New Delhi: The nominations for MTV Video Music Award has been announced and pop superstar Madonna is leading this year. This year, she has been nominated
for 11 awards, including video, artist, song of the year, visual effects, best collaboration, dance, direction, art direction, editing, choreography and cinematography.
She has emerged as the most-nominated artist at the 2026 VMAs, earning 11 nominations, her highest-ever tally at the awards.
Madonna leads VMA nominations
Madonna, who famously delivered her iconic ‘Like a Virgin’ performance at the very first VMAs in 1984, has once again topped the nominations. The achievement also comes after a long gap as the last time she led the VMAs nominations was in 1998. During that time, she received nine nods and eventually won Video of the Year for Ray of Light.
Madonna, Taylor Swift among Video of the Year contenders
Madoona’s 14-minute visual project ‘Confessions II – The Film’ has been nominated for Video of the Year.
Taylor Swift, who holds the record for the most VMA wins with ’30 Moon Persons’, is the second-most nominated artist this year with nine nominations.
She is nominated for ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ and Ariana Grande is nominated for ‘Hate That I Made You Love Me’.
They will compete against three artists hoping to win the category for the first time: Bruno Mars with I Just Might, Sabrina Carpenter with Tears and GENER8ION with Storm, featuring Swedish rapper Yung Lean.
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter follow closely with seven nominations each. Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson have received five nominations apiece, while LISA has four.
Taylor Swift won the award in 2022 for her 15-minute ‘All Too Well: The Short Film’, while Ariana Grande took home the honour last year for her 26-minute visual ‘Brighter Days Ahead’.
Ariana Grande makes history
Ariana Grande also made history with her latest VMA nominations for Artist of the Year, marking her sixth nomination in the category.
Taylor Swift follows with five nominations for Artist of the Year. Morgan Wallen has been nominated for the second consecutive year.
Bruno Mars has received his third Artist of the Year nomination, while Sabrina Carpenter is nominated for the second time. Madonna, meanwhile, earns her first-ever nomination in the category.
BTS earns two VMAs nominations
The K-pop group has received two nominations at the 2026 VMAs for its song ‘Swim’, including a nod in the highly competitive Song of the Year category.
Apart from BTS, BLACKPINK’s Lisa has secured four nominations for ‘Dream’. She is nominated for Best Pop, Best K-Pop, Best Cinematography and Best Editing.Jisoo, meanwhile, has received a nomination for Best Visual Effects for ‘Eyes Closed’.
Meanwhile, the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will take place on September 27 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
Complete list of VMAs 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’
Artist of the Year
- Ariana Grande
- Bruno Mars
- Madonna
- Morgan Wallen
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
- BTS – ‘Swim’
- Ella Langley – ‘Choosin’ Texas’
- HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – ‘Golden’
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Bring Your Love’
- Olivia Dean – ‘Man I Need’
- PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – ‘Stateside’
- 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’
- French Montana x Max B – ‘Ever Since U Left Me’
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Bring Your Love’
- PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – ‘Stateside’
- Shakira & Burna Boy – ‘Dai Dai’
- Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – ‘Hard Part’
