LOS ANGELES—The nominees for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) were announced on Tuesday, August 18. To a big surprise, an icon from the 80s leads the pack with 11 nominations. I’m referring to Madonna who is a contender for multiple categories including Artist and Video of the Year.

Followed close behind the pop icon is Taylor Swift with 9 nominations. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each earned a total of 7 nominations, with all 4 ladies vying for the Artist and Video of the Year nominations. It is truly amazing in 2026 that MTV is still televising the VMAs considering I don’t even think the network plays music videos at all anymore on its main channel.

The music of the 80s, 90s, 00s, and early 00s have all but vanished. Not to mention the music videos of the past are phenomenal compared to the crumbs that artist now deliver today. Music videos in the 80s and 90s were iconic; people talked about them, today not at all. A partial list of this year’s nominees can be viewed below:

Video Of The Year

-Ariana Grande “hate that i made you love me”
-Bruno Mars “I Just Might”
-GENER8ION “STORM starring Young 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”
-HUNTRD/X “Golden”
-Madonna and 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 Pop

-Ariana Grande “hate that i made you love me”
-Charlie xcx “SS26”
-LISA “Dream” feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi
-Olivia Rodrigo “drop dead”
-Sabrina Carpenter “House Tour”
-Tate McRae “Nobody’s Girl”
-Taylor Swift “The Fate of Ophelia”

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 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 Hip-Hop

-Cardi B feat. Kehlani “Safe”
-Don Toliver “E85”
-Drake “Janice STFU”
-Megan Thee Stallion “LOVER GIRL”
-Travis Scott “DUMBO”
-Tyler, The Creator “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE”

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 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

The ceremony is set to take place in Los Angeles on September 27 which is a major deviation. I cannot recall the last time the ceremony occurred outside of New York or the east coast. A host for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards has not been announced.

The categories are being voted on by the fans, which should tell you everything you need to know about who will win. Man, I used to love it when you had actual awards shows voted on by a particular body/group of people.

Written By LaDale Anderson