Nirvana receive the Video Vanguard at the 2026 VMAs: “people are still hungry for authenticity”
Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear took the stage; the first group honored since Duran Duran in 2003.
Nirvana received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, the VMAs’ top career honor. Public Enemy’s Chuck D presented the trophy to Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear.
Novoselic did the talking, saying the band still resonates because “people are still hungry for authenticity” and calling Kurt Cobain “one of the greatest artists of all time”. Grohl stayed silent, and Smear lit a cigarette on stage.
A montage revisited “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, “In Bloom”, “Come As You Are”, “Heart-Shaped Box” and the Unplugged “All Apologies”. They are the first group to get the Vanguard since Duran Duran in 2003 — in the same year MTV dropped its rock categories.
