Madonna leads 2026 MTV VMAs nominations with 11 nods as Taylor Swift earns nine and Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter get seven each | English Movie News
Madonna has emerged as the biggest name among the nominees for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, earning 11 nominations. Taylor Swift follows closely with nine nods, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter have secured seven nominations each. The nominations have also brought several other major artists into contention, setting up a competitive edition of the annual music awards.
Major names dominate nominations
According to ANI, Bruno Mars, Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress have each received five nominations, while BLACKPINK member Lisa has four. Tate McRae and Shakira have earned three nominations apiece. The Artist of the Year category features some of the biggest names in the current music landscape. Madonna, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars and Morgan Wallen will compete for the honour.
Video of the Year race
The Video of the Year category includes Madonna’s ‘Confessions II – The Film’, Taylor Swift’s ‘The Fate of Ophelia’, Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Tears’, Ariana Grande’s ‘Hate That I Made You Love Me’, Bruno Mars’ ‘I Just Might’ and Gener8ion’s ‘Storm Starring Yung Lean’.With established superstars and contemporary music acts competing alongside each other, the category is expected to be one of the major highlights of the ceremony.
VMAs return to Los Angeles
The 2026 VMAs will be held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony’s return to the West Coast marks the first time in nine years that the awards will be staged there. The show was last broadcast from Los Angeles in 2017, with Katy Perry serving as host that year. The host for the 2026 ceremony has not yet been announced. The two-hour awards show is scheduled to air on September 27.
Best Dance category makes comeback
The Best Dance category is also returning to the VMAs lineup after a seven-year absence. The award was first introduced in 1989, but Madonna has never won in the category.The 2026 ceremony will be produced by Gunpowder & Sky, with MTV veteran Van Toffler serving as lead producer. Jesse Ignjatovic, Barbara Bialkowski, Bruce Gillmer, Barry Barclay and Floris Bauer are executive producers, while Melanie Block is co-executive producer and Gary Lanvy is co-producer.
