Madonna leads this year's MTV Video Music Awards nominations with 11 nods, and she's looking to add to her 19 competitive VMA wins when the ceremony airs live from Los Angeles on September 27, That Grape Juice reported on August 18, 2026.
Taylor Swift follows with nine nominations, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each earned seven and Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson picked up five apiece. Madonna's Confessions II short film anchors much of her haul, up for Video of the Year alongside Artist of the Year and creative categories including Best Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Choreography, while her Sabrina Carpenter collaboration "Bring Your Love" is separately nominated for Song of the Year and Best Collaboration. This year's ceremony includes 26 first-time nominees and marks the return of the Best Dance category for the first time in seven years.
The show broadcasts at 7:30 p.m. ET and 4:30 p.m. PT on CBS, with a simulcast on MTV and a stream on Paramount+. Fan voting is open now across 13 categories through September 25 at 6 p.m. ET, while voting for Best New Artist stays open through the ceremony itself.
Video of the Year pits Madonna's short film against Ariana Grande's "hate that i made you love me," Bruno Mars' "I Just Might," Gener8ion and Yung Lean's "STORM," Sabrina Carpenter's "Tears" and Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia," with Artist of the Year adding Morgan Wallen to that same field of contenders.
Madonna's leading haul continues a strong stretch this year, and MusicSuey has more on the full nominations breakdown, including nods for Ariana Grande and Bruno Mars, on award watch under pop.
The facts
- Madonna leads with 11 nominations, looking to add to her 19 competitive VMA wins
- Ceremony airs live from Los Angeles on September 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS
- 26 first-time nominees this year, and Best Dance returns after a seven-year absence
- Video of the Year and Artist of the Year both include Madonna, Swift, Grande, Mars and Carpenter
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