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Madonna, Taylor Swift lead star-studded 2026 MTV VMA nominations
Madonna, Taylor Swift lead star-studded 2026 MTV VMA nominations
By Ian Ureta
Madonna leads the nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with 11 nods, putting the pop icon in position to make VMA history.
Madonna has 19 competitive VMA wins and was the first solo female artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award in 1986.
Swift follows Madonna with nine nominations.
Filipino roots are also represented among this year’s nominees. Filipino-American Bruno Mars, born Peter Hernandez, received five nominations including Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for “I Just Might.” KATSEYE, the global girl group with Filipino member Sophia Laforteza, earned two nominations for Best K Pop and Best Choreography for “PINKY UP.”
The 2026 VMAs will take place September 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Fan voting is open in 13 categories through Sept. 25, while voting for Best New Artist will remain open during the ceremony.
Video of the Year
- 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
- Taylor Swift
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 — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
- RAYE — “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”
Best New Artist
- Bella Kay
- CORTIS
- Magnus Ferrell
- Malcolm Todd
- Myles Smith
- Sienna Spiro
- Stella Lefty
Best Collaboration
- Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T & Malice — “Chains & Whips”
- French Montana x Max B — “Ever Since U Left Me”
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter — “Bring Your Love”
- PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
- Shakira & Burna Boy — “Dai Dai”
- Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye — “Hard Part”
Best Pop
- Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”
- Charli xcx — “SS26”
- LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
- Olivia Rodrigo — “drop dead”
- Sabrina Carpenter — “House Tour”
- Tate McRae — “Nobody’s Girl”
- Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Hip-Hop
- Cardi B feat. Kehlani — “Safe”
- Don Toliver — “E85”
- Drake — “Janice STFU”
- Megan Thee Stallion — “LOVER GIRL”
- Travis Scott — “DUMBO”
- Tyler, The Creator — “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE”
Best R&B
- Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”
- Chris Brown — “It Depends/Obvious”
- Dave & Tems — “Raindance”
- Justin Bieber — “YUKON”
- Kehlani — “Folded”
- Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis — “Is It a Crime”
Best Alternative
- Geese — “Taxes”
- mgk & Fred Durst — “FIX UR FACE”
- Noah Kahan — “The Great Divide”
- Olivia Rodrigo — “the cure”
- SOMBR — “Homewrecker”
- Tame Impala — “Dracula”
- twenty one pilots — “Drag Path”
Best Dance
- Bebe Rexha & Faithless — “New Religion”
- Harry Styles — “Aperture”
- Lady Gaga & Doechii — “RUNWAY”
- Madonna — “Confessions II – The Film”
- PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
- Slayyyter — “DANCE…”
- Tate McRae — “Nobody’s Girl”
Best Latin
- Anitta with Shakira — “Choka Choka”
- Bad Bunny — “NUEVAYoL”
- Fuerza Regida — “TU SANCHO”
- KAROL G — “Papasito”
- Rosalía feat. Yahritza Y Su Esencia — “La Perla”
- Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA — “LA VILLA”
- Shakira & Burna Boy — “Dai Dai”
Best K-Pop
- BLACKPINK — “JUMP”
- BTS — “SWIM”
- CORTIS — “REDRED”
- KATSEYE — “PINKY UP”
- LE SSERAFIM feat. j-hope of BTS — “SPAGHETTI”
- LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Best Country
- Ella Langley — “Choosin’ Texas”
- Kacey Musgraves — “Dry Spell”
- Lainey Wilson — “Somewhere Over Laredo”
- Luke Combs — “Back in the Saddle”
- Shaboozey — “Cowgirl”
- Stella Lefty — “Boston”
- Tucker Wetmore — “Brunette”
Best Direction
- 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 — “House Tour”
- Taylor Swift — “Opalite”
Best Art Direction
- Charli xcx — “SS26”
- Lady Gaga & Doechii — “RUNWAY”
- Madonna — “Confessions II – The Film”
- PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
- SOMBR — “My Body Isn’t Ready”
- Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Cinematography
- A$AP Rocky — “PUNK ROCKY”
- Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”
- LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
- Madonna — “Confessions II – The Film”
- Shaboozey — “Cowgirl”
- Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Editing
- Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”
- Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”
- LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
- Madonna — “Confessions II – The Film”
- Sabrina Carpenter — “House Tour”
- Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Choreography
- GENER8ION — “STORM” starring Yung Lean
- Harry Styles — “Dance No More”
- KATSEYE — “PINKY UP”
- Madonna — “Confessions II – The Film”
- Tate McRae — “Nobody’s Girl”
- Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Visual Effects
- Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”
- JISOO X ZAYN — “Eyes Closed”
- Madonna — “Confessions II – The Film”
- PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
- RAYE feat. Hans Zimmer — “Click Clack Symphony.”
- Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”