Spotify has become the official music and video partner of the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, and for the first time it is putting VMA video content directly on its platform. A dedicated VMA destination is now live, with a curated collection that arrived on September 24, three days before the September 27 broadcast. The company did not disclose a price or a subscription tier for the VMA material, and no regional limits were stated.
The archive is the draw. It includes Madonna's 1984 "Like a Virgin" performance, Nirvana's 1992 "Lithium" turn, and Cardi B's 2017 "Bodak Yellow" set. Madonna is also set to open this year's show, her first VMA performance in more than two decades.
Read more: Spotify Adds Genius Open Mic and Verified Video Episodes
Fans can browse the material through a central hub on desktop, web, and TV, while the mobile experience adds expanded editorial commentary and personalized discovery. An official MTV VMAs video playlist is available ahead of Sunday's show, alongside editorially curated nominee highlights and a hub for Nirvana Video Vanguard 2026. Spotify has also gathered previous podcast conversations with this year's nominees.
According to the announcement, select performance content from the 2026 ceremony will be added after the broadcast. Sarah Patellos, Head of Spotify Music Studios, framed the move around the format's history. "The VMAs have celebrated the music video as an art form for more than 40 years, and we're excited to bring that legacy to Spotify," she said.
The announcement lands in a stretch of video and live-event pushes from Spotify. Earlier in September the company partnered with Genius on a video series that lets users stream full Genius Open Mic episodes, with Genius Verified adding an older episode backlog plus new releases. Spotify also announced its first standalone R&B concert, RNB X Live, a one-day Dallas festival at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory on November 1.
Live programming has been a recurring theme. The Soul Train Awards are set to return to television this fall, with the ceremony taped in Chicago and presented by Spotify and Toyota, and Spotify serving as the exclusive music streaming partner. Spotify also held its second annual Created by Women Summit at its Los Angeles office, drawing 500 guests.
What the VMA announcement leaves open is how much of the ceremony itself will reach the platform. Only select 2026 performance content is promised after the broadcast, and the company has not said which performances those will be.
