Madonna, Taylor Swift Lead 2026 MTV VMA Nominations

Madonna has secured the most nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, earning 11 nods. Taylor Swift is close behind with nine nominations, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each received seven.

Other prominent artists with multiple nominations include Bruno Mars, Zara Larsson, and PinkPantheress, who each garnered five. Blackpink's Lisa received four nominations, and Tate McRae and Shakira tied with three each.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 27. This marks the first time the VMAs will be held on the West Coast in nine years, since the 2017 event. The two-hour show will be broadcast live on CBS and MTV and streamed on Paramount+.

For the first time in seven years, the Best Dance category, sponsored by BACARDÍ Rum, makes its return. Public voting for 13 categories commenced on Tuesday via MTV's website and will continue until September 25. Voting for Best New Artist will remain open throughout the live telecast.

This year's ceremony also recognizes numerous first-time nominees, including GENER8ION, Yung Lean, CORTIS, Stella Lefty, Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean, Sienna Spiro, and Tucker Wetmore. The 2026 VMAs are being produced by Gunpowder & Sky.