2026 MTV Video Music Awards: Nominations, Favorites, and Exciting Categories
The 2026 MTV Video Music Award nominations have been announced, with Madonna leading the pack with 11 nominations. Madonna has been nominated in every decade of her career and has 19 competitive wins. Following Madonna is Taylor Swift with nine nominations, and if she wins, she will become the most-awarded artist in VMA history. Other artists with multiple nominations include Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, and Zara Larsson.
The top prize of the night, video of the year, will see Swift's “The Fate of Ophelia” competing against Madonna’s “Confessions II — The Film,” Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” Mars' “I Just Might,” Carpenter’s “Tear,” and GENER8ION’s “Storm” starring Yung Lean. The two-hour show will be broadcast live on CBS on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern and 4:30 p.m. Pacific, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
This year’s Video Music Awards features 26 first-time nominees, including GENER8ION, Yung Lean, CORTIS, and Stella Lefty. The best dance category has returned after seven years, with nominees like Tate McRae, Bebe Rexha, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Madonna, PinkPantheress, and Slayyyter. Fan voting is open online across 13 categories until Sept. 25.
With a star-studded lineup of nominees and exciting categories, the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards promise to be a night to remember. Tune in to see who will take home the coveted Moon Person trophies and make history in the world of music and entertainment.