Madonna and Taylor Swift Lead 2026 MTV VMA Nominations—See the Full List

The 2026 MTV VMA nominations are here! Madonna and Taylor Swift lead this year’s nominees at the Video Music Awards, with 11 nods for the former artist and nine for the latter.

Madonna earned nominations in the following categories: Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, best Collaboration, Best Dance, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and Best Visual Effects.

As for Swift, the “Fate of Ophelia” singer is up for a trophy in the Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Best Pop, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and Best Visual Effects categories.

Behind the two pop stars in terms of nominations are Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter, each of whom earned seven nods each. Other top nominees include Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson, LISA, Shakira, and Tate McRae.

Up for their first-ever Moon Person at this year’s ceremony are GENER8ION, Yung Lean, CORTIS, Stella Lefty, Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean, Sienna Spiroe and Tucker Wetmore.

Fans can vote for their favorite artists now by visiting vote.mtv.com. Voting will close on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. ET for all categories except Best New Artist, which will remain open through the show. 

The VMAs will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 27 on CBS and MTV.

2026 MTV Video Music Awards Nominations

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: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – “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 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
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”

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 ft. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony.”
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”

Photo by Christopher Polk/NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images