MTV VMAs 2026: Taylor Swift Set for History as Madonna Leads Nominations
Taylor Swift will become the most-awarded artist in VMA history at the 2026 ceremony, where Madonna leads nominations with 11 and will open the show.
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will see Taylor Swift become the most-awarded artist in the show's history, while Madonna leads this year's nominations.
Swift is set to receive the inaugural Artist Director Honors, an award recognising artists whose work behind the camera has broadened the possibilities of the music video and advanced visual storytelling. The honour will lift her career total to 31 VMAs, moving her ahead of Beyoncé, with whom she is currently tied at 30. Eminem holds the most VMAs among male artists, with 15.
Swift will also premiere the music video for her new single, "Patient Zero," during the ceremony. She directed the visual, which features Colin Farrell and Dakota Johnson. The song is her first single since she married Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in July.
Madonna tops the nominations with 11, including video, artist and song of the year, as well as best collaboration, dance, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography and visual effects. She has been nominated in every decade of her career, holds 19 competitive VMA wins and in 1986 became the first solo female artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award. She will open the show, her first VMA performance in 23 years.
Swift follows with nine nominations, among them video and artist of the year and best pop, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography and visual effects. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each have seven nods, while Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson have five. Blackpink's LISA has four, and Shakira, Tate McRae, GENER8ION and Yung Lean are tied at three.
The two-hour ceremony will air live on CBS on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern and 4:30 p.m. Pacific from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles — the first time since 2017 that the VMAs have been held outside New York or New Jersey. The show will be simulcast on MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S., before becoming available globally on Paramount+ and MTV the following day.
Snoop Dogg, a 13-time nominee and three-time winner, will host. He first appeared on the VMA stage in 1994, closed the 1999 show with Dr. Dre and Eminem, and returned for a Notorious B.I.G. tribute and a 2022 performance with Eminem.
Kacey Musgraves will pay tribute to Dolly Parton, the country icon who died of cancer in Nashville in August at 80. Raye, Sombr and Teddy Swims will honour George Michael, who died 10 years ago on Christmas Day at 53. Raye will also perform solo.
Other performers include GENER8ION with Yung Lean, Shaboozey with Gunna, and Lisa and Sienna Spiro. Presenters include Alex Warren, Belmont Cameli, Charli xcx, Ciara Miller, David Corenswet, Ella Bright, Isabel May, Jeff Probst, Rachel Dratch, Teyana Taylor, Tyla and Troye Sivan.