# Madonna Leads 2026 MTV VMAs Nominations

> Madonna tops 2026 VMAs with 11 nominations, marking her first time as leading nominee since 1998.
- Title: Madonna Leads 2026 MTV VMAs Nominations · Billboard | Shortify
- Summary: Madonna tops 2026 VMAs with 11 nominations, marking her first time as leading nominee since 1998. Madonna has 11 nominations for the 2026 VMAs, her highest…
- Keywords: madonna, mtv, vmas, 2026, nominations, taylor swift, ariana grande, sabrina carter, bruno mars, pinkpantheress, zara larsson, charli xcx
- Source: Billboard — https://billboard.com/lists/2026-mtv-vma-nominations-list-madonna-video-music-awards
- Author: Paul Grein
- Published: 2026-09-19T00:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: madonna, mtv, vmas, 2026, nominations, taylor swift, ariana grande, sabrina carter, bruno mars, pinkpantheress, zara larsson, charli xcx
## 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.
## Key takeaway

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