VMAs: A Star-Studded Race
Madonna, Taylor Swift Lead Star-Studded 2026 VMAs Nominations; Ceremony Returns to L.A.
Key Points
The VMAs will reintroduce the Best Dance category, marking its first return in seven years.
Shakira has three VMAs nominations, including two in the Best Latin category for 'Dai Dai' and 'Choka Choka'.
Tate McRae earns three nominations, including Best Pop and Best Dance for 'Nobody’s Girl'.
The ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 27 in Los Angeles, with the event held at Peacock Theater and broadcast live on CBS.
Billboard notes that three past Video of the Year winners—Ariana Grande, Madonna, and Taylor Swift—are nominated again in the category this year.
Madonna tops the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations with 11 nods — a personal best and the most of any artist this year, according to Billboard. Taylor Swift follows close behind with nine nominations, setting up a star-studded showdown at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 27.
The ceremony will air live on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+, marking the VMAs' return to the West Coast. Three past Video of the Year winners — Madonna, Swift, and Ariana Grande — are all nominated in that category again this year, Billboard noted.
Madonna's 11 Nominations Set a Personal Record
Madonna leads with 11 nominations, including Video of the Year for her 14-minute short film "Confessions II – The Film," according to Billboard. It marks her first time leading the VMA nominations since 1998. She is also up for artist of the year and song of the year for "Bring Your Love," per USA Today.
Swift earned nine nominations, including Video of the Year for "The Fate of Ophelia," Variety reported. Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande each picked up seven nominations. Bruno Mars, Zara Larsson, Shakira, and Morgan Wallen round out a broad and competitive field.
Video of the Year Field Stacked With Past Winners
The Video of the Year category features six nominees. They are Madonna's "Confessions II – The Film," Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia," Grande's "Hate That I Made You Love Me," Bruno Mars' "I Just Might," Sabrina Carpenter's "Tears," and Gener8ion's "Storm" featuring Yung Lean, per Billboard.
Madonna's entry stands out for its length — 14 minutes — signaling the VMAs' growing embrace of extended-format videos. Swift won in the same category in 2022 with a long-form video, setting a precedent for this type of entry.
Nashville Artists Score Big in Artist of the Year
The artist-of-the-year shortlist includes Madonna, Swift, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars, and Morgan Wallen. Two of those six — Swift and Wallen — have strong Nashville ties, highlighting the city's growing pull in mainstream pop music awards, The Tennessean reported.
Wallen's inclusion is notable given country music's expanding footprint at the VMAs. Swift, who launched her career in Nashville, remains one of the show's most decorated artists. Their shared nomination puts Nashville squarely in the center of this year's biggest race.
Best Dance Returns After Seven-Year Absence
The VMAs are bringing back the Best Dance category for the first time in seven years. Tate McRae earned a nomination in the revived category for "Nobody's Girl," along with two other nods including Best Pop, according to Variety.
Shakira earned three nominations total, including two in the Best Latin category — one for "Dai Dai" and one for "Choka Choka" — per Yahoo News. The expanded field shows the VMAs widening its lens beyond pop to include dance, Latin, and country artists in marquee slots.
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