Nirvana received the 2026 MTV Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs on Sept. 27, with Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear accepting. The honor recognized the band’s influence on music, culture and MTV; it came 34 years after Nirvana’s first VMA appearance in 1992.
In his acceptance speech, Novoselic credited Kurt Cobain’s vision for the band’s videos and said Nirvana still resonates with people seeking authenticity. Cobain died by suicide in 1994, bringing the band to an end.
The “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, released in 1991, has more than 2 billion YouTube views; Nevermind has sold over 30 million copies worldwide.
