Taylor Swift, Madonna lead 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations

Madonna and Taylor Swift are looking to add to their collection of MTV Video Music Award wins.

MTV announced Tuesday that Madonna leads this year's field of VMA nominees with 11 nods, while Swift is close behind with nine nods.

Bruno Mars is also among the top contenders for a Moon Person trophy this year, securing five nominations: artist of the year, video of the year, best R&B, best direction, and best editing for "I Just Might."

Elsewhere in the nominations list, Burna Boy, Doechii and Kehlani each have two nods, while Don Toliver's first chance at winning a Moon Person comes with his best hip-hop nomination for "E85."

"E85" will compete in the best hip-hop category against Cardi B's "Safe" featuring Kehlani, Drake's "Janice STFU," Megan Thee Stallion's "Lover Girl," Travis Scott's "Dumbo," and Tyler, The Creator's "Sugar on My Tongue."

In the best R&B category, Mars is up against Chris Brown ("It Depends/Obvious"), Dave and Tems ("Raindance"), Justin Bieber ("Yukon"), Kehlani ("Folded"), and Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis ("Is It a Crime").

A$AP Rocky's "PUNK ROCKY" earned a nomination for best cinematography, and Olivia Dean's "Man I Need" is up for song of the year.

Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, and Malice's "Chain & Whips" is among the nominees for best collaboration, as are "Ever Since U Left Me" by French Montana x Max B; "Dai Dai" by Shakira and Burna Boy; "Hard Part" by Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye; and more.

The 2026 MTV VMAs will air live from Los Angeles on Sept. 27 on CBS and will be simulcast on MTV and stream on Paramount+. Voting is open through Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. ET.

See the full list of nominees below.

Video of the year

"hate that i made you love me" - Ariana Grande
"I Just Might" - Bruno Mars
"STORM starring Yung Lean" - GENER8ION
"Confessions II - The Film" - Madonna
"Tears"- Sabrina Carpenter
"The Fate of Ophelia" - Taylor Swift

Artist of the year

Ariana Grande
Bruno Mars
Madonna
Morgan Wallen
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift

Song of the year

"Swim" - BTS
"Choosin' Texas" - Ella Langley
"Golden" - HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI
"Bring Your Love" - Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter
"Man I Need" - Olivia Dean
"Stateside + Zara Larsson" - PinkPantheress
"WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!" - RAYE

Best new artist

Bella Kay
CORTIS
Magnus Ferrell
Malcolm Todd
Myles Smith
Sienna Spiro
Stella Lefty

Best collaboration

"Chains & Whips" - Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice
"Ever Since U Left Me" - French Montana x Max B
"Bring Your Love" - Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter
"Stateside + Zara Larsson" - PinkPantheress
"Dai Dai" - Shakira and Burna Boy
"Hard Part" - Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye

Best pop

"hate that i made you love me" - Ariana Grande
"SS26" - Charli xcx
"Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi" - LISA
"drop dead" - Olivia Rodrigo
"House Tour" - Sabrina Carpenter
"Nobody's Girl" - Tate McRae
"The Fate of Ophelia" - Taylor Swift

Best hip-hop

"Safe" - Cardi B ft. Kehlani
"E85" - Don Toliver
"Janice STFU" - Drake
"LOVER GIRL" - Megan Thee Stallion
"DUMBO" - Travis Scott
"SUGAR ON MY TONGUE" - Tyler, The Creator

Best R&B

"I Just Might" - Bruno Mars
"It Depends/Obvious" - Chris Brown
"Raindance" - Dave and Tems
"YUKON" - Justin Bieber
"Folded" - Kehlani
"Is It a Crime" - Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis

Best alternative

"Taxes" - Geese
"FIX UR FACE" - mgk and Fred Durst
"The Great Divide" - Noah Kahan
"the cure" - Olivia Rodrigo
"Homewrecker" - SOMBR
"Dracula" - Tame Impala
"Drag Path" - twenty one pilots

Best dance

"New Religion" - Bebe Rexha and Faithless
"Aperture" - Harry Styles
"RUNWAY" - Lady Gaga and Doechii
"Confessions II - The Film" - Madonna
"Stateside + Zara Larsson" - PinkPantheress
"DANCE…" - Slayyyter
"Nobody's Girl" - Tate McRae

Best Latin

"Choka Choka" - Anitta with Shakira
"NUEVAYoL" - Bad Bunny
"TU SANCHO" - Fuerza Regida
"Papasito" - KAROL G
"La Perla" - Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia
"LA VILLA" - Ryan Castro, Kapo and GANGSTA
"Dai Dai" - Shakira and Burna Boy

Best K-pop

"JUMP" - BLACKPINK
"SWIM" - BTS
"REDRED" - CORTIS
"PINKY UP" - KATSEYE
"SPAGHETTI" - LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS)
"Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi" - LISA

Best country

"Choosin' Texas" - Ella Langley
"Dry Spell" - Kacey Musgraves
"Somewhere Over Laredo" - Lainey Wilson
"Back in the Saddle" - Luke Combs
"Cowgirl" - Shaboozey
"Boston" - Stella Lefty
"Brunette" - Tucker Wetmore

Best direction

"hate that i made you love me" - Ariana Grande
"I Just Might" - Bruno Mars
"STORM starring Yung Lean" - GENER8ION
"Confessions II - The Film" - Madonna
"House Tour" - Sabrina Carpenter
"Opalite" - Taylor Swift

Best art direction

"SS26" - Charli xcx
"RUNWAY" - Lady Gaga and Doechii
"Confessions II - The Film" - Madonna
"Stateside + Zara Larsson" - PinkPantheress
"My Body Isn't Ready" - SOMBR
"The Fate of Ophelia" - Taylor Swift

Best cinematography

"PUNK ROCKY" - A$AP Rocky
"hate that i made you love me" - Ariana Grande
"Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi" - LISA
"Confessions II - The Film" - Madonna
"Cowgirl" - Shaboozey
"The Fate of Ophelia" - Taylor Swift

Best editing

"hate that i made you love me" - Ariana Grande
"I Just Might" - Bruno Mars
"Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi" - LISA
"Confessions II - The Film" - Madonna
"House Tour" - Sabrina Carpenter
"The Fate of Ophelia" - Taylor Swift

Best choreography

GENER8ION - "STORM starring Yung Lean"
Harry Styles - "Dance No More"
KATSEYE - "PINKY UP"
Madonna - "Confessions II - The Film"
Tate McRae - "Nobody's Girl"
Taylor Swift - "The Fate of Ophelia"

Best visual effects

"hate that i made you love me" - Ariana Grande
"Eyes Closed" - JISOO X ZAYN
"Confessions II - The Film" - Madonna
"Stateside + Zara Larsson" - PinkPantheress
"Click Clack Symphony." - RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer
"The Fate of Ophelia" - Taylor Swift