MTV VMAs 2026 – Vote is open

This August, as usual, voting for the MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards) is officially underway.

The 2026 edition features plenty of categories celebrating the best artists, music videos and productions of the past year. Among this year’s highlights is the fact that there are 13 categories in which fans can cast their votes, along with the return of the Best Dance category, which had been absent from the VMAs since 2019. This year’s nominees include Tate McRae, Bebe Rexha & Faithless, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga & Doechii, Madonna, PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson and Slayyyter.

Looking at Pop, some of the biggest names in the international music scene are among this year’s nominees, along with plenty of rising stars. Leading the list of the most-nominated artists this year is Madonna, with an impressive 11 nominations, followed by Taylor Swift with 9. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each receive 7 nominations, while Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson have 5 each. In total, 26 artists are receiving their first-ever VMAs nomination.

When and how to vote

The online voting period began on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at 9:00 AM ET and will close on Friday, September 25, 2026 at 6:00 PM ET. To vote, simply visit the official website vote.mtv.com and cast your vote. Fans can vote daily in the categories open to the public, while voting for Best New Artist will remain open until the night of the ceremony.

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, September 27, 2026 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, marking the VMAs’ return to the West Coast for the first time since 2017. The show will air live at 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT on CBS and simulcast on MTV, while it will also be available to stream on Paramount+ in the United States. International availability on Paramount+ and MTV will begin the following day.

Here is the complete list of categories and their respective nominees for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards:

MTV VMAs 2026: All Categories and Nominees

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 – “Golden”
• Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love”
• Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”
• PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
• RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”

BEST NEW ARTIST

• Bella Kay
• CORTIS
• Magnus Ferrell
• Malcolm Todd
• Myles Smith
• Sienna Spiro
• Stella Lefty

BEST COLLABORATION

• Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T & Malice – “Chains & Whips”
• French Montana & Max B – “Ever Since U Left Me”
• Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love”
• PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
• Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai”
• Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – “Hard Part”

BEST POP

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

BEST HIP-HOP

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

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 & Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
• Slayyyter – “DANCE…”
• Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl”

BEST LATIN

• Anitta & Shakira – “Choka Choka”
• Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL”
• Fuerza Regida – “TU SANCHO”
• KAROL G – “Papasito”
• Rosalía & 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 & Kentaro Sakaguchi – “Dream”

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 – “RUNWAY”
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
• PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
• 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 & Kentaro Sakaguchi – “Dream”
• 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 & Kentaro Sakaguchi – “Dream”
• 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 & Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
• RAYE feat. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony.”
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”