This is the year of the woman at the MTV Video Music Awards.  Not only do Madonna and Taylor Swift lead the list of nominees for the fan voted awards; seven to the top earning nominees are women!

Madonna top the list with eleven nominations; followed by Taylor Swift with nine nominations as she is looking to add to her record 30 Moonperson wins – Swift is ties with Beyonce for the most ever.

Bruno Mars is the only male with multiple nominations in the top eight; Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, PinkPantreress, Zara Larsson, and LISA have garnered multiple award nominations.

Ariana Grande is setting a record of her own with her sixth Artist of the Year nomination.  Taylor Swift is on her heels with her fifth Artist of the Year nomination.  Madonna is the only Artist of the Year nominee to make the list for the first time.

There are 26 first time nominees this year.

Voting is open to the public now through September 25 for the 13 categories at vote.MTV.com.  The Best New Artist Award stays open for voting until the winner is announced on the show.

This year the MVA’s feature a “power hour” from 1 to 2pm eastern time where votes cast earn double from August 20 to September 24.

The 2026 MTV VMA’s will be held September 27 beginning at 7:30 on CBS.  The show will also be available on MTV and Paramount+.

The ceremonies will be available for streaming on MTV and Paramount+ beginning the following day – September 28.

And the nominees are:
Video of the Year:
Ariana Grande for “hate that i made you love me”
Bruno Mars for “I Just Might”
GENER8ION for “STORM” starring Yung Lean
Madonna for “Confessions II – The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter for “Tears”
Taylor Swift for “The Fate of Ophelia”

Artist of the Year:
Ariana Grande
Bruno Mars
Madonna
Morgan Wallen
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift

Song of the Year:
BTS for “Swim”
Ella Langley for “Choosin’ Texas”
HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI for “Golden”
Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter for “Bring Your Love”
Olivia Dean for “Man I Need”
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson for “Stateside”
RAYE for “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”

Best New Artist:
Bella Kay
CORTIS
Magnus Ferrell
Malcolm Todd
Myles Smith
Sienna Spiro
Stella Lefty

Best Collaboration:
Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, and Malice for “Chains & Whips”
French Montana x Max B for “Ever Since U Left Me”
Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter for “Bring Your Love”
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson for “Stateside”
Shakira & Burna Boy for “Dai Dai”
Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye for “Hard Part”

Best Pop:
Ariana Grande for “hate that i made you love me”
Charli xcx for “SS26”
LISA with Kentaro Sakaguchi for “Dream”  
Olivia Rodrigo for “drop dead”
Sabrina Carpenter for “House Tour”
Tate McRae for “Nobody’s Girl”
Taylor Swift for “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Hip-Hop:
Cardi B with Kehlani for “Safe”
Don Toliver for “E85”
Drake for “Janice STFU”
Megan Thee Stallion for “LOVER GIRL”
Travis Scott for “DUMBO”
Tyler, The Creator for “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE”

Best R&B:
Bruno Mars for “I Just Might”
Chris Brown for “It Depends/Obvious”
Dave & Tems for “Raindance”
Justin Bieber for “YUKON”
Kehlani for “Folded”
Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis for “Is It a Crime”

Best Alternative:
Geese for “Taxes”
mgk & Fred Durst for “FIX UR FACE”
Noah Kahan for “The Great Divide”
Olivia Rodrigo for “the cure”
SOMBR for “Homewrecker”
Tame Impala for “Dracula”
twenty one pilots for “Drag Path”

Best Dance:
Bebe Rexha & Faithless for “New Religion”
Harry Styles for “Aperture”
Lady Gaga & Doechii for “RUNWAY”
Madonna for “Confessions II – The Film”
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson for “Stateside”
Slayyyter for “DANCE…
Tate McRae for “Nobody’s Girl”

Best Latin:
Anitta with Shakira for “Choka Choka”
Bad Bunny for “NUEVAYoL”
Fuerza Regida for “TU SANCHO” Humilde/Street
KAROL G for “Papasito”
Rosalía with Yahritza Y Su Esencia for “La Perla”
Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA for “LA VILLA”
Shakira & Burna Boy for “Dai Dai”

Best K-Pop:
BLACKPINK for “JUMP”
BTS for “SWIM”
CORTIS for “REDRED”
KATSEYE for “PINKY UP”
LE SSERAFIM (with j-hope of BTS) for “SPAGHETTI”
LISA with Kentaro Sakaguchi for “Dream”

Best Country:
Ella Langley for “Choosin’ Texas”
Kacey Musgraves for “Dry Spell”
Lainey Wilson for “Somewhere Over Laredo”
Luke Combs for “Back in the Saddle”
Shaboozey for “Cowgirl”
Stella Lefty for “Boston”
Tucker Wetmore for “Brunette”

Best Direction:
Ariana Grande for “hate that i made you love me” Bruno Mars for “I Just Might
GENER8ION –for“STORM starring Yung Lean” Madonna for “Confessions II – The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter for “House Tour”
Taylor Swift for “Opalite

Best Art Direction:
Charli xcx for “SS26”
Lady Gaga & Doechii for “RUNWAY”
Madonna for “Confessions II – The Film”
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson for “Stateside”
SOMBR for “My Body Isn’t Ready”
Taylor Swift for “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Cinematography:
A$AP Rocky for “PUNK ROCKY”
Ariana Grande for “hate that i made you love me” LISA with Kentaro Sakaguchi for “Dream”
Madonna for “Confessions II – The Film”
Shaboozey for “Cowgirl”
Taylor Swift for“The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Editing:
Ariana Grande for “hate that i made you love me”
Bruno Mars for “I Just Might”
LISA with Kentaro Sakaguchi for “Dream”
Madonna for “Confessions II – The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter for “House Tour”
Taylor Swift for “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Choreography:
GENER8ION for “STORM starring Yung Lean”
Harry Styles for “Dance No More”
KATSEYE for “PINKY UP”
Madonna for “Confessions II – The Film”
Tate McRae for “Nobody’s Girl”
Taylor Swift for “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Visual Effects:
Ariana Grande for “hate that i made you love me”
JISOO X ZAYN for “Eyes Closed”
Madonna for “Confessions II – The Film”
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson for “Stateside” RAYE with Hans Zimmer for “Click Clack Symphony
Taylor Swift for “The Fate of Ophelia”