Madonna leads nominations for the ‘2026 MTV Video Music Awards’

In 1984, Madonna performed “Like A Virgin” at the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards and took home the award for ‘Best New Artist.’ 42 years later and the Queen of Pop reigns once again, scoring 11 nominations for the 2026 edition of the award show, and leading all artists like only the Material Girl could.

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Thanks to her CONFESSIONS II - THE FILM, Madonna bested a couple generations worth of other Pop stars, with Taylor Swift landing 9 nods as the next closest artist.

Other top nominees include Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter with 7 each, Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson with 5 nominations, LISA with 4, and Shakira and Tate McRae scoring 3 apiece.

The VMAs will broadcast live from Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 27 on CBS, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+. Fan voting is now open for 13 categories by visiting vote.mtv.com through Sept. 25 at 6PM, ET, except Best New Artist, which remains active into the show.

Check out the full list of nominees below.

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

• 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, presented by The General Insurance

• 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, presented by BACARDÍ Rum

• Bebe Rexha & Faithless - “New Religion” - Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
• Harry Styles - “Aperture” - Columbia 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
• 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$AP Rocky - “PUNK ROCKY” - A$AP 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