Madonna to Perform at the VMAs for the First Time in 23 Years

Madonna will make her first appearance at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), opening the event after a 23-year absence. The singer holds the top spot with 11 nominations, including Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for "Confessions II - The Film." Taylor Swift follows with nine nominations, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter have seven each.

Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, and Zara Larsson each have five nominations. Madonna's return announcement coincides with the release of her latest album, "Confessions II," which dropped in July. Prior to her VMAs performance, Madonna appeared in pop-up shows and made a surprise cameo during Sabrina Carpenter's Coachella headliner set.

Snoop Dogg will host the 2026 VMAs, which will air on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+ Premium, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 27. The 2026 VMAs executive producers include Jesse Ignjatovic, Barb Bialkowski, Bruce Gillmer, Barry Barclay, and Floris Bauer. The fan voting for 13 categories is open until Sept. 25 at 6:00 p.m. ET, except for Best New Artist, which can be voted for during the Bacardi Rum Power Hour from Aug. 20 through Sept. 24.