The awards ceremony takes place September 27 in Los Angeles, with Madonna leading the nominations and Taylor Swift one win away from becoming the most awarded artist in VMA history
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are putting two of the biggest names in pop music at the center of attention: Madonna and Taylor Swift.
Madonna leads this year’s nominations with 11 nods, including some of the night’s biggest categories, such as Video of the Year, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year.
Taylor Swift follows with nine nominations and enters this year’s ceremony with a chance to set a new record.
Taylor Swift could break the record
Swift and Beyoncé currently have 30 VMAs each. With just one win this year, Taylor Swift could become the most awarded artist in the history of the ceremony.
Madonna, who has 19 competitive wins, could also catch up to both artists if she has a nearly perfect night.
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter received seven nominations each. Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson earned five each.
26 artists receive their first nominations
The 2026 edition also features 26 first-time nominees, including GENER8ION, Yung Lean, K-pop group CORTIS and singer Stella Lefty.
The Best Dance category is also returning after seven years.
The VMAs will air live on September 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS, with a simulcast on MTV and streaming availability in the United States on Paramount+.
The ceremony will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Source: Associated Press and MTV
