Madonna has garnered 11 nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), as announced by the network. Her career-spanning recognition at these awards continues, having been nominated in every decade since she started. Notably, she won the Video Vanguard Award as the first solo female artist in 1986 and holds 19 competitive MTV VMA wins.
Her nominations this year include prestigious categories: video, artist, and song of the year. She is also a contender for best collaboration, dance, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography, and visual effects. Winning all could position her alongside Beyoncé and Taylor Swift as the most-awarded musicians in VMA history, with 30 wins each.
Taylor Swift comes in next with nine nominations. If she secures even one victory, she will surpass all as the most-awarded artist in VMA history. Swift is contending for video and artist of the year in addition to best pop, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography, and visual effects.
Following Madonna and Swift are Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter with seven nominations each. Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, and Zara Larsson each have five nominations. Blackpink’s Lisa received four, while Shakira, Tate McRae, GENER8ION, and Yung Lean have three each.
The artist of the year nominees include Grande, Mars, Carpenter, Morgan Wallen, alongside Madonna and Swift. The top honor, video of the year, features Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” 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” with Yung Lean.
The awards 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. The event will simultaneously air on MTV and be streamable on Paramount+ in the U.S., with global streaming available the next day on Paramount+ and MTV. CBS, which airs the Grammys until 2027, hosts several other award shows, including the Tony Awards and the American Music Awards.
This VMAs installment introduces 26 first-time nominees. GENER8ION and Yung Lean, both with three nods for their “Storm” collaboration, are among them. The K-pop group CORTIS and viral sensation Stella Lefty received two nominations each. Other newcomers like Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean, Tucker Wetmore, and Sienna Spiro are also recognized.
The best dance category makes its return after seven years. Nominees include McRae’s “Nobody’s Girl,” Bebe Rexha and Faithless’ “New Religion,” Harry Styles’ “Aperture,” Lady Gaga and Doechii’s “Runway,” Madonna’s “Confessions II — The Film,” PinkPantheress’ “Stateside” with Larsson, and Slayyyter’s “Dance …”
Fans began voting online on Tuesday across 13 categories; voting ends on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. Eastern and 3 p.m. Pacific. Voting for the best new artist category stays open during the show.