VIDEO FOR GOOD

Alexander Stewart — “If Only You Knew” — FAE Grp

Billie Eilish — “What Was I Made For (From the Motion Picture “Barbie”)” — Darkroom / Interscope Records — WINNER

Coldplay — “Feelslikeimfallinginlove” — Atlantic Records

Joyner Lucas and Jelly Roll — “Best for Me” — Twenty Nine Music Group

RAYE — “Genesis” — Human Re Sources

Tyler Childers — “In Your Love” — Hickman Holler Records / RCA Records

BEST DIRECTION

Ariana Grande — “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” — Republic Records — Directed by Christian Breslauer

Bleachers — “Tiny Moves” — Dirty Hit — Directed by Alex Lockett and Margaret Qualley

Eminem — “Houdini” — Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records — Directed by Rich Lee

Megan Thee Stallion — “BOA” — Hot Girl Productions — Directed by Daniel Iglesias Jr.

Sabrina Carpenter — “Please Please Please” — Island — Directed by Bardia Zeinali

Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone — “Fortnight” — Republic Records — Directed by Taylor Swift — WINNER

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Ariana Grande — “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” — Republic Records — Cinematography by Anatol Trofimov — WINNER

Charli XCX — “Von Dutch” — Atlantic Records — Cinematography by Jeff Bierman

Dua Lipa — “Illusion” — Warner Records — Cinematography by Nikita Kuzmenko

Olivia Rodrigo — “Obsessed” — Geffen Records — Cinematography by Marz Miller

Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment – Cinematography by Camilo Monsalve

Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto

BEST EDITING

Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment – Editing by Nick Yumul

Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Republic Records – Editing by Luis Caraza Peimbert

Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Editing by David Checel

Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records – Editing by Nik Kohler

Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island – Editing by Jai Shukla

Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Editing by Chancler Haynes – WINNER

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit – Choreography by Margaret Qualley

Dua Lipa – “Houdini” – Warner Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna – WINNER

Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead

Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment – Choreography by Felix ‘Fefe’ Burgos

Tate McRae – “Greedy” – RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead

Troye Sivan – “Rush” – Capitol Records – Choreography by Sergio Reis, Mauro Van De Kerkhof

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Ariana Grande – “The Boy is Mine” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Digital Axis

Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Synapse Virtual – WINNER

Production, Louise Lee, Rich Lee, Metaphysic, Flawless Post

Justin Timberlake – “Selfish” – RCA Records – “Selfish” – RCA Records – Visual Effects by Candice Dragonas

Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Visual Effects by Mathematic

Olivia Rodrigo – “Get Him Back!” – Geffen Records – Visual Effects by Cooper Vacheron, Preston

Mohr, Karen Arakelian, Justin Johnson

Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament

BEST ART DIRECTION

Charli XCX – “360” – Atlantic Records – Art Direction by Grace Surnow

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Trouble in Paradise for Aussie Who Killed and Ate a Puppy

Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloyd Co. / RCA Records – Art Direction by Pongsan Thawatwichian

Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Art Direction by Brittany Porter – WINNER

Olivia Rodrigo – “Bad Idea Right?” – Geffen Records – Art Direction by Nicholas des Jardins

Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island – Art Direction by Nicholas des Jardins

Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Ethan Tobman

BEST TRENDING VIDEO

Beyoncé – “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records 

Camila Cabello ft. Playboi Carti – “I LUV IT” – Geffen / Interscope Records

Chappell Roan – “HOT TO GO!” – Amusement Records / Island Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Charli xcx – “Apple” – Atlantic Records

Megan Thee Stallion ft. Yuki Chiba – “Mamushi” – Hot Girl Productions – WINNER

Tinashe – “Nasty” – Nice Life Recording Company 

BEST GROUP

NSYNC – RCA Records

Coldplay – Atlantic Records

Imagine Dragons – KIDinaKorner / Interscope Records

NCT Dream – SM Entertainment / Virgin Music Group

NewJeans – ADOR / Geffen Records

SEVENTEEN – PLEDIS Entertainment / Geffen Records – WINNER

TOMORROW X TOGETHER – BIGHIT MUSIC / IMPERIAL / Republic Records

Twenty One Pilots – Fueled By Ramen

SONG OF THE SUMMER 

Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records

Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records

Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Darkroom / Interscope Records

Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!” – Amusement Records / Island Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Charli XCX & Billie Eilish – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” – Atlantic Records

Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records

Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar – “Like That” – Wilburn Holding Co. / Boominati / Epic / Republic

GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion – “Wanna Be” – CMG / Interscope Records

Hozier – “Too Sweet” – Columbia Records

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang, under exclusive license to Interscope Records

Post Malone ft. Morgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help” – Mercury / Republic / Big Loud

Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island

Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – American Dogwood / EMPIRE

SZA – “Saturn” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records

Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – WINNER

Tommy Richman – “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” – ISO Supremacy / PULSE Records / Concord 

VMAS MOST ICONIC PERFORMANCE

Beyoncé – “Love on Top”

Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Madonna, Missy Elliot – “Like a Virgin” & “Hollywood”

Eminem – “Real Slim Shady” & “The Way I Am”

Katy Perry – “Roar” – WINNER

Lady Gaga – “Paparazzi”

Madonna – “Like a Virgin”

Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me”

ITHACA, NEW YORK — Progressive politics took center stage at Cornell University as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addressed a packed audience in upstate New York.

Student activists at the event welcomed the Democratic Socialist congresswoman with chants focused on Palestinian rights as her campaign worked to build enthusiasm for Democrats ahead of the midterm elections Sunday.

Before Ocasio-Cortez’s “Students vs. Billionaires” town hall began, Cornell Young Democratic Socialists of America co-chairs Mina Petrova and Zoe Reisman led approximately 2,000 attendees in chants including “from the river to the sea” and “long live the student intifada.” The event was held at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center.

“Cornell is fundamentally a capitalist institution that prioritizes billionaires and profit over students and community and is controlled by CEO trustees that are profiting off of genocide and war,” Petrova told the crowd, drawing applause.

Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign organized the gathering with student activist group More Perfect University, describing it as part of an effort to increase Democratic turnout in areas where the party traditionally performs well before the November election.

Ocasio-Cortez, who has been traveling across upstate New York as she raises her national profile amid speculation about a future presidential or US Senate campaign, criticized Cornell over what she described as efforts to restrict student protesters’ free-speech rights.

EXPLORE MORE: Trump Says He’ll Dine With Anthropic CEO Amid AI Debate

“Whether it’s the issue about Palestine or many others. Whether it’s about people trying to fire those who are forming a union in their workplace, whether it’s people trying to speak up about a number of different issues, we have to respond to that first crackdown,” she said.

“When we come out in numbers, they cannot take us all,” Ocasio-Cortez added.

The slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” remains highly controversial. The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly characterized it as antisemitic in a 2024 resolution, while critics argue that its reference to the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea implies the elimination of Israel and its people.

Ocasio-Cortez voted against that resolution.

The Bronx-Queens representative became a national political figure after defeating longtime Queens Democratic leader Joe Crowley in the party’s 2018 midterm primary. Earlier Sunday, she had been expected to appear alongside Gov. Kathy Hochul.

A spokesperson for Hochul said the governor canceled the planned Ithaca appearance with Ocasio-Cortez earlier that day.

The governor’s office attributed the decision to the nor’easter affecting New York City, although Hochul had no public events listed for Sunday.

Taylor Swift claimed the MTV VMAs 2026’s top prize and used her record-setting moment to honor country icon Dolly Parton. The victory made Swift the most awarded artist in the ceremony’s history, with 32 trophies.

The 36-year-old superstar won the coveted Video of the Year Moon Person for The Fate of Ophelia, dedicating the honor to the legendary musician.

“I want to dedicate this award to one person, without whom this wouldn’t be happening—and that person is the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton,” Swift said.

Her “ultimate showgirl” reference pointed to her hit album The Life of a Showgirl, whose new deluxe edition was released Friday. Swift’s Video of the Year nod was her only nomination of the night.

Swift continued to praise Parton’s artistry, saying: “Every single song that she wrote, her storytelling was so vivid and so rich.”

“Listening to her songs, it’s like watching the best music video you have ever seen in your life, every single time you hear what she has written.”

Parton died at the age of 80 on August 25 following a brief battle with undisclosed cancer.

Continuing her acceptance speech, Swift said Parton approached her life and career with “grace, and joy, and love, and gratitude” for the opportunity to do what she did.

“Everything that happened in her life or her career, she channeled back into love, and gratitude, and appreciation for her fans,” Swift added. “I’m lucky I got to be one of them, and I will always be one of them.”

The Style singer closed with a heartfelt tribute: “I think we were all very, very lucky to share this planet with Dolly Parton for a time.”

Swift’s historic night had already begun when she accepted the inaugural Artist Director Honors, presented by her friend Dakota Johnson.

The achievement ended her tie with Beyoncé, 45, for the most MTV VMAs victories. Both artists arrived at Sunday’s ceremony with 30 awards each.

Because Beyoncé had no nominations this year, Swift emerged as the event’s sole record-holder.

Accepting the honor, Swift explained why music video-making remains so meaningful to her: “The main reason why I love writing and directing music videos so much is because you, the fans, make it so much fun.”

‘You make it so rewarding! Because you actually care about what we’re making.

The MTV VMA Artist Director Honors celebrates a sustained and influential body of work from artists who have pushed creative boundaries and developed a clear directorial voice. Swift has directed 18 of her 60 music videos.

Swift has utilized music videos as an extension of her songwriting as she has directed the visuals for her tracks:  The Fate of Ophelia, Opalite, The Man, cardigan, willow, All Too Well: The Short Film, Anti-Hero, Bejeweled, Fortnight (feat. Post Malone), I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault), Karma (feat. Ice Spice) and Lavender Haze.

It was a big night for Swift as she debuted her new star-studded music video for Patient Zero right after her massive win.  

The 36-year-old superstar directed and penned the script for the video, which stars her close pal Dakota Johnson and acclaimed actor Colin Farrell.

It features a slew of dramatic scenes, including countless hot and heavy moments between Johnson and Farrell, who play a couple in a rocky romance, as well as a forbidden kiss between Farrell and model Cara Delevingne, who plays his mistress.

Swift also acts in the video as the late wife of Farrell’s character who comes back from the dead to warn Johnson’s character of his toxic ways.

A woman has recalled a terrifying encounter with notorious pornographer Raymond “R.C.” Horsch and his felon son, Eugene, more than a decade ago inside their Philadelphia home, which authorities have since linked to several missing and unidentified women.

The woman said she met the father and son during a difficult period in 2012, when she was homeless and struggling with drug use. She immediately recognized them when reports emerged about the Olney property that detectives have connected to seven missing or unidentified women, WPVI reported.

“When I saw this story break, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I know who that is,’” said the woman, who has not been identified.

She met the pair in Camden, New Jersey, and accompanied them to their Philadelphia home. After using drugs, she said she blacked out and later woke in terror to find R.C. Horsch — the author of a disturbing book titled “Memoir of an Empathetic Serial Killer” — standing over her and taking photographs.

“I was terrified. I thought he was going to — him and his son Eugene — I thought they were going to kill me,” she said.

She managed to escape from the residence on Chew Avenue, but said the ordeal continued weeks later when Eugene allegedly threatened her in Camden.

“Eugene was like, ‘You know I can kill you right and nobody would ever find you,’” she recalled.

Now sober for a decade, the woman said others in the area used to warn one another about a man known by his distinctive eye patch.

“We would say, ‘The one-eyed guy, don’t go with him.’ Girls would go missing; we’d be like, ‘Do you think it’s him or the other guy?’”

In 2009, R.C. Horsch was arrested after allegedly attempting to abduct a 9-year-old girl. Investigators later found an eye patch, binoculars, camera equipment and a condom inside his vehicle.

READ MORE: Taylor Swift and Madonna Share Sweet Moment at the 2026 MTV VMAs

The woman has since spoken with Philadelphia detectives and learned that images of her were among more than 1 million files recovered from the house, including material authorities described as snuff movies.

“They were interested in what Eugene said when he threatened me, and whether I thought other girls had been out there,” she said. “I spoke to one girl’s mom, Gabby’s mom,” referring to Gabrielle Amarando’s mother.

She said she also gave investigators the names of women she fears may be missing and could be connected to the case. The investigation began in June after authorities discovered a disturbing scene inside the property, including dangerous chemicals, weapons and writings that referenced serial killers.

“A lot of us are afraid to come forward, but I’m only doing it so the other girls have a chance of getting some type of justice from this,” she said.

Authorities have said they found images and video of two women — Maribel Frieses, who was last seen in 2018, and Amarando, who was last seen in 2012 — that appeared to depict them after their deaths.

Blair Tonzelli, who disappeared in 2023, and Amy McHale, Horsch’s former wife who was last seen in 2016, have also been identified by authorities in connection with the investigation.

McHale’s family said the last known location for her was the Philadelphia home where Horsch and his son lived.

“Something happened to her in that house,” McHale’s mother, Gloria, said.

R.C. Horsch died last year. Investigators believe his remains may be among five urns recovered from the dilapidated brick house.

Eugene Horsch remains in custody on firearms charges as authorities continue investigating the missing and unidentified women linked to the property.