2026 MTV Video Music Awards: Madonna opens, Lisa, Shaboozey, Raye debut in LA show

The ceremony will air live from Los Angeles on Sept. 27, streamed on CBS, MTV and Paramount+, with Snoop Dogg hosting and a lineup that includes Madonna, Lisa, Shaboozey, Raye, Sienna Spiro, GENER8ION, Gunna and Yung Lean.

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are set to return to Los Angeles for the first time since 2017, with the ceremony scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 27. The show will be broadcast live on CBS, simulcast on MTV and streamed on Paramount+ and other CBS-affiliated services.

Madonna will open the night, marking her first VMA performance in 23 years, while a slate of first-time performers – Lisa, Shaboozey, Raye, Sienna Spiro, GENER8ION and Yung Lean – will debut solo and collaborative sets. Snoop Dogg will host, bringing his own brand of humor to the awards.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Madonna will open the VMAs, the first time she has performed at the show since 2003. Lisa will return to the VMA stage to debut the television performance of her new single “SaWaDiKa,” taken from her upcoming EP Press Play.

Raye, a British singer nominated twice this year, will make her VMA performance debut, including a solo set that follows her nomination for Song of the Year with “Where Is My Husband!” Shaboozey will also debut, performing his solo single “Cowgirl” and joining Gunna for the first broadcast performance of their collaboration “High Noon.”

First-time nominees Sienna Spiro and GENER8ION will also take the stage. Spiro, up for Best New Artist, will deliver a solo performance, while GENER8ION will team with Yung Lean to present the world premiere of “Storm II.” All of these acts are listed as part of the performer lineup announced by the network.

The ceremony will be produced by Gunpowder & Sky, with Van Toffler serving as producer and a team of executive producers that includes Jesse Ignjatovic, Barb Bialkowski, Bruce Gillmer, Barry Barclay, Floris Bauer, Melanie Block, Gary Lanvy, Snoop Dogg, Sara Ramaker and Jasmin Ratansi. Jen Proctor is listed as executive talent producer.

The VMAs will be aired live from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, marking the first time the show has been staged in the city since Katy Perry hosted at The Forum in 2017. The broadcast will run from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET (4:30 to 6:30 p.m. PT) as detailed by ELLE.

In addition to the linear broadcast on CBS and MTV, the ceremony will stream live on Paramount+ for premium subscribers. Paramount+ Essential subscribers can view the full ceremony the next day, and the event will also be available through streaming apps that carry CBS, such as Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and DIRECTV STREAM.

Los Angeles regains a marquee live-music moment as the VMAs return after a nine-year gap, spotlighting the city’s iconic Peacock Theatre and reinforcing its status as a hub for global pop culture. The mix of legacy acts and fresh talent offers local fans a rare chance to see debut performances that could shape next-year’s charts, while the multi-platform broadcast ensures the city’s cultural relevance reaches both downtown audiences and streaming households.