Madonna and Taylor Swift lead the 2026 MTV VMAs nominations, with 11 and nine nods respectively. Both are up for Video of the Year — Madonna for Confessions II – The Film and Swift for The Fate of Ophelia — alongside Bruno Mars, Gener8ion with Yung Lean, Ariana Grande, and Sabrina Carpenter.
The ceremony airs live from Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 27 on CBS, with a simulcast on Paramount+ and MTV. Snoop Dogg hosts, and Nirvana receives the Video Vanguard Award.
The Top Contenders
Madonna’s 11 nominations span multiple categories. PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson each earned five nods, including Song of the Year for their collaboration “Stateside.” Geese landed one nomination, for “Taxes” in Best Alternative.
Missing Categories
Several categories from previous VMAs did not appear in this year’s announcement, per Billboard. They include Best Rock, Best Afrobeats, Best Pop Artist, Push Performance of the Year, Best Album, Video for Good, Best Long-form Video, Best Group, and Song of the Summer.
Video of the Year
The full list of nominees:
- 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”
Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Madonna, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift are all in the running.
Song of the Year
- BTS – “Swim”
- Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
- Huntr/x – “Golden”
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love”
- Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”
- PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
- Raye – “Where Is My Husband!”
Genre Categories
Best Hip-Hop features Drake’s “Janice STFU,” Tyler, the Creator’s “Sugar on My Tongue,” and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Lover Girl.” Best R&B includes Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, and Justin Bieber. Best K-Pop pits Blackpink against BTS, Katseye, and Le Sserafim with J-Hope.
Best Country includes Ella Langley, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Shaboozey, Stella Lefty, and Tucker Wetmore. Best Latin features Bad Bunny, Rosalía, Karol G, and Shakira with Burna Boy.
Craft Awards
Madonna appears in every craft category — Best Direction, Art Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Choreography, and Visual Effects. Taylor Swift also appears in six of the seven categories.
The ceremony marks another year of MTV returning as a simulcast home, with CBS airing the show alongside Paramount+ and MTV.
The show airs Sept. 27.
Source: pitchfork.com