s early 1990s success. Their music and visual style helped shape the presentation of rock music to a mainstream audience during that period.
The Video Vanguard Award has traditionally recognized artists whose work has made a notable contribution to music video culture. Nirvana’s selection places the band among acts honored for both their musical influence and their impact on the visual side of popular music.