Madonna, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter and Bruno Mars... Who will have the honor of walking away with the most trophies? The answer comes on September 27, 2026, during the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards edition, held in Los Angeles.
After the Grammy Awards, then the Brit Awards and before the NRJ Music Awards, it's time for MTV VMAs, the famous MTV Video Music Awards. Created in 1984 by the American cable music channel MTV, the ceremony aims to honor the best music videos of the past year.
Last year, the MTV Video Music Awards crowned, among others, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, and Tate McRae. So who will emerge victorious this year? Who will get the chance to walk away with one or more trophies this fall? Mark your calendars for September 27, 2026 to find out. The event will be streamed on MTV from Los Angeles, with several live performances anchoring the ceremony.
On the nominations side, Madonna leads the pack this year, competing in 11 categories. The Queen of Pop is followed by Taylor Swift (with 9 nominations), then Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter (7 nominations each).
Also note the presence of Bruno Mars, nominated in the categories "Video of the Year", "Artist of the Year" or "Best R&B Video", as well as BTS, Olivia Rodrigo, and the duo Gener8ion, formed by the French DJ Surkin and the French director Romain Gavras. Gener8ion is up for three awards this year at the MTV Video Music Awards, including the Video of the Year.
MTV Video Music Awards 2026: Nominees Revealed
Video of the Year
- Ariana Grande — Hate That I Made You Love Me
- Bruno Mars — I Just Might
- Gener8ion — Storm, featuring Yung Lean
- Madonna — Confessions II: The Film
- Sabrina Carpenter — Tears
- Taylor Swift — The Fate of Ophelia
Artist of the Year
- Ariana Grande
- Bruno Mars
- Madonna
- Morgan Wallen
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
- BTS – Swim
- Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas
- Huntr/x – Golden
- Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – Bring Your Love
- Olivia Dean – Man I Need
- PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson – Stateside
- Raye – Where Is My Husband!
Breakthrough of the Year
- Bella Kay
- Cortis
- Magnus Ferrell
- Malcolm Todd
- Myles Smith
- Sienna Spiro
- Stella Lefty
Best collaboration
- Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice — Chains and Whips
- French Montana and Max B — Ever Since U Left Me
- Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter — Bring Your Love
- PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson — Stateside
- Shakira and Burna Boy — Dai Dai
- Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye — Hard Part
Best Pop Video
- Ariana Grande — Hate That I Made You Love Me
- Charli XCX — SS26
- Lisa & Kentara Sakaguchi — Dream
- Olivia Rodrigo — Drop Dead
- Sabrina Carpenter — House Tour
- Tate McRae — Nobody’s Girl
- Taylor Swift — The Fate of Ophelia
Best hip-hop video
- Cardi B and Kehlani – Safe
- Don Toliver – E85
- Drake – Janice STFU
- Megan Thee Stallion – Lover Girl
- Travis Scott – Dumbo
- Tyler, the Creator – Sugar on My Tongue
Best R&B Video
- Bruno Mars — I Just Might
- Chris Brown — It Depends/Obvious
- Dave & Tems — Raindance
- Justin Bieber — Yukon
- Kehlani — Folded
- Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis — Is It a Crime
Best Alternative Music Video
- Geese — Taxes
- MGK & Fred Durst — Fix Ur Face
- Noah Kahan — The Great Divide
- Olivia Rodrigo — The Cure
- Sombr — Homewrecker
- Tame Impala — Dracula
- Twenty One Pilots — Drag Path
Best Dance Video
- Bebe Rexha & Faithless – New Religion
- Harry Styles – Aperture
- Lady Gaga & Doechii – Runway
- Madonna – Confessions II – The Film
- PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson – Stateside
- Slayyyter – Dance…
- Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl
Best Latin Music Video
- Anitta & Shakira – Choka Choka
- Bad Bunny – Nuevayol
- Fuerza Regida – Tu Sancho
- Karol G – Papasito
- Rosalía & Yahritza y Su Esencia – La Perla
- Ryan Castro, Kapo & Gangsta – La Villa
- Shakira & Burna Boy – Dai Dai
Best K-Pop Video
- Blackpink — Jump
- BTS — Swim
- Cortis — RedRed
- Katseye — Pinky Up
- Le Sserafim & J-Hope of BTS — Spaghetti
- Lisa & Kentara Sakaguchi — Dream
Best Country Music Video
- Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas
- Kacey Musgraves – Dry Spell
- Lainey Wilson – Somewhere Over Laredo
- Luke Combs – Back in the Saddle
- Shaboozey – Cowgirl
- Stella Lefty – Boston
- Tucker Wetmore – Brunette
Best Performance
- Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me
- Bruno Mars – I Just Might
- Gener8ion – Storm, Starring Yung Lean
- Madonna – Confessions II: The Film
- Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour
- Taylor Swift – Opalite
Best Art Direction
- Charli XCX – SS26
- Lady Gaga & Doechii – Runway
- Madonna – Confessions II: The Film
- PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson – Stateside
- Sombr – My Body Isn't Ready
- Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
Best Photo
- A$AP Rocky – Punk Rocky
- Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Fall in Love with Me
- Lisa & Kentara Sakaguchi – Dream
- Madonna – Confessions II: The Film
- Shaboozey – Cowgirl
- Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
Best Editing
- Ariana Grande — Hate That I Made You Love Me
- Bruno Mars — I Just Might
- Lisa & Kentara Sakaguchi — Dream
- Madonna — Confessions II: The Film
- Sabrina Carpenter — House Tour
- Taylor Swift — The Fate of Ophelia
Best Choreography
- Gener8ion – Storm featuring Yung Lean
- Harry Styles – Dance No More
- Katseye – Pinky Up
- Madonna – Confessions II: The Film
- Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl
- Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
Best Visual Effects
- Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me
- Jisoo & Zayn – Eyes Closed
- Madonna – Confessions II – The Film
- PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson – Stateside
- Raye & Hans Zimmer – Click Clack Symphony
- Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
