The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are almost here — and women are dominating this year’s crop of nominees. Madonna leads the pack with a career-high 13 nominations, including the night’s top categories: Video of the Year, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year.
The Queen of Pop is in stellar company: Following close behind her is Taylor Swift, who is up for 11 awards at this year’s VMAs. The “I Knew It, I Knew You” singer will also receive the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors.
Fellow pop girlies Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande could also win big on Sunday night. The “House Tour” pop star has nine nominations, while the “Hate That I Made You Love Me” singer has eight nods to her name. And the top male nominee at this year’s MTV VMAs? That would be “Risk It All” hitmaker Bruno Mars, who is up for six awards, including Best R&B, Best Direction and the hotly anticipated Song of the Summer. Song of the Summer is one of this year’s four social categories, alongside Best Group, Best Long Form Video and Best Album.
This year’s Best New Artist race is also heating up, with divisive pop-country nepo baby Stella Lefty and English vocal powerhouse Sienna Spiro among the evening’s buzziest nominees. The “Die On This Hill” singer is also set to perform during the awards show.
See the full 2026 MTV VMAs nominations list below:
Video of the Year
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Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
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Gener8ion, “Storm starring Yung Lean”
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Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
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Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”
Artist of the Year
Song of the Year
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Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
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Huntr/X: Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami, “Golden”
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Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter, “Bring Your Love”
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PinkPantheress, “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Best New Artist
Best Collaboration
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Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice, “Chains & Whips”
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French Montana x Max B, “Ever Since U Left Me”
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Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter, “Bring Your Love”
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PinkPantheress, “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
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Shakira & Burna Boy, “Dai Dai”
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Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye, “Hard Part”
Best Pop
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Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
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Lisa, “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
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Sabrina Carpenter, “House Tour”
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Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Hip-Hop
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Megan Thee Stallion, “Lover Girl”
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Tyler, the Creator, “Sugar on My Tongue”
Best R&B
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Chris Brown, “It Depends/Obvious”
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Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis, “Is It a Crime”
Best Alternative
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MGK & Fred Durst, “Fix Ur Face”
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Noah Kahan, “The Great Divide”
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Twenty One Pilots, “Drag Path”
Best Dance
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Bebe Rexha & Faithless, “New Religion”
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PinkPantheress, “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Best Latin
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Anitta with Shakira, “Choka Choka”
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Rosalía feat. Yahritza Y Su Esencia, “La Perla”
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Ryan Castro, Kapo & Gangsta, “La Villa”
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Shakira & Burna Boy, “Dai Dai”
Best K-Pop
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Le Sserafim (feat. j-hope of BTS), “Spaghetti”
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Lisa, “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Best Country
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Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
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Lainey Wilson, “Somewhere Over Laredo”
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Luke Combs, “Back in the Saddle”
Best Direction
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Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
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Gener8ion, “Storm starring Yung Lean”
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Madonna, “Confessions II – The Film”
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Sabrina Carpenter, “House Tour”
Best Art Direction
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Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
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PinkPantheress, “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
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Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Cinematography
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Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
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Lisa, “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
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Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
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Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Editing
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Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
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Lisa, “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
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Madonna, “Confessions II – The Film”
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Sabrina Carpenter, “House Tour”
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Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Choreography
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Gener8ion, “Storm starring Yung Lean”
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Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
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Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Visual Effects
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Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
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Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
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PinkPantheress, “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
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Raye feat. Hans Zimmer, “Click Clack Symphony”
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Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Group
Best Long Form Video
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Charli xcx, “Music, Fashion, Film”
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Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
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Gener8ion, “Storm starring Yung Lean”
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Madonna, “Confessions II — The Film”
Best Album
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Sabrina Carpenter, Man’s Best Friend
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Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl
Song of the Summer
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Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
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Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
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Latto feat. Doja Cat, “Okayyy”
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Sabrina Carpenter, “House Tour”
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Slayyyter, “Brand New Chanel$”
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Tame Impala and Jennie, “Dracula”
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Taylor Swift, “I Knew It, I Knew You”
