The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations are officially out. MTV announced the complete list of nominees on Tuesday, August 18. Madonna leads this year’s pack with 11 nominations, marking her biggest VMA haul ever. Taylor Swift follows closely with nine nominations. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each secured seven nominations.
The 2026 VMAs will take place on Sunday, September 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The show airs live at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on CBS, with simulcasts on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.. Global audiences can watch the show the following day on Paramount+ and MTV.
Madonna Sets Personal Best with 11 Nominations
Madonna, 68, has earned 11 nominations for the 2026 VMAs. This is the first time she has led the nominations since 1998, when she received nine nods and won Video of the Year for “Ray of Light.” She also led in 1990 with nine nominations for “Vogue.”
Her 14-minute short film “Confessions II – The Film” is nominated for Video of the Year. The film celebrates her 15th studio album Confessions II, which came out on July 3 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Madonna is up for:
- Video of the Year
- Artist of the Year
- Song of the Year (“Bring Your Love” with Sabrina Carpenter)
- Best Collaboration
- Best Dance
- Best Direction
- Best Art Direction
- Best Cinematography
- Best Editing
- Best Choreography
- Best Visual Effects
With 19 competitive VMA wins already, Madonna received the Video Vanguard Award in 1986 as the first solo female artist to earn that honor.
Taylor Swift Aims for VMA History
Taylor Swift, 36, follows with nine nominations. She is currently tied with Beyoncé for the most VMA wins ever at 30 Moon Persons. If Swift takes home even one award this year, she will become the most awarded artist in VMA history.
Swift’s video “The Fate of Ophelia” is nominated for Video of the Year. She is also up for Artist of the Year, Best Pop, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and Best Visual Effects.
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter Each Get Seven Nods
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each received seven nominations. Grande’s “hate that i made you love me” is up for Video of the Year. Carpenter’s “Tears” also competes for the top prize.
Grande is nominated for Artist of the Year for a record-extending sixth time. Carpenter, who collaborated with Madonna on “Bring Your Love,” is also nominated for Artist of the Year and Song of the Year.
Other Top Nominees
Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, and Zara Larsson each received five nominations. LISA from BLACKPINK earned four nominations. Shakira and Tate McRae are tied with three each.
GENER8ION and Yung Lean received three nominations for their collaboration “STORM”. CORTIS and Stella Lefty, both first-time nominees, earned two nominations each.
2026 MTV VMAs Full List of Nominees
Video of the Year
- Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
- GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
- Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Tears” – Island
- Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
Artist of the Year
- Ariana Grande – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
- Madonna – Warner Records
- Morgan Wallen – Big Loud/Mercury Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – Island
- Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Song of the Year
- BTS – “Swim” – BIGHIT MUSIC
- Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
- HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – “Golden” – Republic Records/Visva Records
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
- Olivia Dean – “Man I Need” – Island
- PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – Human Re Sources
Best New Artist
- Bella Kay – Atlantic Records
- CORTIS – BIGHIT MUSIC
- Magnus Ferrell – Visva Records/Republic Records
- Malcolm Todd – Columbia Records
- Myles Smith – RCA Records
- Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records
- Stella Lefty – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
Best Collaboration
- Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – “Chains & Whips” – Roc Nation Distribution
- French Montana x Max B – “Ever Since U Left Me” – Coke Boys Records
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
- PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin
- Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – “Hard Part” – Def Jam Recordings
Best Pop
- Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
- Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
- LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./RCA Records
- Olivia Rodrigo – “drop dead” – Geffen Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
- Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
- Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
Best Hip-Hop
- Cardi B ft. Kehlani – “Safe” – Atlantic Records
- Don Toliver – “E85” – Cactus Jack/Atlantic Records
- Drake – “Janice STFU” – OVO/Republic Records
- Megan Thee Stallion – “LOVER GIRL” – Hot Girl Productions
- Travis Scott – “DUMBO” – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
- Tyler, The Creator – “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE” – Columbia Records
Best R&B
- Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
- Chris Brown – “It Depends/Obvious” – RCA Records
- Dave & Tems – “Raindance” – Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
- Justin Bieber – “YUKON” – Def Jam Recordings
- Kehlani – “Folded” – Atlantic Records
- Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis – “Is It a Crime” – Epic Records
Best Alternative
- Geese – “Taxes” – Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
- mgk & Fred Durst – “FIX UR FACE” – EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
- Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide” – Republic Records
- Olivia Rodrigo – “the cure” – Geffen Records
- SOMBR – “Homewrecker” – Partisan Records
- Tame Impala – “Dracula” – Interscope Records
- twenty one pilots – “Holding On” – Fueled By Ramen
Best Dance (Returning Category)
The Best Dance category returns for the first time since 2019. Nominees include Madonna, Tate McRae, PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson, Harry Styles, Bebe Rexha, Slayyyter, Lady Gaga, and Doechii.
Related:
How to Watch and Vote
The 2026 MTV VMAs air live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 27, at 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+.
Fan voting is now open for 13 categories at vote.mtv.com. Voting closes on Friday, September 25, at 6 p.m. ET. The Best New Artist category will stay open into the live show.
This year’s show marks the first time the VMAs will be held on the West Coast in nine years. The last Los Angeles broadcast was in 2017. The host for the 2026 ceremony has not yet been revealed.
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