New York – The MTV Video Music Awards announced its 2026 nomination slate on Tuesday, and the headline names are familiar to fans of pop music across the nation. Madonna earned the most nominations, with eleven nods spanning categories such as Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, and technical fields like Direction, Art Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Choreography and Visual Effects.
Madonna’s achievement is notable because she has been nominated in every decade of her career, a testament to her lasting influence on the medium. She already holds 19 competitive VMA wins and was the first solo female artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award back in 1986.
Taylor Swift close behind
Taylor Swift follows with nine nominations, placing her second on the list. Her nominations include Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Best Pop Video, and the same technical categories as Madonna. If Swift secures at least one award, she will become the most‑awarded artist in VMA history, surpassing the current record of 30 wins held jointly by Beyoncé and herself.
Other artists receiving multiple nominations are Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter, each with seven nods, and Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, each with five. Blackpink’s Lisa earned four nominations, while Shakira, Tate McRae, GENER8ION and Yung Lean each received three.
Key categories and competition
The Artist of the Year category includes Grande, Mars, Carpenter and Morgan Wallen alongside Madonna and Swift. Video of the Year pits 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” featuring Yung Lean.
The Best Dance category returns after a seven‑year hiatus, with nominees such as Tate McRae’s “Nobody’s Girl,” Bebe Rexha & Faithless’s “New Religion,” Harry Styles’s “Aperture,” Lady Gaga & Doechii’s “Runway,” Madonna’s “Confessions II – The Film,” PinkPantheress’s “Stateside” (featuring Zara Larsson) and Slayyyter’s “Dance …”.
Voting and broadcast details
Fan voting began online on Tuesday across 13 categories and will close on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. Eastern / 3 p.m. Pacific. Voting for Best New Artist will remain open during the live ceremony.
The two‑hour show will air live on CBS on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern / 4:30 p.m. Pacific, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. It will also be simulcast on MTV and streamed on Paramount+ in the United States, with global streaming available the following day.
This year’s VMA slate features 26 first‑time nominees, including the K‑pop boy band CORTIS, viral singer Stella Lefty, and newcomers Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean, Tucker Wetmore and Sienna Spiro.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
