The 2026 MTV VMA nominations are officially here, and the Queen of Pop is back on top. Madonna leads the pack with 11 nominations, marking her first time as the leading contender since 1998. Her 14-minute visual project “Confessions II – The Film” is up for the coveted Video of the Year award, proving that Madonna still knows exactly how to make headlines after all these years.
Taylor Swift is hot on her heels with 9 nominations, and she’s looking to extend her already record-breaking collection of Moon Person trophies. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter are also major contenders with 7 nominations each. Bruno Mars rounds out the top names with 5 nominations. The ceremony will air live on CBS and MTV on September 27 from the Peachtree Theatre in Los Angeles, marking the first fall VMAs and the first time the show has been in LA since 2017.
With fan voting open through September 25 at vote.MTV.com, this year’s show is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about events of the fall. Whether you’re a devoted fan of Madonna, a Swiftie, or rooting for another favorite, your vote matters. So what do you think of this year’s nominations? Is Madonna’s comeback the story of the year, or should Taylor or Sabrina take the top prize?
