It’s that time of year again.
The MTV Video Music Awards 2026 will heat up screens on September 27 live from Los Angeles.
Hailed as one of the most important days on the Pop music calendar, all eyes are on who is up for coveted honors at the show’s latest installment.
Madonna leads with a whopping 11 nominations and will be looking to add to her 19 competitive VMA wins.
Elsewhere, Taylor Swift follows with 9 nods, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter nab 7 each. Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, and Zara Larsson are also among the top contenders with 5 nominations apiece.
This year’s ceremony also welcomes 26 first-time nominees and sees the return of the Best Dance category for the first time in seven years.
But what about the rest of the list?
Without further ado, the answer awaits below…
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’
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The VMAs airs from Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on CBS, with the show also simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ in the US.
Voting is open now for 13 categories via MTV’s official site through September 25 at 6 p.m. ET, with voting for Best New Artist remaining open into the show.
