Miley Cyrus is leading early predictions for MTV’s highest honor, with mounting buzz pointing to the pop icon as the frontrunner for the VMA Video Vanguard Award.
Two decades after stepping into the spotlight, the Grammy winner has built a legacy filled with record-breaking music videos and iconic pop culture moments. From swinging on a wrecking ball to reinventing her image with every era, Cyrus has more than proven she deserves a place among the network’s biggest legends.
Miley Cyrus The No. 1 Contender for Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award
Billboard Magazine shared their predictions for one of the most coveted honors at the MTV VMA’s. They ranked their list of key contenders for the annual Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award, and Miley Cyrus came out on top.
They wrote, “Well, we called Miley Cyrus for this last year too, and that ended up being wrong. But this year it feels just as likely, if not more so — like Taylor Swift, Cyrus has also been in something of a reflective mood this year, with the 20th anniversary of ‘Hannah Montana’ giving her extra reason for such looking-back.”
Billboard continued, “And unlike Swift, she actually now already has a new release on the calendar: ‘Bass Persuades,’ due for a release on Sept. 16, a week and a half before the VMAs. Miley’s an icon of pop music, pop culture and the VMAs specifically; she’s gonna get this award one of these years, and this year would make a lot of sense to finally be the one.”
Who Else Made Billboard’s Best List? The Nine Superstars Who Could Take Home the Trophy
GettyAlong with Miley Cyrus, Billboard named eight other superstars to receive the show’s most prestigious honor.
Making Billboard’s potential list of winners for the Class of 2026 include Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Bruno Mars. Also listed are Ed Sheeran, Charlie xcx, Madonna (who won 40 years ago in 1986), Cardi B and BTS.
Surprisingly, Swift, per Billboard, is the longest shot to win the award. They wrote, “Since doing a ‘Folklore’ medley at the 2021 Grammys, she’s mostly kept her performances to her own Eras Tour and a few intimate live engagements. She may already have her eyes set on next year’s Oscars as the site for her return to the awards-show stage. As she is likely to be in best song contention with her ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ from ‘Toy Story 5.'”
The MTV Video Vanguard Award serves as the network’s lifetime achievement honor. It celebrates music legends and video directors who have transformed music video culture, reported People Magazine. Introduced at the inaugural VMAs in 1984, the award is a gold-plated “Moon Person” trophy. The ceremony is traditionally capped off by a live performance medley from the honoree.
Officially renamed in 1991 to honor Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking contributions to music videos, the award cements a recipient’s place in pop culture history. The Vanguard trophy remains the absolute highest honor in the music video medium.
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET on MTV.
