Madonna Leads VMAs Nominations With 11, Followed by Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande Madonna has secured the most nominations for the 2026 VMAs, earning 11 nods, followed by Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Ariana Grande, each receiving 10. Other artists with multiple nominations include Bruno Mars, Zara Larsson, and PinkPantheress, who were each nominated five times. Blackpink’s Lisa, Tate McRae, and Shakira each received three nominations. The VMAs will be held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles for the first time in nine years, marking a shift from the city’s previous hosting in 2017. The two-hour ceremony will air live on Sept. 27 on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+, with broadcast times set for 7:30-9:30 p.m. ET and 4:30-6:30 p.m. PT. A host for the event has not yet been announced. Fan voting for 13 categories is currently open at vote.mtv.com, with the deadline set for Sept. 25. An additional category, best new artist, will remain open for fan votes until the live telecast. The nominees for best new artist include Bella Kay, Cortis, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro, and Stella Lefty. Notable artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, BTS, Ella Langley, Harry Styles, and Charli xcx were limited to two nominations each, despite their prominence in the industry. Morgan Wallen, whose album became the year’s best-selling release, received a single nomination in the artist of the year category. The 2026 VMAs are being produced by Gunpowder & Sky, with MTV veteran Van Toffler serving as lead producer. The executive producers include Jesse Ignjatovic of Den of Thieves, Barbara Bialkowski, Bruce Gillmer, Barry Barclay, and Floris Bauer. Melanie Block is co-executive producer, and Gary Lanvy is co-producer.#taylor_swift #ariana_grande #sabrina_carpenter #madonna #peacock_theatre
