Taylor Swift made history at the 2024 MTV VMAs by breaking her tie with Beyoncé for the most Moonman statuettes, adding the inaugural Artist Director Honors to her collection. The 36-year-old pop icon also won Video of the Year for her work on
which she dedicated to the late country legend Dolly Parton. Swift praised Parton’s
during her acceptance speech. The singer also premiered the video for her new single,
which features Colin Farrell and Dakota Johnson and explores themes of toxic relationships. Despite her achievements, Swift lost the Artist of the Year award to Madonna, who reflected on her early career struggles during her acceptance speech.
Madonna, 68, delivered a nostalgic and energetic performance at the event, marking her first VMAs appearance since her 2003 iconic onstage kiss with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. She recounted how her manager once declared her career
after a mishap at the first MTV Awards, quipping,
during her speech. The pop legend also collaborated with Sabrina Carpenter on
and later joked about securing the partnership through social media outreach. The evening also saw grunge pioneers Nirvana receive the Video Vanguard Award, the first group to win the honor in over two decades. Bassist Krist Novoselic emphasized the band’s enduring legacy, stating,