Madonna leads 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations, followed by Taylor Swift

NEW YORK (AP) — Madonna leads the 2026 MTV Video Music Award nominations, the network announced Tuesday.

The pop superstar has been nominated in every decade of her musical career. She has 19 competitive MTV VMA wins and in 1986 became the first solo female artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award.

She is up for 11 awards at this year's ceremony, including video, artist and song of the year as well as best collaboration, dance, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography and visual effects.

If she were to sweep, she'd tie Beyoncé and Taylor Swift for the title of most-awarded musician in VMA history. They have 30 each. (Eminem is the male artist with the most VMAs, with 15.)

Source

We all know this is the video of the year but she's about to be snubbed lol:

Still...biggest year for her since 2006

Complete list of nominees:

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

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

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 – "Stateside + Zara Larsson" – 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 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 – "Stateside + Zara Larsson" – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Shakira & Burna Boy – "Dai Dai" – Sony Music US Latin
Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – "Hard Part" – Def Jam Recordings

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 HIP-HOP
Cardi B ft. 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 DANCE
Bebe Rexha & Faithless – "New Religion" – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
Harry Styles – "Aperture" – Columbia Records
Lady Gaga & Doechii – "Runaway" – 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
Slayyyter – "Dance…" – RECORDS/Columbia Records
Tate McRae – "Nobody's Girl" – RCA Records

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 ART DIRECTION
Charli xcx – "SS26" – Atlantic Records
Lady Gaga & Doechii – "Runaway" – 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 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

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 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

Edited August 18Aug 18 by tiagol88

Legend tingz

Why is Morgan Wallen nominated for AOTY wtf this is VMA righttttt?

Where is Olivia Rodrigo?

I guess

Good for her

tragic nominations

wouldn't surprise me if payola wins on Madonna's favor, I am here for it

Just now, Alongoria13 said:

wouldn't surprise me if payola wins on Madonna's favor, I am here for it

If quality was winning she wouldn't need to pay but who knows lmao

When were the nominees announced?

queen better get her deserved trophies

where's olivia?

Are they all fan voted? We know which 2 cults will be mass voting like their lives depend on it

I guess she's going to perform

They want her to attend and do another infamous speach. Would be nice if she perform with Kylie

So is Sabrina carpenter

Huge for Madonna

not sure why MTV has Morgan Wallen up for artist of the year when they could have Ella or one of the Olivia's.

are they trying to give us a madge performance?

6 minutes ago, infrared said:

So is Sabrina carpenter

Actually you are right. Not sure why that tweet said that. Edited the OP.

This has gotta be the most khia'd out vma nom list ever

i wonder if we will get a Madonna and Sabrina performance together.

Is this real? OMG amazing the recognition for the album of the year begins, Grammys too: CII

Artist of the Year? Please, Artist of the Infinity.

Tears is VOTY @Walk_Away21

Oh wow at yung lean getting a voty nom