Madonna leads MTV VMA nominations, surpassing Taylor Swift

Madonna is dominating the nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, securing the most nods of any artist this year with 11 nominations. This impressive haul comes four decades after her groundbreaking appearance at the first-ever VMA ceremony in 1984.

The "Queen of Pop" earned 11 nominations for the September ceremony, including for Video of the Year with "Confessions II – The Film" and Artist of the Year. She surpasses newlywed Taylor Swift, who follows with nine nominations, including for Video of the Year with "The Fate of Ophelia" from her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl."

Madonna has a storied history with the VMAs, having already won 20 awards throughout her career. Her first major accolade was the Video Vanguard Award in 1986, recognizing her significant contributions to the evolution of music videos. However, her performance of "Like a Virgin" at the inaugural 1984 ceremony, clad in a wedding dress and her iconic "Boy Toy" belt, remains one of the most memorable moments in the show's history, pushing boundaries for its time.

This year's nominations pit Madonna against Swift, who has also made her mark on the VMAs with 30 career awards, matching Beyoncé. Other artists with multiple nominations include Ariana Grande, who won Video of the Year last year and recently announced her withdrawal from public life, and emerging artist Sabrina Carpenter, both with seven nods.