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MTV VMA nominations: Madonna leads, Taylor Swift may make history
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Madonna leads the 2026 MTV Video Music Award nominations with 11 nods, including video, artist, and song of the year categories, potentially tying Beyoncé and Taylor Swift for the most VMA wins if she sweeps.
- Taylor Swift follows with nine nominations and could become the most-awarded artist in VMA history if she wins at least one award this year.
- Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each received seven nominations, with Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, and Zara Larsson earning five each; the artist of the year category includes Grande, Mars, Carpenter, Morgan Wallen, Madonna, and Swift.
- The awards ceremony will air live on CBS and MTV on September 27 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with streaming available on Paramount+ in the U.S. and globally the following day.
- The VMAs feature 26 first-time nominees and reintroduce the best dance category after a seven-year hiatus, with fan voting open online until September 25 for 13 categories.
