Madonna and Taylor Swift Lead Nominations for the 2026 MTV VMAs — See the Full List!
Madonna and Taylor Swift Lead Nominations for the 2026 MTV VMAs — See the Full List!
Daniela AvilaTue, August 18, 2026 at 2:00 PM UTC
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Taylor Swift in March 2026; Madonna in May 2025Credit: Phillip Faraone/Getty; Cindy Ord/MG25/Getty -
Madonna leads the 2026 MTV VMA nominations with 11 nods including Video of the Year and Best Dance
Fan voting is open for 13 categories until Sept. 25 with Best New Artist voting continuing into the show
The VMAs will air live from Los Angeles on Sept. 27 and stream globally on Paramount+ the following day
Nominations for this year’s MTV Video Music Awards are in!
On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the list for this year’s nominees was revealed and Madonna — who’s won 19 Moon Persons in the past — leads with 11 nominations.
Taylor Swift, who’s earned 30 Moon Persons, follows closely behind with nine nominations, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter have seven nominations each.
Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson earned five nominations, while LISA earned four, and Shakira and Tate McRae earned three.
Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter and Bruno MarsCredit: Earl Gibson III/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty; Amy Sussman/Getty; Kevin Mazur/Getty
This year’s first-time nominees include GENER8ION, Yung Lean, CORTIS, Stella Lefty, Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean, Sienna Spiro and Tucker Wetmore.
The Best Dance category is set to return for the first time in seven years and it’s presented by BACARDÍ® Rum.
Nominees for the coveted Video of the Year award include Grande, Bruno Mars, GENER8ION, Madonna, Carpenter and Swift.
Fan voting for the awards show is now open for 13 categories at vote.mtv.com. The voting will close on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. ET, except for Best New Artist, which will remain active into the show.
The 2026 MTV VMAs will broadcast live from Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 27 on the CBS Television Network. It will simulcast on MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. and will be available globally the following day on Paramount+ and MTV.
See the 2026 MTV VMA nominations below.
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
Ariana Grande - Republic Records
Bruno Mars - Atlantic Records
Madonna - Warner Records
Morgan Wallen - Big Loud/Mercury Records
Sabrina Carpenter - Island
Taylor Swift - Republic Records
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, presented by The General Insurance®
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
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
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
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
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Tame Impala - “Dracula” - Columbia Records
twenty one pilots - “Drag Path” - Fueled By Ramen
BEST DANCE, presented by BACARDÍ® Rum
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 - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Slayyyter - “DANCE…” - RECORDS/Columbia Records
Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl” - RCA Records
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
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/Mercury Records
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 - “House Tour” - Island
Taylor Swift - “Opalite” - Republic Records
Charli xcx - “SS26” - Atlantic Records
Lady Gaga & Doechii - “RUNWAY” - Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
SOMBR - “My Body Isn’t Ready” - SMB Music/Warner Records
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
A$AP Rocky - “PUNK ROCKY” - A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records
Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” - Lloud Co./RCA Records
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
Shaboozey - “Cowgirl” - American Dogwood/EMPIRE
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
Bruno Mars - “I Just Might” - Atlantic Records
LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” - Lloud Co./RCA Records
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
Sabrina Carpenter - “House Tour” - Island
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
GENER8ION - “STORM starring Yung Lean” - Iconoclast Music
Harry Styles - “Dance No More” - Columbia Records
KATSEYE - “PINKY UP” - HYBE x Geffen Records
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl” - RCA Records
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
JISOO X ZAYN - “Eyes Closed” - Warner Records
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer - “Click Clack Symphony.” - Human Re Sources
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
