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The MTV Video Music Awards have unveiled their 2026 nominees, including several artists with Nashville ties earning recognition across the major categories.
Leading this year's nominations are Madonna and Taylor Swift, while Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, GENER8ION, LISA, PinkPantheress, Sabrina Carpenter and Shakira are also among the ceremony's top contenders.
Nashville's strongest showing comes from Swift and Morgan Wallen, both of whom are nominated for artist of the year.
Additionally, Stella Lefty earned nominations for best new artist and best country. She joins fellow country nominees Ella Langley, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Shaboozey and Tucker Wetmore in the category.
The VMAs will air live from Los Angeles on Sept. 27 on CBS
and stream on Paramount+.
Read on for the full list of nominees.
Full list of 2026 VMAs Nominees
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
- Bruno Mars - “I Just Might” - Atlantic Records
- GENER8ION - “STORM starring Yung Lean” - Iconoclast Music
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter - “Tears”- Island
- Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Ariana Grande
- Bruno Mars
- Madonna
- Morgan Wallen
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Taylor Swift
SONG OF THE YEAR
- BTS - “Swim” - BIGHIT MUSIC
- Ella Langley - “Choosin’ Texas” - Columbia Records
- HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI - “Golden” - Republic Records/Visva Records
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter - “Bring Your Love” - Warner Records
- Olivia Dean - “Man I Need” - Island
- PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- RAYE - “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” - Human Re Sources
BEST NEW ARTIST
- Bella Kay
- CORTIS
- Magnus Ferrell
- Malcolm Todd
- Myles Smith
- Sienna Spiro
- Stella Lefty
BEST COLLABORATION
- Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice - “Chains & Whips” - Roc Nation Distribution
- French Montana x Max B - “Ever Since U Left Me” - Coke Boys Records
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter - “Bring Your Love” - Warner Records
- PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- Shakira & Burna Boy - “Dai Dai” - Sony Music US Latin
- Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye - “Hard Part” - Def Jam Recordings
BEST POP
- Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
- Charli xcx - “SS26” - Atlantic Records
- LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” - Lloud Co./RCA Records
- Olivia Rodrigo - “drop dead” - Geffen Records
- Sabrina Carpenter - “House Tour” - Island
- Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl” - RCA Records
- Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
BEST HIP-HOP
- Cardi B ft. Kehlani - “Safe” - Atlantic Records
- Don Toliver - “E85” - Cactus Jack/ Atlantic Records
- Drake - “Janice STFU” - OVO/Republic Records
- Megan Thee Stallion - “LOVER GIRL” - Hot Girl Productions
- Travis Scott - “DUMBO” - Cactus Jack/Epic Records
- Tyler, The Creator - “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE” - Columbia Records
BEST R&B
- Bruno Mars - “I Just Might” - Atlantic Records
- Chris Brown - “It Depends/Obvious” - RCA Records
- Dave & Tems - “Raindance” - Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
- Justin Bieber - “YUKON” - Def Jam Recordings
- Kehlani - “Folded” - Atlantic Records
- Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis - “Is It a Crime” - Epic Records
BEST ALTERNATIVE
- Geese - “Taxes” - Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
- mgk & Fred Durst - “FIX UR FACE” - EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
- Noah Kahan - “The Great Divide” - Mercury Records
- Olivia Rodrigo - “the cure” - Geffen Records
- SOMBR - “Homewrecker” - SMB Music/Warner Records
- Tame Impala - “Dracula” - Columbia Records
- twenty one pilots - “Drag Path” - Fueled By Ramen
BEST DANCE
- Bebe Rexha & Faithless - “New Religion” - Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
- Harry Styles - “Aperture” - Columbia Records
- Lady Gaga & Doechii - “RUNAWAY” - Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- Slayyyter - “DANCE…” - RECORDS/Columbia Records
- Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl” - RCA Records
BEST LATIN
- Anitta with Shakira - “Choka Choka” - Republic Records/UMLE
- Bad Bunny - “NUEVAYoL” - Rimas Entertainment
- Fuerza Regida - “TU SANCHO” - Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
- KAROL G - “Papasito” - Bichota Records/Interscope Records
- Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia - “La Perla” - Columbia Records
- Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA - “LA VILLA” - AWOO Corp./ Sony Music US Latin
- Shakira & Burna Boy - “Dai Dai” - Sony Music US Latin
BEST K-POP
- BLACKPINK - “JUMP” - YG Entertainment
- BTS - “SWIM” - BIGHIT MUSIC
- CORTIS - “REDRED” - BIGHIT MUSIC
- KATSEYE - “PINKY UP” - HYBE x Geffen Records
- LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) - “SPAGHETTI” - SOURCE MUSIC
- LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” - Lloud Co./ RCA Records
BEST COUNTRY
- Ella Langley - “Choosin’ Texas” - Columbia Records
- Kacey Musgraves - “Dry Spell” - Lost Highway/Interscope Records
- Lainey Wilson - “Somewhere Over Laredo” - Broken Bow Records
- Luke Combs - “Back in the Saddle” - Columbia Nashville
- Shaboozey - “Cowgirl” - American Dogwood/EMPIRE
- Stella Lefty - “Boston” - Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
- Tucker Wetmore - “Brunette” - Back Blocks Music/Mercury Records
BEST DIRECTION
- Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
- Bruno Mars - “I Just Might” - Atlantic Records
- GENER8ION - “STORM starring Yung Lean” - Iconoclast Music
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter - “House Tour” - Island
- Taylor Swift - “Opalite” - Republic Records
BEST ART DIRECTION
- Charli xcx - “SS26” - Atlantic Records
- Lady Gaga & Doechii - “RUNAWAY” - Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- SOMBR - “My Body Isn’t Ready” - SMB Music/Warner Records
- Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
- A$AP Rocky - “PUNK ROCKY” - A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records
- Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
- LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” - Lloud Co./ RCA Records
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- Shaboozey - “Cowgirl” - American Dogwood/EMPIRE
- Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
BEST EDITING
- Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
- Bruno Mars - “I Just Might” - Atlantic Records
- LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” - Lloud Co./ RCA Records
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter - “House Tour” - Island
- Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
- GENER8ION - “STORM starring Yung Lean” - Iconoclast Music
- Harry Styles - “Dance No More” - Columbia Records
- KATSEYE - “PINKY UP” - HYBE x Geffen Records
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl” - RCA Records
- Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
- Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
- JISOO X ZAYN - “Eyes Closed” - Warner Records
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer - “Click Clack Symphony.” - Human Re Sources
- Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
To learn more about the VMAs, head to mtv.com/event/vma.
Audrey Gibbs is a music reporter at The Tennessean. You can reach her at agibbs@tennessean.com. Follow her on Instagram at @audreyraegibbs.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: These Nashville artists earn major nods in MTV VMAs 2026 nominations
