MTV Music Awards eliminates rock category for 2026 ceremony

The MTV Music Awards will no longer feature a dedicated rock category starting with its 2026 ceremony, marking the end of an era for the genre's recognition at the prominent music awards show. The official list of nominees for 2026, published in August, conspicuously omits the rock category, a staple for nearly four decades.

Paramount, the parent company of MTV, has confirmed the removal of the category. However, the company has not provided specific reasons for this decision, as reported by NTN 24. This move comes as a significant shift for a genre that has been consistently honored since the category's inception in 1989.

Originally launched as the Best Heavy Metal Video award, the category has seen several name changes, including Best Hard Rock Video and Best Rock Video, before settling as Best Rock since 2017. Throughout its history, the award has been presented to iconic rock bands such as Guns N' Roses, Aerosmith, Metallica, Pearl Jam, and Linkin Park. The most recent recipient of the award was Coldplay in 2025 for their song "All My Love."

While the rock category is gone, the 2026 MTV Music Awards will still feature 13 fan-voted categories, including Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B, Latin, K-Pop, and Alternative. The organization has also reduced other sections like Afrobeats and Video for Good. Madonna leads the nominations for the 2026 awards with 11 nods, followed by Taylor Swift with nine. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 27, 2026, in Los Angeles.