The VMAs have just confirmed what we’ve suspected all along: 2026 is the year of the pop girl. Though, if we’re being honest, they’ve had their hooks in us for the better part of the last few years, thanks to their magnetic presence and arsenal of irresistible earworms.
Leading the nominations at this year’s VMA’s is is Madonna, the undisputed Queen of Pop, with 11 nods, including Video of the Year for “Confessions II — The Film”, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Bring Your Love”. It marks the first time Madonna has led the VMA nominations since 1998, the same year she took home her first Video of the Year award for “Ray of Light”.
Not far behind is Taylor Swift, who, alongside Beyoncé, holds the record for the most VMA wins of all time with 30. Swift has earned nine nominations this year, putting her in prime position to become the most decorated VMA artist in history.
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter follow with seven nominations apiece, while Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson each receive five nods. The Best Pop category offers an especially telling snapshot of the year’s musical landscape: every nominee is a woman.
Several male artists who might once have been natural contenders in the category have instead found themselves filed elsewhere. Bruno Mars (“I Just Wait”) and Justin Bieber (“YUKON”) are nominated for Best R&B, while Harry Styles (“Aperture”) is up for Best Dance.
Aside from the music, the VMAs are certain to provide spectacle. Each year, the awards ceremony draws the brightest and buzziest names in music, with many descending on the carpet in pursuit of the coveted Moonman.
Few awards shows have proved quite as fertile a ground for pop-cultural fodder. Over the years, the VMAs have given us Madonna and Britney Spears’ infamous kiss, Miley Cyrus twerking with Robin Thicke and Kanye West hijacking Taylor Swift’s 2009 acceptance speech for Best Female Video.
The fashion is also no less compelling. With considerably fewer sartorial constraints than its more traditional awards-season counterparts, the VMAs red carpet has long been a playground for the extravagant, the provocative and the downright surreal.
There was Lady Gaga’s infamous meat dress in 2010, and Christina Aguilera’s “Xtina” debut, complete with a newsboy cap, cross-front scarf top and micro denim skirt. Restraint, it seems, has never been synonymous with the VMAs.
The 2026 ceremony will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, September 27, at 7:30 p.m. ET, or September 28 at 9:30 a.m. AEST in Australia.
Artist of the Year
- Ariana Grande – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
- Madonna – Warner Records
- Morgan Wallen – Big Loud/Mercury Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – Island
- Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Video of the Year
- Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – ‘I Just Might’ – Atlantic Records
- GENER8ION – ‘STORM’ starring Yung Lean – Iconoclast Music
- Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Tears’- Island
- Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Song of the Year
- BTS – ‘Swim’ – BIGHIT MUSIC
- Ella Langley – ‘Choosin’ Texas’ – Columbia Records
- HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – ‘Golden’ – Republic Records/Visva Records
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Bring Your Love’ – Warner Records
- Olivia Dean – ‘Man I Need’ – Island
- PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – ‘Stateside’ – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- RAYE – ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!’ – Human Re Sources
Best New Artist
- Bella Kay – Atlantic Records
- CORTIS – BIGHIT MUSIC
- Magnus Ferrell -Visva Records/Republic Records
- Malcolm Todd – Columbia Records
- Myles Smith – RCA Records
- Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records
- Stella Lefty – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
Best Pop
- Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
- Charli xcx – ‘SS26’ – Atlantic Records
- LISA – ‘Dream’ feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi – Lloud Co./RCA Records
- Olivia Rodrigo – ‘drop dead’ – Geffen Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – ‘House Tour’ – Island
- Tate McRae – ‘Nobody’s Girl’ – RCA Records
- Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Dance
- Bebe Rexha & Faithless – ‘New Religion’ – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
- Harry Styles – ‘Aperture’ – Columbia Records
- Lady Gaga & Doechii – ‘RUNWAY’ – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
- Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
- PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – ‘Stateside’ – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- Slayyyter – ‘DANCE…’ – RECORDS/Columbia Records
- Tate McRae – ‘Nobody’s Girl’ – RCA Records
Best Collaboration
- Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – ‘Chains & Whips’ – Roc Nation Distribution
- French Montana x Max B – ‘Ever Since U Left Me’ – Coke Boys Records
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Bring Your Love’ – Warner Records
- PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – ‘Stateside’ – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- Shakira & Burna Boy – ‘Dai Dai’ – Sony Music US Latin
- Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – ‘Hard Part’ – Def Jam Recordings
Best Hip-Hop
- Cardi B feat. Kehlani – ‘Safe’ – Atlantic Records
- Don Toliver – ‘E85’ – Cactus Jack/ Atlantic Records
- Drake – ‘Janice STFU’ – OVO/Republic Records
- Megan Thee Stallion – ‘LOVER GIRL’ – Hot Girl Productions
- Travis Scott – ‘DUMBO’ – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
- Tyler, The Creator- ‘SUGAR ON MY TONGUE’ – Columbia Records
Best R&B
- Bruno Mars – ‘I Just Might’ – Atlantic Records
- Chris Brown – ‘It Depends/Obvious’ – RCA Records
- Dave & Tems – ‘Raindance’ – Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
- Justin Bieber – ‘YUKON’ – Def Jam Recordings
- Kehlani – ‘Folded’ – Atlantic Records
- Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis – ‘Is It a Crime’ – Epic Records
Best Alternative
- Geese – ‘Taxes’ – Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
- mgk & Fred Durst – ‘FIX UR FACE’ – EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
- Noah Kahan – ‘The Great Divide’ – Mercury Records
- Olivia Rodrigo – ‘the cure’ – Geffen Records
- SOMBR – ‘Homewrecker’ – SMB Music/Warner Records
- Tame Impala – ‘Dracula’ – Columbia Records
- twenty one pilots – ‘Drag Path’ – Fueled By Ramen
Best Latin
- Anitta with Shakira – ‘Choka Choka’ – Republic Records/UMLE
- Bad Bunny – ‘NUEVAYoL’ – Rimas Entertainment
- Fuerza Regida – ‘TU SANCHO’ – Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
- KAROL G – ‘Papasito’ – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
- Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia – ‘La Perla’ – Columbia Records
- Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA – ‘LA VILLA’ – AWOO Corp./ Sony Music US Latin
- Shakira & Burna Boy – ‘Dai Dai’ – Sony Music US Latin
Best K-Pop
- BLACKPINK – ‘JUMP’ – YG Entertainment
- BTS – ‘SWIM’ – BIGHIT MUSIC
- CORTIS – ‘REDRED’ – BIGHIT MUSIC
- KATSEYE – ‘PINKY UP’ – HYBE x Geffen Records
- LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) – ‘SPAGHETTI’ – SOURCE MUSIC
- LISA – ‘Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi’ – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
Best Country
- Ella Langley – ‘Choosin’ Texas’ – Columbia Records
- Kacey Musgraves – ‘Dry Spell’ – Lost Highway/Interscope Records
- Lainey Wilson – ‘Somewhere Over Laredo’ – Broken Bow Records
- Luke Combs – ‘Back in the Saddle’ – Columbia Nashville
- Shaboozey – ‘Cowgirl’ – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
- Stella Lefty – ‘Boston’ – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
- Tucker Wetmore – ‘Brunette’ – Back Blocks Music/Mercury Records
Best Direction
- Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – ‘I Just Might’ – Atlantic Records
- GENER8ION – ‘STORM starring Yung Lean’ – Iconoclast Music
- Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – ‘House Tour’- Island
- Taylor Swift – ‘Opalite’ – Republic Records
Best Choreography
- GENER8ION – ‘STORM starring Yung Lean’ – Iconoclast Music
- Harry Styles – ‘Dance No More’ – Columbia Records
- KATSEYE – ‘PINKY UP’ – HYBE x Geffen Records
- Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
- Tate McRae – ‘Nobody’s Girl’ – RCA Records
- Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Art Direction
- Charli xcx – ‘SS26’ – Atlantic Records
- Lady Gaga & Doechii – ‘RUNWAY’ – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
- Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
- PinkPantheress – ‘Stateside + Zara Larsson’ – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- SOMBR – ‘My Body Isn’t Ready’ – SMB Music/Warner Records
- Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Visual Effects
- Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
- JISOO X ZAYN – ‘Eyes Closed’ – Warner Records
- Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
- PinkPantheress – ‘Stateside + Zara Larsson’ – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer – ‘Click Clack Symphony.’ – Human Re Sources
- Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Cinematography
- A$AP Rocky – ‘PUNK ROCKY’ – A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records
- Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
- LISA – ‘Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi’ – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
- Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
- Shaboozey – ‘Cowgirl’ – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
- Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Editing
- Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
- Bruno Mars – ‘I Just Might’ – Atlantic Records
- LISA – ‘Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi’ – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
- Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – ‘House Tour’- Island
- Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
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