Pop icon Madonna has emerged as the leading nominee for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, securing a career-best 11 nominations.
The milestone marks the first time she has topped the VMAs nominations since 1998, when she won Video of the Year for Ray of Light. Madonna previously led the nominations in 1990 with nine nods for Vogue. Her latest achievement further cements her enduring influence on global pop music and the MTV VMAs.
Madonna’s 14-minute “Confessions II – The Film” is nominated for video of the year. Two recent winners in that category were likewise longer-form pieces: Taylor Swift’s 15-minute “All Too Well: The Short Film,” which won in 2022, and Ariana Grande’s 26-minute “Brighter Days Ahead,” which won last year.
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Swift, who has won a record 30 Moon Persons, is second on the leaderboard with nine nominations. Other top contenders include Grande and Sabrina Carpenter (seven nods each); Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson (five each); and LISA (four). You’ll notice that seven of the eight artists with the most nominations this year are women.
Three past winners for video of the year are nominated in that marquee category again this year: Grande (“hate that i made you love me”), Madonna (“Confessions II – The Film”) and Swift (The Fate of Ophelia).” The three other nominees, vying for their first win in the category, are Mars (“I Just Might”), Carpenter (“Tears”) and GENER8ION (“Storm”), starring Yung Lean.
The latter video may be the least known of this year’s video of the year nominees and thus stands to gain the most by the nomination. Gener8ion is an audiovisual collaboration between French DJ Surkin and director Romain Gavras. “Storm” stars Swedish rapper Yung Lean, who plays a disruptive and aggressive student at an all-boys British boarding school.
Grande is nominated for artist of the year for a record-extending sixth time. Swift is a beat behind, landing her fifth nomination in the category. Morgan Wallen is nominated for the second year in a row, giving country representation in a high-profile category.
The other nominees in the category are Mars (his third), Carpenter (her second) and Madonna (her first). For the first time since the category was introduced in 2017, no hip-hop artists were nominated in the category. For the first time in five years, no Latin artists were nominated in the category.
The nominees for best new artist are Bella Kay, CORTIS, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro and Stella Lefty. Spiro is considered a leading candidate for the Grammy for best new artist, along with Ella Langley, who was nominated in this category at last year’s VMAs (though she didn’t advance to the final three).
First-time nominees receiving multiple nods are GENER8ION and Yung Lean (three each) and CORTIS and Lefty (two each). Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean and Tucker Wetmore are also among those competing for their first Moon Persons.
The best dance category returns for the first time in seven years. Madonna has yet to win in the category, which was first presented in 1989. She may well win this year for “Confessions II –the Film.” The other nominees in the category are Bebe Rexha & Faithless’ “New Religion,” Harry Styles’ “Aperture,” Lady Gaga & Doechii’s “RUNWAY,” PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson’s “Stateside,” Slayyyter’s “DANCE…” and Tate McRae’s “Nobody’s Girl.”
Two genre categories that were presented on last year’s show, best rock and best Afrobeats, were not in the initial announcement of nominees. Also missing, for now at least, are these categories that were presented last year: best pop artist.
Push performance of the year, best album, video for good, best long-form video, best group and song of summer.
All of the lead nominees for best pop are women, though a few male artists who might have been nominated in that category wound up in different genre categories instead. Bruno Mars (“I Just Wait”) and Justin Bieber (“YUKON”) are nominated for best R&B; Harry Styles (“Aperture”) for best dance.
Fan voting is now open for 13 categories by visiting vote.MTV.com through Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. ET, except best new artist, which remains active into the show. Fans can get double the votes per category every day during “Power Hour,” running daily 1-2 p.m. ET from Aug. 20 through Sept. 24.
The VMAs will broadcast live from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 27 (7:30-9:30 p.m. ET/4:30-6:30 p.m. PT) on CBS. The show will simulcast on MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. The show will also be available globally the next day on Paramount+ and MTV.
This will be the first time the show has been held in the Los Angeles area since 2017, when Katy Perry hosted the show from The Forum in Inglewood. This will be the second year in a row that the show has aired on CBS. It will be the first time the VMAs have been held in the fall. Previous shows were all held in late summer.
The 2026 VMAs are produced by Gunpowder & Sky. Van Toffler serves as producer for the second year in a row. Jesse Ignjatovic of Den of Thieves, Barbara Bialkowski and Bruce Gillmer serve as executive producers, alongside Barry Barclay and Floris Bauer. Melanie Block serves as co-executive producer and Gary Lanvy as co-producer.
Here’s the full list of nominees for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards. (Nominees are listed in alphabetical order by first name.)
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 + Zara Larsson – “Stateside” – 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 + Zara Larsson – “Stateside” – 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 feat. 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” – Mercury Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “the cure” – Geffen Records
SOMBR – “Homewrecker” – SMB Music/Warner Records
Tame Impala – “Dracula” – Columbia Records
twenty one pilots – “Drag Path” – Fueled By Ramen
Best Dance
Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion” – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
Harry Styles – “Aperture” – Columbia Records
Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Slayyyter – “DANCE…” – RECORDS/Columbia Records
Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
Best Latin
Anitta with Shakira – “Choka Choka” – Republic Records/UMLE
Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL” – Rimas Entertainment
Fuerza Regida – “TU SANCHO” – Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
KAROL G – “Papasito” – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia – “La Perla” – Columbia Records
Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA – “LA VILLA” – AWOO Corp./ Sony Music US Latin
Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin
Best K-Pop
BLACKPINK – “JUMP” – YG Entertainment
BTS – “SWIM” – BIGHIT MUSIC
CORTIS – “REDRED” – BIGHIT MUSIC
KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) – “SPAGHETTI” – SOURCE MUSIC
LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
Best Country
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
Kacey Musgraves – “Dry Spell” – Lost Highway/Interscope Records
Lainey Wilson – “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Broken Bow Records
Luke Combs – “Back in the Saddle” – Columbia Nashville
Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
Stella Lefty – “Boston” – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
Tucker Wetmore – “Brunette” – Back Blocks Music/MCA/Mercury Records
