The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony has arrived. Tonight, the biggest names in music gathered at the VMAs to see who would take home the night’s top prizes.
Madonna led all nomineesthis year with 13, thanks largely in part to the short film she made
for her celebrated new album, Confessions II. In addition to being up for the coveted Video of the Year, it’s also earned several nods in creative categories, including Best Direction, Cinematography, and Choreography. It also received a nomination for the resurrected Best Dance category, which was doled out regularly for decades beginning in 1989, but hasn’t been awarded since 2019.
Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter’s Confessions II song, “Bring Your Love,” scored nominations for Song of the Year and Best Collaboration, and Madonna is up for Artist of the Year, too.
Taylor Swift trailed closely behind, earning 11 nominations. She is also up for Artist of the Year. Swift’s video for her Life of a Showgirl hit, “The Fate of Ophelia,” is nominated for Video of the Year, Best Pop, and numerous creative prizes. The visual for Swift’s other big Showgirl hit, “Opalite,” also scored a lone nod for Best Direction. It was already a big night for Swift leading up to the VMAs, as she was named the inaugural recipient of the MTV VMA Artist Director Honors ahead of the show.
In the coveted Video of the Year category, the Confessions II short film and “The Fate of Ophelia” will compete against Ariana Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” Bruno Mars’ “I Just Might,” Gener8ion and Yung Lean’s “Storm,” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Tears.” Artist of the Year boasts Madonna and Swift competing against Grande, Mars, Carpenter, and Morgan Wallen.
Other highlights from this year’s VMAs are Nirvana will receive the Video Vanguard Award, and a bevy of newcomers are all up for Best New Artist, including Bella Kay, Cortis, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro, and Stella Lefty.
See the list of winners below (bolded), which will be updated throughout the night.
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 — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
RAYE — “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”
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 — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Shakira & Burna Boy — “Dai Dai”
Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye — “Hard Part”
Best Pop
Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”
Charli XCX — “SS26”
LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Olivia Rodrigo — “drop dead”
Sabrina Carpenter — “House Tour”
Tate McRae — “Nobody’s Girl”
Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Hip-Hop
Cardi B ft. Kehlani — “Safe”
Don Toliver — “E85”
Drake — “Janice STFU”
Megan Thee Stallion — “LOVER GIRL”
Travis Scott — “DUMBO”
Tyler, The Creator — “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE”
Best R&B
Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”
Chris Brown — “It Depends/Obvious”
Dave & Tems — “Raindance”
Justin Bieber — “YUKON”
Kehlani — “Folded”
Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis — “Is It a Crime”
Best Alternative
Geese — “Taxes”
mgk & Fred Durst — “FIX UR FACE”
Noah Kahan — “The Great Divide”
Olivia Rodrigo — “the cure
SOMBR — “Homewrecker”
Tame Impala — “Dracula”
twenty one pilots — “Drag Path”
Best Dance
Bebe Rexha & Faithless — “New Religion”
Harry Styles — “Aperture”
Lady Gaga & Doechii — “RUNAWAY”
Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”
PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Slayyyter — “DANCE …”
Tate McRae — “Nobody’s Girl”
Best Latin
Anitta with Shakira — “Choka Choka”
Bad Bunny — “NUEVAYoL”
Fuerza Regida — “TU SANCHO”
KAROL G — “Papasito”
Rosalía ft. Yahritza y Su Esencia — “La Perla”
Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA — “LA VILLA”
Shakira & Burna Boy — “Dai Dai”
Best K-Pop
BLACKPINK — “JUMP”
BTS — “SWIM”
CORTIS — “REDRED”
KATSEYE — “PINKY UP”
LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) — “SPAGHETTI”
LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Best Country
Ella Langley — “Choosin’ Texas”
Kacey Musgraves — “Dry Spell”
Lainey Wilson — “Somewhere Over Laredo”
Luke Combs — “Back in the Saddle”
Shaboozey — “Cowgirl”
Stella Lefty — “Boston”
Tucker Wetmore — “Brunette”
Best Direction
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 — “House Tour”
Taylor Swift — “Opalite”
Best Art Direction
Charli XCX — “SS26”
Lady Gaga & Doechii — “RUNAWAY”
Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”
PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
SOMBR — “My Body Isn’t Ready”
Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Cinematography
A$AP Rocky — “PUNK ROCKY”
Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”
LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”
Shaboozey — “Cowgirl”
Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Editing
Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”
Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”
LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter — “House Tour”
Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
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
Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”
JISOO X ZAYN — “Eyes Closed”
Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”
PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer — “Click Clack Symphony.”
Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
Social Categories:
Best Group:
BLACKPINK
BTS
CORTIS
FLO
Fuerza Regida
Geese
KATSEYE
Twenty One Pilots
Best Long Form Video:
Charli xcx – “Music, Fashion, Film” – Atlantic Records
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
GENER8ION – “STORM” starring Yung Lean – Iconoclast Music
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
Best Album:
Drake – ICEMAN – OVO/Republic Records
Madonna – Confessions II – Warner Records
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving – Island
Olivia Rodrigo – you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend – Island
Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl – Republic Records
Song of the Summer:
Ariana Grande – “Hate That I Made You Love Me” – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – “Risk It All” – Atlantic Records
Charli xcx – “Camera” – Atlantic Records
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
KATSEYE – “Hootie Frutti” – HYBE x Geffen Records
Latto ft. Doja Cat – “Okayyy” – Steamcut / RCA Records
Morgan Wallen – “Been By Now – Big Loud / Mercury Records
Olivia Dean – “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” – Island
Olivia Rodrigo – “Stupid Song” – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
Slayyyter – “Brand New Chanel$” – RECORDS/Columbia Records
sombr – “Homewrecker” – SMB Music / Warner Records
Stella Lefty – “Boston” – Sandlot / Atlantic Outpost
Tame Impala & JENNIE – “Dracula” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “I Knew It, I Knew You” – Walt Disney Records / Republic Records
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