Madonna and Taylor Swift are leading 2026 MTV VMA nominations. While Madonna is leading with 11 nods, Swift with 9 nods and BTS has received 2 nods. Other top contenders include Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter; Bruno Mars, Pink Pantheress and Zara Larsson (five each), among others.
2026 MTV VMA nomination full list
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”
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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”
Rosala ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia — “La Perla”
Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA — “LA VILLA”
Shakira & Burna Boy — “Dai Dai”
Best Kpop
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 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”
When will 2026 MTV VMAs take place?
The MTV VMAs will take place in Los Angeles on September 27. The ceremony will broadcast live in the US on CBS and MTV, stream on Paramount+ and air internationally the next day.