Madonna leads the pack with 11 nominations at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, followed by Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. The pop icon has received nods in various categories, including video, artist, and song of the year. Other top contenders include Swift, Grande, and Sabrina Carpenter, with Bruno Mars and Morgan Wallen also in the running. The awards show will be broadcast live on CBS and MTV on September 27th.

 

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 & Zara Larsson — “Stateside”
• 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 & Max B — “Ever Since U Left Me”
• Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter — “Bring Your Love”
• PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson — “Stateside”
• 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 & Kentara Sakaguchi — “Dream”
• Olivia Rodrigo — “Drop Dead”
• Sabrina Carpenter — “House Tour”
• Tate McRae — “Nobody’s Girl”
• Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Hip-Hop

• Cardi B & 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 & Zara Larsson — “Stateside”
• Slayyyter — “Dance…”
• Tate McRae — “Nobody’s Girl”

Best Latin

• Anitta & Shakira — “Choka Choka”
• Bad Bunny — “Nuevayol”
• Fuerza Regida — “Tu Sancho”
• Karol G — “Papasito”
• Rosalía & 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 & j-hope of BTS — “Spaghetti”
• LISA & Kentara Sakaguchi — “Dream”

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 & Zara Larsson — “Stateside”
• 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 & Kentara Sakaguchi — “Dream”
• 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 & Kentara Sakaguchi — “Dream”
• 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 & Zayn — “Eyes Closed”
• Madonna — “Confessions II - The Film”
• PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson — “Stateside”
• Raye & Hans Zimmer — “Click Clack Symphony”
• Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”