Aug 18, 2026 7:16pm IST
2026 Video Music Awards Nominations: Madonna and Taylor Swift Lead With Most Nods at Upcoming Ceremony
The 2026 MTV Video Music Award nominations have been announced. Madonna is leading the list of nominees for the upcoming event as she’s up for 11 awards, only trailed by Taylor Swift, who has the opportunity to win nine. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter tie with seven nominations each, followed by Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson with five for all of them and BLACKPINK member Lisa with four of her own.
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The 68-year-old has received one VMA nomination in all the decades that she has been singing for, having 19 Moon Persons to her name, including a 1986 Video Vanguard Award, which made her the irst solo female artist to do so. With this year’s ceremony celebrating her once again, she’s up for video, artist and song of the year as well as best collaboration, dance, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography and visual effects awards.
Swift is on track to become the most-awarded artist in VMA history, for which she currently ties Beyoncé at 30 each. She’s in the run for video and artist of the year as well as best pop, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography and visual effects.
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Swift's “The Fate of Ophelia”, Madonna’s “Confessions II — The Film,” Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” Mars' “I Just Might,” Carpenter’s “Tear” and GENER8ION’s “Storm” are all competing for the top honor of the night- the video of the year.
The show will be broadcast live on CBS on Sunday, September 27, at 7:30 pm ET and 4:30 pm PT, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. It will also be available to watch on MTV and stream on Paramount+.
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