Nirvana's surviving members—Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, and Pat Smear—reunited at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on 27 September to accept the Video Vanguard Award, one of the ceremony's highest honours. The reunion, occurring three decades after the grunge band's MTV debut, paid tribute to late lead singer Kurt Cobain, who died by suicide in 1994 aged 27. The award recognised the band's outstanding contributions to music videos and popular culture, placing them amongst prestigious recipients including The Beatles, David Bowie, and David Byrne.

During his acceptance speech, bassist Novoselic delivered a touching tribute to Cobain, stating that the band's enduring legacy stemmed from its authenticity and uncompromising sound. He noted that Cobain "would love that legacy" of people remaining hungry for something real. Nirvana has previously won multiple VMAs, including Best New Artist in a Video and Best Alternative Video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (1992), "In Bloom" (1993), and "Heart-Shaped Box" (1994)—the final award presented after Cobain's death, when Grohl spoke of missing him.