Madonna leads the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations with 11 nods, ahead of Taylor Swift with nine, while Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, BTS and LISA are among the other major names in this year’s race.

The nominations set up several storylines before the September ceremony. Madonna has opportunities across major and technical categories, Swift is chasing more VMA history, BTS’ “SWIM” has reached the all-genre Song of the Year field, and LISA is competing in pop, K-pop and production categories.

The 2026 MTV VMAs will take place on Sunday, September 27, at the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT and will air on CBS and MTV, with U.S. streaming available through Paramount+, according to the official MTV VMAs announcement.

Madonna leads as Taylor Swift eyes another VMA record

Madonna’s 11 nominations include Artist of the Year, while “Confessions II – The Film” appears in Video of the Year, Best Dance, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography and Best Visual Effects. Her Sabrina Carpenter collaboration “Bring Your Love” is nominated for Song of the Year and Best Collaboration.

Swift’s nine nominations include Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia,” which also appears in Best Pop, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography and Best Visual Effects. “Opalite” is nominated for Best Direction.

Swift entered this awards season with considerable momentum after also receiving nine nominations at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Her VMA tally adds another major awards race to her year.

BTS and LISA strengthen the K-pop field

BTS’ “SWIM” is nominated for both Song of the Year and Best K-pop. In the K-pop category, BTS face BLACKPINK’s “JUMP,” CORTIS’ “REDRED,” KATSEYE’s “PINKY UP,” LE SSERAFIM featuring j-hope’s “SPAGHETTI,” and LISA’s “Dream” featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi.

LISA has four nominations, including Best K-pop, Best Pop, Best Cinematography and Best Editing. The nominations follow another high-profile year for Korean pop acts, including the BTS comeback and global concert activity in 2026.

Major MTV VMAs 2026 nominations

Video of the Year: Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”; Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”; GENER8ION — “STORM starring Yung Lean”; Madonna — “Confessions II – The Film”; Sabrina Carpenter — “Tears”; Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia.”

Song of the Year: BTS — “SWIM”; Ella Langley — “Choosin’ Texas”; HUNTR/X — “Golden”; Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter — “Bring Your Love”; Olivia Dean — “Man I Need”; PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson — “Stateside”; RAYE — “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”

Artist of the Year: Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Madonna, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift.

Best New Artist: Bella Kay, CORTIS, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro and Stella Lefty.

Best Pop: Ariana Grande, Charli xcx, LISA, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae and Taylor Swift.

Best K-pop: BLACKPINK, BTS, CORTIS, KATSEYE, LE SSERAFIM featuring j-hope, and LISA.

Country, dance and first-time nominees add depth

Country artists are appearing beyond the genre-specific category. Morgan Wallen is nominated for Artist of the Year, Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” is in Song of the Year, Shaboozey’s “Cowgirl” is nominated for Best Cinematography, and Stella Lefty appears in Best New Artist.

The Best Country nominees are Ella Langley, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Shaboozey, Stella Lefty and Tucker Wetmore.

Best Dance also returns to the VMAs after a seven-year absence, with nominees including Madonna, Harry Styles, Tate McRae, Lady Gaga and Doechii, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, Slayyyter, and Bebe Rexha and Faithless.

The 2026 field includes 26 first-time VMA nominees. Among them are CORTIS, Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean, Sienna Spiro, Tucker Wetmore, GENER8ION and Yung Lean.

When does MTV VMAs 2026 voting close?

Fan voting is open in 13 categories and is scheduled to close on September 25 at 6 p.m. ET, while Best New Artist voting continues into the awards show. A daily Power Hour from August 20 through September 24 gives fans additional voting opportunities during a designated one-hour period.

With Madonna leading the nomination count, Swift pursuing another historic milestone, BTS in the Song of the Year race and LISA competing across multiple fields, the September 27 ceremony has several major contests beyond the headline nomination totals.

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