The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations are here, and Madonna has taken the top spot. The legendary pop star leads this year’s nominations with 11 nods. Taylor Swift follows closely with nine.
The nominations highlight a strong year for female artists. Seven of the eight artists with the most nominations are women. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each earned seven nominations. Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, and Zara Larsson received five each. LISA earned four nominations.
The 2026 MTV VMAs will take place on Sunday, September 27, in Los Angeles.
Madonna Makes VMA History Again
Madonna remains one of the biggest names in MTV VMA history. She has earned 19 competitive VMA wins during her career. This year, she could add several more awards to that total.
Madonna’s 11 nominations mark her strongest showing since 1998. She also led the nominations in 1990, when she received nine nods.
Her 14-minute project, “Confessions II – The Film,” earned nominations across major categories. It is competing for Video of the Year and several creative awards.
Madonna also received nominations for Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best Dance, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and Best Visual Effects.
Taylor Swift Has a Chance to Make History
Taylor Swift enters the 2026 MTV VMAs with nine nominations. She currently holds a record 30 Moon Person wins.
Swift could make history with another win this year. One additional VMA victory would move her ahead of the current record for the most-awarded artist in VMA history.
She is nominated for Video of the Year with “The Fate of Ophelia.” Swift also competes for Artist of the Year, Best Pop, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and Best Visual Effects.
The Video of the Year category will be one of the night’s biggest battles.
Video of the Year Nominees
Six artists are competing for the 2026 Video of the Year award.
The nominees are:
- Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”
- Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”
- GENER8ION — “STORM starring Yung Lean”
- Madonna — “Confessions II – The Film”
- Sabrina Carpenter — “Tears”
- Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
Three of the nominees have already won this major award. Grande, Madonna, and Swift are all previous Video of the Year winners.
For GENER8ION and Yung Lean, the nomination offers a major opportunity to reach a wider audience.
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter Among Top Nominees
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each earned seven nominations. Their strong presence adds even more competition to the major categories.
Grande received nominations for Video of the Year and Artist of the Year. She also appears in Best Pop, Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Visual Effects.
Carpenter is nominated for Video of the Year and Artist of the Year. She also competes in Best Pop, Best Collaboration, Best Direction, and Best Editing.
Bruno Mars also remains a major contender with five nominations. His nods include Video of the Year and Artist of the Year.
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Best New Artist Features Several First-Time Nominees
The 2026 VMAs also introduce a new group of artists to the competition. Best New Artist nominees include Bella Kay, CORTIS, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro, and Stella Lefty.
Several other artists received their first VMA nominations. They include Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean, Tucker Wetmore, GENER8ION, and Yung Lean.
The first-time nominees could become some of the breakout stars of this year’s ceremony.
Best Dance Category Returns
One notable change is the return of the Best Dance category. The category comes back after a seven-year absence.
The nominees include Madonna, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga and Doechii, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, Tate McRae, Slayyyter, and Bebe Rexha and Faithless.
Madonna has never won the Best Dance award. Her nomination for “Confessions II – The Film” gives her another opportunity to add the honor to her collection.
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When and Where to Watch the 2026 MTV VMAs
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Sunday, September 27, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
The ceremony will broadcast on CBS and simulcast on MTV. Viewers in the United States can also stream the show on Paramount+.
The ceremony will become available globally on Paramount+ and MTV the following day.
Fan voting is open in 13 categories until September 25 at 6 p.m. ET. Best New Artist voting will remain open during the live show.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 MTV VMAs are shaping up to be a major night for music. Madonna leads the nominations, while Taylor Swift is close behind and has a chance to break the all-time VMA wins record.
With major stars such as Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson, and LISA also competing, the awards promise plenty of memorable moments.
The biggest question now is whether Madonna can turn her record 11 nominations into another historic VMA night.
