Nirvana has received the honorary Video Vanguard Award at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, over 30 years after the band first appeared at the ceremony. The Seattle grunge band was recognised for its enduring and defining influenceon music, contemporary culture and the history of MTV itself.
The band and its members
According to the report, the band was formed in 1987 by Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl.
Cobain took his own life at the age of 27 on 5 April 1994.
On stage, the band's two surviving members were joined by Foo Fighters guitarist Pat Smear, who toured with Nirvana in the 1990s, according to People.
Novoselic's tribute to Kurt Cobain
Speaking immediately after a tribute featuring the band's music videos and archive footage of Cobain, Novoselic said: "Thank you very much to Nirvana fans all over the world and to everyone at MTV. This award brings back so many memories of making those videos."
"The ideas for these videos were born from the vision of one of the greatest artists of all time, Kurt Cobain. Kurt was unique. None of us could have imagined that our band, our sound or our aesthetic would mean so much to so many people. But in the end, the music took on a life of its own. It forged its own path," he said.
"Nirvana continue to touch people so deeply because audiences still hunger for authenticity, for something real and unconventional. For something that tells you it is okay to simply be yourself. Kurt would have loved this legacy," Novoselic concluded.
Introduction by Chuck D
The band was introduced by Public Enemy's Chuck D, who praised it for remaining true to its vision.
"Their sound was loud, beautiful and boldly open. Their lyrics were poetic, raw and deeply human," he said.
"Their music videos marked an era. They were completely authentic and always fearless at a time when the establishment had reached the point of becoming a stereotype," he added.
The ceremony
The 2026 VMA ceremony, hosted by Snoop Dogg, took place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Source: CNA
