Nirvana received the Video Vanguard Award, MTV’s highest honor, at the 2026 MTV VMAs on Sunday, September 27, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Surviving members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, joined by longtime touring guitarist Pat Smear, accepted the gold Moon Person trophy, presented by Public Enemy’s Chuck D. They did not perform.

The tribute honored lead singer Kurt Cobain, who died by suicide in 1994 at age 27. Novoselic credited Cobain as the creative vision behind the band’s videos. “Kurt would love that legacy,” he said.

“The ideas for those videos all grew out of the vision of one of the greatest artists of all time, Kurt Cobain,” Novoselic said. “Nirvana continues to resonate so deeply because people are still hungry for authenticity, for something real, something uncompromising… it’s just okay to ‘come as you are.'”

MTV announced the honor on September 9, 2026 — 34 years after Nirvana’s first VMA performance in 1992, when they played “Lithium.” “Smells Like Teen Spirit” won Best New Artist in a Video and Best Alternative Video that year. “In Bloom” won Best Alternative Video in 1993, and “Heart-Shaped Box” won Best Alternative Video in 1994.