Pop icon Madonna has become the leading nominee for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, securing 11 nods and outpacing Taylor Swift, who received nine, according to infohub.kz.
The MTV VMA organizers have announced the list of nominees. Madonna tops the list for the first time since 1998. She is vying for 11 Moon Person trophies, including the major categories of Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for her 14-minute film "Confessions II — The Film." Her duet with Sabrina Carpenter, "Bring Your Love," is also nominated for Song of the Year.
Following Madonna is Taylor Swift with nine nominations for her video "The Fate of Ophelia." If Swift wins at least one award, she will surpass Beyoncé and become the most decorated artist in the history of the ceremony (currently both have 30 wins).
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each received seven nominations, while Bruno Mars got five. In the Video of the Year category, Madonna, Swift, Grande, Mars, Carpenter, and the project GENER8ION will compete for the win.
The 2026 MTV VMA ceremony will take place on September 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on CBS and MTV.