The Material Girl and the Showgirl are going head-to-head for this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.
But Madonna has the most nominations for 2026, with 11, including Video, Artist, and Song of the Year, The Associated Press reported.
Since Madonna burst onto the scene in the 1980s, she has won 19 MTV VMAs and received the Video Vanguard Award in 1986, the first female solo artist to do so.
Swift is second this year with nine nominations. If she takes home one, she will be the most-awarded artist in VMA history, as she and Beyoncé are tied for the title with 30 each, the AP said.
She’s up for the Video and Artist of the Year as well.
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter are coming in with seven nominations.
The awards will be presented on Sept 27 from Los Angeles.
Fans can cast their votes for the VMA Video of the Year here.
Here is a list of select nominations:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
- Bruno Mars - “I Just Might” - Atlantic Records
- GENER8ION - “STORM starring Yung Lean” - Iconoclast Music
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter - “Tears”- Island
- Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Ariana Grande - Republic Records
- Bruno Mars - Atlantic Records
- Madonna - Warner Records
- Morgan Wallen - Big Loud/Mercury Records
- Sabrina Carpenter - Island
- Taylor Swift - Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
- BTS - “Swim” - BIGHIT MUSIC
- Ella Langley - “Choosin’ Texas” - Columbia Records
- HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI - “Golden” - Republic Records/Visva Records
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter - “Bring Your Love” - Warner Records
- Olivia Dean - “Man I Need” - Island
- PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- RAYE - “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” - Human Re Sources
BEST NEW ARTIST, presented by The General Insurance®
- Bella Kay - Atlantic Records
- CORTIS - BIGHIT MUSIC
- Magnus Ferrell -Visva Records/Republic Records
- Malcolm Todd - Columbia Records
- Myles Smith - RCA Records
- Sienna Spiro - Capitol Records
- Stella Lefty - Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
BEST COLLABORATION
- Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice - “Chains & Whips” - Roc Nation Distribution
- French Montana x Max B - “Ever Since U Left Me” - Coke Boys Records
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter - “Bring Your Love” - Warner Records
- PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- Shakira & Burna Boy - “Dai Dai” - Sony Music US Latin
- Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye - “Hard Part” - Def Jam Recordings
BEST POP
- Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
- Charli xcx - “SS26” - Atlantic Records
- LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” - Lloud Co./RCA Records
- Olivia Rodrigo - “drop dead” - Geffen Records
- Sabrina Carpenter - “House Tour” - Island
- Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl” - RCA Records
- Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
BEST R&B
- Bruno Mars - “I Just Might” - Atlantic Records
- Chris Brown - “It Depends/Obvious” - RCA Records
- Dave & Tems - “Raindance” - Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
- Justin Bieber - “YUKON” - Def Jam Recordings
- Kehlani - “Folded” - Atlantic Records
- Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis - “Is It a Crime” - Epic Records
BEST ALTERNATIVE
- Geese - “Taxes” - Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
- mgk & Fred Durst - “FIX UR FACE” - EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
- Noah Kahan - “The Great Divide” - Mercury Records
- Olivia Rodrigo - “the cure” - Geffen Records
- SOMBR - “Homewrecker” - SMB Music/Warner Records
- Tame Impala - “Dracula” - Columbia Records
- twenty one pilots - “Drag Path” - Fueled By Ramen
**BEST DANCE, presented by BACARDÍ® Rum
- Bebe Rexha & Faithless - “New Religion” - Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
- Harry Styles - “Aperture” - Columbia Records
- Lady Gaga & Doechii - “RUNWAY” - Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- Slayyyter - “DANCE…” - RECORDS/Columbia Records
- Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl” - RCA Records
BEST LATIN
- Anitta with Shakira - “Choka Choka” - Republic Records/UMLE
- Bad Bunny - “NUEVAYoL” - Rimas Entertainment
- Fuerza Regida - “TU SANCHO” - Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
- KAROL G - “Papasito” - Bichota Records/Interscope Records
- Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia - “La Perla” - Columbia Records
- Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA - “LA VILLA” - AWOO Corp./ Sony Music US Latin
- Shakira & Burna Boy - “Dai Dai” - Sony Music US Latin
BEST K-POP
- BLACKPINK - “JUMP” - YG Entertainment
- BTS - “SWIM” - BIGHIT MUSIC
- CORTIS - “REDRED” - BIGHIT MUSIC
- KATSEYE - “PINKY UP” - HYBE x Geffen Records
- LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) - “SPAGHETTI” - SOURCE MUSIC
- LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” - Lloud Co./ RCA Records
BEST COUNTRY
- Ella Langley - “Choosin’ Texas” - Columbia Records
- Kacey Musgraves - “Dry Spell” - Lost Highway/Interscope Records
- Lainey Wilson - “Somewhere Over Laredo” - Broken Bow Records
- Luke Combs - “Back in the Saddle” - Columbia Nashville
- Shaboozey - “Cowgirl” - American Dogwood/EMPIRE
- Stella Lefty - “Boston” - Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
- Tucker Wetmore - “Brunette” - Back Blocks Music/MCA/Mercury Records
BEST DIRECTION
- Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” - Republic Records
- Bruno Mars - “I Just Might” - Atlantic Records
- GENER8ION - “STORM starring Yung Lean” - Iconoclast Music
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- Sabrina Carpenter - “House Tour” - Island
- Taylor Swift - “Opalite” - Republic Records
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
- GENER8ION - “STORM starring Yung Lean” - Iconoclast Music
- Harry Styles - “Dance No More” - Columbia Records
- KATSEYE - “PINKY UP” - HYBE x Geffen Records
- Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records
- Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl” - RCA Records
- Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia” - Republic Records
©2026 Cox Media Group
