The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards Winners

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are back tonight, and this year, they’re celebrating new categories and familiar faces with three-time award winner Snoop Dogg as the evening’s MC. Madonna leads in nominations for the first time since 1998 with her latest album, Confessions II; following close behind her 11 noms are Taylor Swift with nine and, with seven each, Coachella sweetheart Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande, who has recently stepped back from public life.

Much of the excitement surrounding the awards show comes from Swifties as they prepare not only to watch Swift receive the first-ever MTV VMA Artist Director Honors award but also to witness the debut of her music video for “Patient Zero,” off her new deluxe album, The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore. We’re expecting a star-studded lineup of presenters, including Teyana Taylor, Charli XCX, and Troye Sivan, as well as performances from Raye, Kacey Musgraves, LISA, and more. The show airs live on MTV and CBS and is available for streaming on Paramount+ tonight, September 27, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Below, we present the full list of 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominees. We’ll be updating the list all night, so check back to see all the winners. 

Video of the Year
Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me”
Bruno Mars - “I Just Might”
GENER8ION - “STORM starring Yung Lean”
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter - “Tears”
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia”

Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande
Bruno Mars
Madonna
Morgan Wallen
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift

Song of the Year
BTS - “Swim”
Ella Langley - “Choosin’ Texas”
HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI - “Golden”
Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter - “Bring Your Love”
Olivia Dean - “Man I Need”
PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
RAYE - “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”

Best New Artist
Bella Kay
CORTIS
Magnus Ferrell
Malcolm Todd
Myles Smith
Sienna Spiro
Stella Lefty

Best R&B
Bruno Mars - “I Just Might”
Chris Brown - “It Depends/Obvious”
Dave & Tems - “Raindance”
Justin Bieber - “YUKON”
Kehlani - “Folded”
Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis - “Is It a Crime”

Best Alternative
Geese - “Taxes”
MGK & Fred Durst - “FIX UR FACE”
Noah Kahan - “The Great Divide”
Olivia Rodrigo - “the cure”
SOMBR - “Homewrecker”
Tame Impala - “Dracula”
Twenty One Pilots - “Drag Path”

Best Dance
Bebe Rexha & Faithless - “New Religion”
Harry Styles - “Aperture”
Lady Gaga & Doechii - “RUNWAY”
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film”
PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Slayyyter - “DANCE …”
Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl”

Best Latin
Anitta with Shakira - “Choka Choka”
Bad Bunny - “NUEVAYoL”
Fuerza Regida - “TU SANCHO”
KAROL G - “Papasito”
Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia - “La Perla”
Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA - “LA VILLA”
Shakira & Burna Boy - “Dai Dai”

Best K-Pop
BLACKPINK - “JUMP”
BTS - “SWIM”
CORTIS - “REDRED”
KATSEYE - “PINKY UP”
LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) - “SPAGHETTI”
LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”

Best Country
Ella Langley - “Choosin’ Texas”
Kacey Musgraves - “Dry Spell”
Lainey Wilson - “Somewhere Over Laredo”
Luke Combs - “Back in the Saddle”
Shaboozey - “Cowgirl”
Stella Lefty - “Boston”
Tucker Wetmore - “Brunette”

Best Direction
Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me”
Bruno Mars - “I Just Might”
GENER8ION - “STORM starring Yung Lean”
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter - “House Tour”
Taylor Swift - “Opalite”

Best Art Direction
Charli xcx - “SS26”
Lady Gaga & Doechii - “RUNAWAY”
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film”
PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
SOMBR - “My Body Isn’t Ready”
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Cinematography
A$AP Rocky - “PUNK ROCKY”
Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me”
LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film”
Shaboozey - “Cowgirl”
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Editing
Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me”
Bruno Mars - “I Just Might”
LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter - “House Tour”
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Choreography
GENER8ION - “STORM starring Yung Lean”
Harry Styles - “Dance No More”
KATSEYE - “PINKY UP”
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film”
Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl”
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me”
JISOO X ZAYN - “Eyes Closed”
Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film”
PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer - “Click Clack Symphony.”
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia”