Madonna Leads 2026 MTV VMA Nominations With 11; Swift Has 9

Madonna leads the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with a career-high 11 nominations, ahead of Taylor Swift with nine, MTV announced Aug. 18.

Swift shares the 30-win VMA record with Beyoncé; one victory would make her the show’s most-awarded artist, CBS News reported.

Grande and Carpenter received seven each; Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson five each; and LISA four. Seven of the eight most-nominated artists are women.

Madonna’s nearly 14-minute “Confessions II – The Film” is nominated for Video of the Year against entries from Grande, Mars, Carpenter, Swift and GENER8ION, whose “STORM” stars Yung Lean.

Morgan Wallen joins Grande, Mars, Madonna, Carpenter and Swift in Artist of the Year. It is the category’s first field without a hip-hop act since its 2017 debut and its first in five years without a Latin music act, Billboard reported.

The VMAs air live Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on CBS, simulcast on MTV. Paramount+ Premium subscribers may watch live through their local CBS affiliate; Essential subscribers receive it on demand the next day.

Voting in 13 categories closes Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. ET, except Best New Artist voting, which remains open into the show.

This is a developing story. Virginia Times will update as information becomes available.