The pop icon earned 11 nominations, the most of any artist this year, while Taylor Swift follows with nine nominations. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter are also among the biggest contenders, earning seven nominations each.
The nominations set up what could be a historic night when the 2026 MTV VMAs take place September 27 in Los Angeles.
Madonna Leads the 2026 MTV VMA Nominations
More than four decades after her unforgettable appearance at the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, Madonna remains at the center of the VMA conversation.
Her 11 nominations include several of the night's biggest categories, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year.
Madonna's Confessions II - The Film is nominated for Video of the Year, while her Sabrina Carpenter collaboration "Bring Your Love" is competing for Song of the Year and Best Collaboration.
The nominations add another chapter to Madonna's remarkable history with MTV. She has been nominated at the VMAs in every decade of her career and already owns 19 competitive VMA victories.
A huge night in September could push her even higher on the list of the most successful artists in VMA history.
Taylor Swift Earns Nine VMA Nominations
Taylor Swift isn't far behind.
Swift received nine nominations, including a Video of the Year nomination for "The Fate of Ophelia."
The stakes are particularly high for Swift. She is currently tied with Beyoncé with 30 career VMA wins, according to the Associated Press. Just one victory at the 2026 ceremony could give Swift the record for the most MTV VMA wins of all time.
That makes the Madonna-versus-Taylor Swift storyline one of the biggest narratives heading into this year's show.
Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande Score Seven Nominations Each
The competition extends well beyond Madonna and Swift.
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter received seven nominations each, placing both artists among this year's leading nominees.
Carpenter is competing for major awards including Video of the Year and Artist of the Year, while her collaboration with Madonna gives her another opportunity to take home a Moon Person.
Grande is also nominated for Video of the Year, putting her directly against Madonna, Swift and Carpenter for the night's biggest prize.
2026 MTV VMA Video of the Year Nominees
Video of the Year features several of the biggest names in contemporary pop music:
Madonna — Confessions II - The Film
Taylor Swift — "The Fate of Ophelia"
Ariana Grande — "Hate That I Made You Love Me"
Sabrina Carpenter — "Tears"
Bruno Mars — "I Just Might"
GENER8ION & Yung Lean — "Storm"
The category creates a fascinating mix of established superstars and newer artists competing for one of MTV's most recognizable awards.
Who Is Nominated for Artist of the Year?
The 2026 VMA Artist of the Year race is similarly packed with major names.
Madonna, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars and Morgan Wallen are among the artists competing for the honor.
With several of those performers also nominated in Video of the Year and other major categories, a handful of artists could potentially dominate the ceremony.
26 Artists Receive Their First VMA Nominations
The 2026 VMAs aren't only about established superstars.
This year's nominations include 26 first-time VMA nominees, showing how quickly the music landscape continues to change.
The group includes artists such as Olivia Dean, Noah Kahan and Kali Uchis, alongside other emerging and viral performers.
That combination of established stars and newer artists has traditionally been a major part of the VMAs, with MTV using the ceremony to recognize both mainstream hits and artists experiencing breakout moments.
Madonna Could Make VMA History
Madonna's position at the top of the nominations is particularly notable considering her relationship with MTV stretches back to the beginning of the network's signature awards show.
Her controversial performance of "Like a Virgin" at the 1984 VMAs became one of the defining moments of the early MTV era.
More than 40 years later, she is once again the ceremony's most-nominated artist.
If Madonna were to sweep all 11 of her categories, she could reach 30 competitive VMA victories, putting her alongside Beyoncé and Taylor Swift among the most decorated artists in the show's history.
Taylor Swift Could Break the All-Time VMA Record
Swift has an even more immediate opportunity to make history.
With 30 career VMA victories, Swift currently shares the overall record with Beyoncé. A single victory at the 2026 VMAs would move her ahead.
That gives nearly every Taylor Swift category an additional storyline heading into the September ceremony.
Instead of simply asking how many awards Swift will win, fans will also be watching to see whether Taylor Swift becomes the most-awarded artist in MTV VMA history.
When Are the 2026 MTV VMAs?
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, September 27, from Los Angeles.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be available on CBS and MTV, with streaming available through Paramount+ in the United States.
Fan voting is available in multiple categories ahead of the ceremony.
The 2026 VMAs Could Deliver a Historic Night
This year's nominations create several major storylines heading into September.
Madonna has a chance to add another milestone to a career that has been intertwined with MTV for more than four decades. Taylor Swift could become the most-awarded artist in VMA history. Meanwhile, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars and a new generation of artists are positioned to challenge them for some of the night's biggest awards.
With Madonna leading with 11 nominations and Taylor Swift following with nine, the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards could ultimately become a battle between two generations of pop superstardom.
The winners will be revealed when the 2026 MTV VMAs air live September 27.
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