Madonna leads nominations

Madonna has 11 nominations for the 2026 VMAs, her highest count since 1998.

“Madonna, who stole the show at the first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984 with a jaw-dropping performance of 'Like a Virgin,' is the leading nominee for the 2026 VMAs with 11 nods.”

Top nominees list

Madonna, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande, and Bruno Mars lead the nominations with 11, nine, eight, and six nods respectively.

Video of the Year contenders

Madonna's 14-minute 'Confessions II, The Film' is nominated for video of the year, alongside Taylor Swift's 15-minute 'All Too Well: The Short Film' and Ariana Grande's 26-minute 'Brighter Days Ahead'.

Artist of the Year race

Madonna is nominated for artist of the year for the sixth time, extending her record.

Gender split in nominations

Seven of the eight artists with the most nominations this year are women.

Best new artist

Bella Kay, CORTIS, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro, and Stella Lefty are nominated for best new artist.

First-time nominees

GENER8ION and Yung Lean are first-time nominees with three nominations each, while CORTIS and Stella Lefty have two each.

Best dance category

Madonna's 'Confessions II, The Film' is a strong contender for best dance category, which returns after seven years.

2026 VMAs date and venue

The 2026 VMAs will air live on CBS from Los Angeles on Sunday, September 27, marking the first fall broadcast since 2017.

Fan voting details

Fan voting for 13 categories opens on MTV.com through September 25, with double votes during daily 'Power Hour' from August 20 to September 24.