TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pop icon Madonna tops all nominees for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with 11 nominations, organizers announced Tuesday, August 18. Taylor Swift follows closely with nine nods, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter earned seven nominations each.
According to reports by Variety, other major contenders include Bruno Mars, Zara Larsson, and PinkPantheress with five nominations each. Blackpink’s Lisa secured four nominations, while Tate McRae and Shakira tied with three each.
The ceremony will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 27, marking the broadcast's first West Coast staging in nine years since the 2017 event. The two-hour show will air live on CBS and MTV while streaming on Paramount+. The return of the Best Dance category, sponsored by BACARDÍ Rum, also marks its first inclusion in seven years.
Public voting across 13 categories opened Tuesday on MTV's website and will run through September 25, with voting for Best New Artist remaining open through the live telecast.
First-time nominees this year include GENER8ION, Yung Lean, CORTIS, Stella Lefty, Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean, Sienna Spiro, and Tucker Wetmore.
The 2026 VMAs are being produced by Gunpowder & Sky, with MTV veteran Van Toffler serving as lead producer alongside executive producers Jesse Ignjatovic, Barbara Bialkowski, Bruce Gillmer, Barry Barclay, and Floris Bauer.
Complete List of 2026 MTV VMA Nominees
Here is the full list of nominees for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- 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
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Ariana Grande – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
- Madonna – Warner Records
- Morgan Wallen – Big Loud/Mercury Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – Island
- Taylor Swift – Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
- 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
- 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
BEST COLLABORATION
- 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
BEST POP
- 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
BEST ALTERNATIVE
- 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
- Tame Impala – “Dracula” – Columbia Records
- Twenty One Pilots – “Drag Path” – Fueled By Ramen
BEST DANCE
- Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion” – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
- Harry Styles – “Aperture” – Columbia Records
- Lady Gaga & Doechii – “Runaway” – 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
BEST LATIN
- 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
BEST COUNTRY
- 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
BEST DIRECTION
- 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
BEST ART DIRECTION
- 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
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
- A$AP Rocky – “Punk Rocky” – AAP 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
BEST EDITING
- 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
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
- 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
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
- 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
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