The surviving members of Nirvana reunited at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Sunday night to accept the Video Vanguard Award.
During the ceremony staged at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Public Enemy frontman Chuck D presented bassist Krist Novoselic, drummer Dave Grohl, and guitarist Pat Smear with the prestigious prize.
“Nirvana never bent to the will of the mainstream; they always stayed true to their vision,” he declared of the iconic ’90s grunge band. “Their sound was loud, beautiful, daringly open. The lyrics were raw and deeply human. Their music videos defined an era. They were completely original and always fearless at a time when the status quo got to the point of being formulaic. Today, their influence can be heard in virtually every generation of artists who follow.”
Nirvana’s most famous music videos include the productions for 1991’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, 1991’s In Bloom, and 1993’s Heart-Shaped Box.
And after a compilation of Nirvana videos played for the audience, Novoselic gave a heartfelt speech in which he remembered late frontman Kurt Cobain. The singer-songwriter died by suicide at the age of 27 in 1994.
“Thank you so much to Nirvana’s fans around the world and to everyone at MTV. This award brings back so many memories of making those videos,” the musician began. “We saw the dystopian pep rally with anarchist cheerleaders, our version of an Ed Sullivan’s TV appearance, performing in a Wizard of Oz-like field of poppies, and so many more.”
Novoselic went on to label Cobain as “one of the greatest artists of all time”.
“Kurt was one of one. None of us could have imagined that our band, our sound or our aesthetic would mean so much to so many people. But ultimately, the music had a life of its own. It charted its own course. Nirvana continues to resonate so deeply because people are still hungry for authenticity or something real, something uncompromising. Something that tells you it’s just OK to come as you are,” the 61-year-old stated, referring to the lyrics of the band’s 1992 single, Come as You Are. “Kurt would have loved that legacy. Thank you all so much.”
Foo Fighters frontman Grohl stood stoically during the remarks, while Smear smoked a cigarette.
Previous recipients of the Video Vanguard Award, sometimes called the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, include Mariah Carey, Katy Perry, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, and U2, among many others.
