Madonna Leads MTV VMA Nominations With 11 Nods
MTV announced its 2026 VMA nominations Tuesday. Madonna leads with 11 nominations; Taylor Swift is second with nine.
- 11 categories include video, artist, and song of the year for Madonna.
- 30 VMA wins each currently tie Swift and Beyoncé for most in history.
- 26 first-time nominees appear on this year's ballot.
- Best dance category returns for the first time in seven years.
Why it matters: One Swift win rewrites the record books. Beyoncé has no nominations this year, so Swift has a clear path to sole ownership of the all-time wins record.
- A full Madonna sweep would tie that same record at 30 wins.
How 14 sources split on this story
Center coverage, 6 sources: The center presents the nominations as a straightforward record-watch, detailing nomination counts and historical context without emphasis on either artist.
Associated Press4hMadonna leads 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations, followed by Taylor Swift
Reuters1hMadonna supera a Taylor Swift en el número de nominaciones a los MTV Video Music Awards
USA Today2hMTV VMAs nominations are out and the leader probably isn't who you think
Billboard3hMadonna Leads 2026 MTV VMA Nominations: Full ListCNCTV News3hMadonna leads 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations, followed by Taylor SwiftPenPennLive2hThis sounds familiar: Madonna garners several MTV Video Music Award nominationsLeft coverage, 7 sources: The left frames the story around Madonna's historic career arc, noting she has been nominated in every decade since the VMAs began.
The Independent3hMTV VMAs nominations: Madonna leads with 11 as Taylor Swift follows behind
CBS News10mMadonna leads 2026 Video Music Award nominees. See the full list.
Hollywood Reporter3hMadonna, Taylor Swift Lead 2026 VMA Nominations
Rolling Stone2hMadonna and Taylor Swift Are the Pop Icons Leading the Nominees for the 2026 MTV VMAsTBGThe Boston Globe28mMadonna leads 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations
The Daily Beast29mQueen of Pop, 68, Dominates MTV Video Music Awards Nominations
Variety3hMadonna, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande Lead VMAs NomsRight coverage, 1 sources: The right frames the story as Madonna defeating Swift in a head-to-head competition, emphasizing the age and star power of the veteran artist.
What’s next: Fan voting across 13 categories closes Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. Eastern.
- The two-hour show broadcasts live on CBS and simulcasts on MTV Sept. 27.
- Will Madonna or Swift win video of the year, the night's top prize?
- How many of Madonna's 11 nominations will translate to wins?