Nirvana will receive the Video Vanguard Award at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, 35 years after the band’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video was filmed in Culver City, MTV announced Wednesday.
The Seattle-area rock band will be honored during the VMAs, which will be held Sept. 27 at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
The announcement came 34 years to the day after Nirvana made its first appearance at the VMAs on Sept. 9, 1992, at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion.
Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, directed by Samuel Bayer, was filmed Aug. 17, 1991, at GMT Studios in Culver City, weeks before the release of the band’s landmark album “Nevermind.”
At the 1992 VMAs, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” won Best New Artist in a Video and Best Alternative Video. Nirvana won five VMAs during its career.
Nirvana emerged from the Pacific Northwest rock scene and broke into the mainstream with “Nevermind,” its second studio album, in 1991. The album included “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Come as You Are,” “Lithium” and “In Bloom.”
The band’s follow-up studio album, “In Utero,” was released in 1993. Nirvana’s original run ended following Cobain’s death in 1994 at age 27.
Nirvana was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, its first year of eligibility. Surviving members Grohl, Novoselic and guitarist Pat Smear have occasionally reunited for performances with guest vocalists.
The Video Vanguard Award recognizes artists for their contributions to music videos and visual culture. Recent recipients include Mariah Carey, Katy Perry, Shakira and Nicki Minaj.
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will air live beginning at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 27 on CBS and MTV, and stream on Paramount+.