Ranchi, Jharkhand: Madonna leads the nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with 11 nods, putting the pop icon ahead of Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter.
Swift has received nine nominations, while Grande and Carpenter have seven each, according to Variety.
Bruno Mars, Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress have five nominations apiece, while Blackpink's Lisa has received four. Tate McRae and Shakira have three nominations each.
The 2026 VMAs will be held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on September 27, marking the show's return to the West Coast for the first time in nine years.
The awards were last broadcast from Los Angeles in 2017, when Katy Perry hosted the ceremony.
The two-hour show is scheduled to air on September 27, although the host has not yet been announced.
Madonna, Swift, Grande, Carpenter, Mars and Morgan Wallen are among the nominees for Artist of the Year.
The Video of the Year category features Madonna's 'Confessions II - The Film', Swift's 'The Fate of Ophelia', Carpenter's 'Tears', Grande's 'Hate That I Made You Love Me', Mars' 'I Just Might' and Gener8ion's 'Storm Starring Yung Lean'.
The 2026 VMAs are being produced by Gunpowder & Sky, with MTV veteran Van Toffler serving as lead producer.
Jesse Ignjatovic of Den of Thieves, Barbara Bialkowski, Bruce Gillmer, Barry Barclay and Floris Bauer are serving as executive producers. Melanie Block is co-executive producer, while Gary Lanvy is co-producer, according to Variety.
The Best Dance category is also returning after a seven-year absence. The category was first introduced in 1989, but Madonna has never won the award.
The 2026 ceremony will bring together some of the biggest names in pop music, with Madonna leading the field as she seeks to add to her record at one of the music industry's most prominent awards shows.
