Madonna Leads 2026 MTV VMA Nominations With 11 Nods, Ahead of Taylor Swift's Nine
Madonna has landed 11 nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, more than any other artist, in a field announced Tuesday morning (Variety).
Taylor Swift follows with nine. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each picked up seven. Bruno Mars, Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress sit at five apiece, while Blackpink's Lisa earned four. Tate McRae and Shakira round out the top tier with three each.
The ceremony moves to the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles — the first time the VMAs have been held on the west coast in nine years. The show airs live on 27 September across CBS, MTV and Paramount+, running 7:30–9:30 p.m. ET on both coasts. No host has been named yet.
Fan voting is open now at vote.mtv.com across 13 categories and stays live through 25 September. Best new artist remains open through the live telecast, meaning voters can weigh in right up to the moment the winner is announced.
The artist of the year race pits Madonna against Swift, Grande, Carpenter, Bruno Mars and Morgan Wallen — a six-way contest that spans pop, R&B and country. The video of the year category is just as broad: Madonna's "Confessions II – The Film," Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia," Carpenter's "Tears," Grande's "Hate That I Made You Love Me," Mars' "I Just Might" and GENER8TION's "Storm Starring Yung Lean."
Best new artist nominees are Sienna Spiro, Stella Lefty, Malcolm Todd, Bella Kay, Cortis, Myles Smith and Magnus Ferrell. That category's live-voting window gives all seven a shot at a last-minute surge from fans watching at home.
Behind the scenes, Gunpowder & Sky is producing the telecast. Van Toffler serves as lead producer, with Jesse Ignjatovic, Barbara Bialkowski, Bruce Gillmer, Barry Barclay and Floris Bauer among the executive producers.
For context on the VMA record books: as of the 2025 ceremony, Beyoncé and Swift were tied for the most career VMA wins, with 30 each (Reuters). Swift's nine nominations this year give her a path to extend that record, while Madonna's 11 nods put her in position for a major night of her own.
For fans, the takeaway is simple: the ballot is live, the categories are stacked, and there are five weeks to vote before the Peacock Theatre lights up on 27 September.
