Madonna Leads 2026 VMAs Nominations With 11 Nods
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- Madonna tops the 2026 VMAs nominations with 11 nods, trailed by Taylor Swift (9), Ariana Grande (7), and Sabrina Carpenter (7), with Bruno Mars, Zara Larsson, and PinkPantheress tied at five each
- The 2026 VMAs will air Sept. 27 from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, the show's first west coast broadcast in nine years — last held in L.A. in 2017, when Katy Perry hosted from the pre-Kia Forum
- The two-hour telecast will run 7:30-9:30 p.m. ET/4:30-6:30 PT on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+, with a host not yet announced; produced by Gunpowder & Sky with MTV veteran Van Toffler as lead producer
- Artist of the Year nominees are Madonna, Swift, Grande, Carpenter, Mars, and Morgan Wallen — Wallen's sole nomination despite having the year's biggest-selling album
- Video of the Year nominees include Madonna's "Confessions II – The Film," Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia," Carpenter's "Tears," Grande's "Hate That I Made You Love Me," Mars' "I Just Might," and Gener8ion's "Storm Starring Yung Lean"
- Repeat snubs limited several major stars to two nods each — Olivia Rodrigo, BTS, Harry Styles, Charli xcx, Katseye, and Ella Langley
- Fan voting in 13 categories is open at vote.mtv.com through Sept. 25, while Best New Artist voting stays open into the live telecast
Why it matters: Madonna's 11 nods stretch across categories from Video of the Year to Best Choreography, reasserting her at the center of MTV's cultural conversation. Morgan Wallen's single nomination despite his status as the year's biggest-selling artist crystallizes the gap between MTV's taste-makers and the Billboard charts. The show's return to Los Angeles after nine years repositions the ceremony in the heart of the entertainment industry.
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