BTS MTV VMA dominance continues as the global K-pop sensation clinched three major trophies, including the grand prize for ‘Song of the Year’, at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (MTV VMA).
On September 27 (local time), BTS won ‘Song of the Year’ with ‘Swim’, the title track of their 5th studio album ARIRANG, at the ceremony held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, USA. This marks the first time BTS has won the ‘Song of the Year’ category at the MTV VMA.
With this win, K-pop has claimed the grand prize category for two consecutive years, following Rosé and Bruno Mars winning ‘Song of the Year’ last year with ‘APT.’
BTS and BLACKPINK Lisa Make History at the 2026 MTV VMAs
The ‘Song of the Year’ category featured fierce competition, including ‘Golden’ from the Netflix animated film K-Pop: Demon Hunters OST, Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Bring Your Love’, and Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’.
BTS also took home the awards for ‘Best K-Pop’ and ‘Best Group’. Having won ‘Best Group’ for four consecutive years from 2019 to 2022, this marks their fifth trophy in the category, extending their own record for the most wins. Their ‘Best K-Pop’ win is their fourth, following a three-year streak from 2019 to 2021.
Although BTS won in every category they were nominated for this year, they were unable to attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts.
BLACKPINK’s Lisa Wins Best Pop
Meanwhile, BLACKPINK’s Lisa won the main ‘Best Pop’ award for her single ‘Dream (feat. Kenjiro Sakaguchi)’, surpassing artists like Taylor Swift at the 2026 MTV VMAs.
This marks the second time an Asian artist has won the main ‘Best Pop’ category at the MTV VMA, following BTS in 2020. She is the first Asian soloist and the first K-pop act to achieve this milestone.
