2026 VMAs Nominations Revealed: The Complete Nominee List
Madonna Leads 2026 MTV VMA Nominations with 11 Nods — Here’s Everything You Need to Know
TL;DR: The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations are out! Madonna tops the list with 11 nominations, followed by Taylor Swift (9), and Ariana Grande & Sabrina Carpenter (7 each). The show airs live from LA on September 27 on CBS and MTV.
What Are the VMAs?
Think of the VMAs (Video Music Awards) like a big birthday party for music videos. Every year, MTV throws this party to celebrate the best music videos, songs, and artists. It’s like the Oscars, but for music videos — with way more dancing and colorful outfits!
The Big News: Who Got the Most Nominations?
| Rank | Artist | Nominations | Key Categories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Madonna | 11 | Artist of the Year, Video of the Year, Song of the Year |
| 2nd | Taylor Swift | 9 | Artist of the Year, Video of the Year |
| 3rd (tie) | Ariana Grande | 7 | Artist of the Year, Video of the Year |
| 3rd (tie) | Sabrina Carpenter | 7 | Artist of the Year, Video of the Year |
Important Point: This is Madonna’s biggest VMA year in decades! Her new album Confessions II just hit #1 on the Billboard charts — her first #1 album since 2005.
Video of the Year Nominees (The Biggest Prize!)
This is like "Best Picture" at the Oscars. Here are the 6 videos fighting for the top trophy:
- 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 Nominees
These 6 artists had the biggest year overall:
- Ariana Grande
- Bruno Mars
- Madonna
- Morgan Wallen
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Taylor Swift
Song of the Year Nominees
This award goes to the songwriters — the people who wrote the words and melody:
| Song | Artists |
|---|---|
| "Bring Your Love" | Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter |
| "Swim" | BTS |
| "Choosin’ Texas" | Ella Langley |
| "Golden" | HUNTR/X (EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI) — from the movie K-Pop Demon Hunters |
| "Man I Need" | Olivia Dean |
| "Stateside" (remix) | PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson |
| "Where is My Husband!" | RAYE |
Best New Artist Nominees
Meet the fresh faces! These 7 artists are up for the "Rookie of the Year" award:
- Bella Kay
- CORTIS
- Magnus Ferrell (yes, Will Ferrell’s son!)
- Malcolm Todd
- Myles Smith
- Sienna Spiro
- Stella Lefty
When & Where Can You Watch?
Mark Your Calendar!
- Date: September 27, 2026
- Location: Los Angeles (first time since 2017!)
- TV: CBS (main channel) + MTV (simulcast = same time on both)
- Voting: NOW through September 25 at 6 PM ET → vote.mtv.com
Fun Fact: Best Dance Category Returns!
After 7 years, the "Best Dance" category is back! Sponsored by BACARDÍ® Rum. Madonna, Lady Gaga & Doechii, and Tate McRae are among the nominees.
All Categories at a Glance
Here’s every category with nominees — perfect for your voting checklist!
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 ft. 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 (presented by BACARDÍ® Rum)
- 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 ft. 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"
Technical Categories (Behind-the-Scenes Magic)
These awards go to the creative teams who make videos look amazing:
| Category | What It Means | Nominees Include |
|---|---|---|
| Best Direction | Who "directed" the video like a movie | Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, GENER8ION, Madonna, Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift |
| Best Art Direction | Sets, costumes, visual style | Charli xcx, Lady Gaga & Doechii, Madonna, PinkPantheress, SOMBR, Taylor Swift |
| Best Cinematography | Camera work, lighting, "look" | A$AP Rocky, Ariana Grande, LISA, Madonna, Shaboozey, Taylor Swift |
| Best Editing | How clips are cut together | Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, LISA, Madonna, Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift |
| Best Choreography | Dance moves & routines | GENER8ION, Harry Styles, KATSEYE, Madonna, Tate McRae, Taylor Swift |
| Best Visual Effects | Computer magic & special effects | Ariana Grande, JISOO X ZAYN, Madonna, PinkPantheress, RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer, Taylor Swift |
Summary: What You Need to Remember
- Madonna is the queen of 2026 VMAs with 11 nominations — her biggest year since the 2000s!
- Taylor Swift (9 noms) and Ariana Grande & Sabrina Carpenter (7 each) are right behind her.
- Vote now at vote.mtv.com — voting closes Sept 25 at 6 PM ET.
- Watch live Sept 27 on CBS and MTV from Los Angeles.
- Best Dance category returns after 7 years — look for Madonna, Gaga, and Tate McRae!
- Best New Artist has 7 exciting newcomers, including Magnus Ferrell (Will’s son).
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
Q: How do I vote for the VMAs?
A: Go to vote.mtv.com from now until September 25 at 6 PM ET. You can vote once per day per category!
Q: Why does Madonna have so many nominations this year?
A: Her new album Confessions II debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 — her first #1 album since 2005! The "Confessions II – The Film" video is nominated in almost every major category.
Q: Can I watch the VMAs without cable?
A: Yes! Since it airs on CBS, you can watch with an antenna (free over-the-air) or through streaming services that carry CBS like Paramount+, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, etc.
Q: What’s the difference between "Video of the Year" and "Song of the Year"?
A: Video of the Year = best music video (visuals, story, direction). Song of the Year = best songwriting (lyrics, melody) — awarded to the writers, not just the performer.
Q: Who won the most VMAs ever?
A: Taylor Swift holds the record for most VMA wins in history! She’s nominated for 9 more this year.
Ready to Vote?
Head to vote.mtv.com and make your voice heard! The 2026 VMAs are shaping up to be a historic night — especially if Madonna takes home the top prizes.
Who are you rooting for?