Nirvana’s surviving members reunited onstage at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards to accept the Video Vanguard Award, marking another major recognition of the band’s lasting impact on music and visual culture.
During the ceremony, Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear accepted the honor together after Chuck D presented the award. In remarks from the stage, Novoselic reflected on the music videos that helped define Nirvana’s presence during the MTV era and highlighted Kurt Cobain’s creative role in shaping the band’s visual identity.
The award recognized a catalog of videos that became closely connected with Nirvana’s rise in the early 1990s. Songs including Smells Like Teen Spirit helped bring the Seattle band to a worldwide audience as Nevermind became one of the defining albums of its generation.
The VMAs have a long history with Nirvana. The band delivered a memorable performance at the 1992 ceremony, during a period when its influence was rapidly expanding beyond alternative rock.