BTS swept all three of its nominations at the 2026 MTV VMAs, winning Song of the Year, Best K-Pop and Best Group. However, each trophy came from the 17 categories that were not part of the live CBS and MTV telecast.
BTS’s win marks the first Asian group to win Song of the Year in the show’s history and the second Asian act to take the prize, after Blackpink’s Rosé won last year (with Bruno Mars, for “APT”). “SWIM,” the lead track from the group’s fifth album Arirang, beat Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” HUNTR/X’s “Golden,” Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Bring Your Love,” Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need,” PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson’s “Stateside” and Raye’s “Where Is My Husband!.”
They were nominated in 2021 as the first Korean nominees ever for Song of the Year, but only won the category this year.
BTS also won the fan-voted Best Group award for a fifth time, adding to the four straight victories from 2019 to 2022.
Their previous four wins were already the most by any act in the category, so the new trophy extends the record. In Best K-Pop, BTS beat Blackpink, Cortis, Katseye, Le Sserafim featuring J-Hope and LISA.
BTS and LISA were tied at three wins each before the show, so the victory gives BTS a fourth and sole possession of the category record for the VMAs’ Best K-Pop.
The group returned in March with Arirang after suspending group activities in late 2022 for military conscription.
The VMAs comprise awards in 23 categories, but only six of them were given out on stage. On-air awards included Best Pop for LISA, Best Collaboration, Best Dance and Artist of the Year for Madonna, Best New Artist for Sienna Spiro and Video of the Year for Taylor Swift.
BTS was not in attendance at the live ceremony either, keeping up with their existing VMAs non-appearance streak. Other absent nominees included Ariana Grande, KATSEYE and more.
Source: Forbes
