MTV VMAs Add a New Award — And Stereogum Says It's Really About Taylor Swift

Music site Stereogum published a report on Monday, September 21, 2026, saying the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) has introduced a new award — one the outlet frames as being, in effect, about Taylor Swift.

What the report says

Stereogum's piece revisits the 2009 VMAs moment between Taylor Swift and Kanye West, calling it one of the most widely remembered moments in the ceremony's history — placing it, in the article's own ranking, ahead of Madonna's wedding-dress look, Britney Spears performing with a python, and the Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke collaboration.

The report also notes that MTV works every year to get Swift to attend the ceremony. When she's confirmed to show up, broadcast cameras tend to follow her throughout the night — drinking in her seat, singing along to other artists' performances — effectively making her part of the show itself.

VMAs and Swift's long history together

The VMAs is MTV's annual music video award show, running since 1984 and long known for live, unscripted moments that become talking points. Stereogum's report uses the ceremony's 'most famous moments' as its framing device to explain where Swift stands in the new award's narrative.

Read the full report at Stereogum.