Madonna and Taylor Swift Are the Pop Icons Leading the Nominees for the 2026 MTV VMAs

Madonna leads the 2026 MTV Video Music Award nominations, followed closely by Taylor Swift. Madonna has been nominated in every decade of her career, boasting 19 wins. She is up for 11 awards, including video, artist and song of the year. If she secures all, she would join Beyoncé and Swift as the most-awarded musicians in VMA history.

Taylor Swift follows with nine nominations, which would make her the most-awarded artist in VMA history if she wins even one award. Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson, Blackpink's LISA, Shakira, Tate McRae, GENER8ION, Yung Lean, Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean, Tucker Wetmore, and Sienna Spiro are also nominated.

The video of the year category will see Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" competing against Madonna's "Confessions II — The Film," Grande's "Hate That I Made You Love Me," Mars' "I Just Might," Carpenter's "Tear," GENER8ION's "Storm," and Yung Lean's "Storm." The two-hour show will air live on CBS on September 27 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, also simulcasting on MTV and Paramount+.