Madonna dethrones Taylor Swift with major VMA comeback

Madonna is returning to the MTV Video Music Awards in spectacular fashion.

After nearly 23 years away from the VMA stage and 27 years since her last VMA win, the pop icon is set to open this year’s ceremony – and she enters the night with a chance to make history.

The Like a Prayer singer, 68, is nominated for a record-tying 13 awards, matching the single-year nomination record set by Lady Gag in 2010.

If Madonna wins big, she could surpass Taylor Swift and Beyonce, who currently share the record for the most Moon Person trophies with 30 each.

Madonna’s influence on modern pop music is difficult to overstate.

Lady Gaga’s career along with the careers of countless female superstars who followed, was shaped by the path of Madonna helped create.

From the cinematic Express Yourself and psychedelic Ray of Light to the controversial Like a Prayer and glamorous Vogue, her music videos repeatedly became cultural events.

Her VMA performances were just as unforgettable, including the provocative Like a Virgin performance in 1984 and her headline-making 2003 appearance with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

Madonna also transformed the expectations placed on female pop stars by writing and producing her own music, controlling her career and constantly reinventing her image while challenging conventions surrounding gender, race and sexuality.

Her career may have cooled in the 21st century, but her 2026 album Confessions II has reignited interest.

The sequel to 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor became a critical and commercial success, while its visual companion featuring Sabrina Carpenter, Kate Moss and Benedict Cumberbatch generated major online buzz.

Now, as Madonna prepares for her VMA return, the Queen of Pop has another opportunity to remind audiences why her influence remains unmatched.