Madonna, Swift Lead 2026 VMAs Nominees
Madonna leads the 2026 MTV VMAs with 11 nominations, followed by Taylor Swift with nine and Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter with seven each, signaling a heavily female-dominated top tier. The ceremony is set for September 27 in Los Angeles' Peacock Theater and will be broadcast across CBS, MTV and Paramount+ with a host yet to be announced. Video of the Year contenders include Madonna’s Confessions II – The Film, Swift’s The Fate of Ophelia, Grande’s Hate That I Made You Love Me, Bruno Mars’ I Just Might, Gener8ION’s Storm, and Sabrina Carpenter’s Tears. Artist of the Year nominees are Madonna, Swift, Grande, Carpenter, Mars, and Morgan Wallen. The VMAs are reviving the Best Dance category after seven years, reflecting a broader emphasis on choreography and visual innovation. Nashville ties appear in the nominations, notably with Swift and Morgan Wallen among the leading contenders, underscoring regional influence alongside global pop power.
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