Madonna Just DOMINATED The 2026 VMA Nominations With 11 Nods — And The Pop Comeback Is REAL 👑

Stop everything you're doing, because the 2026 MTV VMA nominations just dropped — and Madonna is absolutely OWNING this year with a whopping 11 nominations.

Yes, really. The Queen of Pop is having her biggest awards moment in over a decade, thanks to her critically acclaimed Confessions II album that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last month. And honestly? We are SO here for this pop renaissance. 🎤

The Tea ☕

• Madonna leads with 11 nominations, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Song of the Year for "Bring Your Love" with Sabrina Carpenter
• Taylor Swift trails with 9 noms (she's currently tied with Beyoncé for most VMAs wins ever at 30)
• Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter tied for third with 7 nominations each
• The Best Dance category is BACK for the first time since 2019
• The show airs live from LA on Sept. 27 on CBS

Taylor's Coming For History

While Madonna is dominating the nominations, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Taylor Swift could make history at this year's ceremony. She's currently tied with Beyoncé for the most VMA wins ever at 30 Moon Persons — so if she wins even one award this year, she'll break that record and become the most-awarded artist in VMAs history.

No pressure or anything! Swift scored nine total nominations this year, including nods for Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for "The Fate of Ophelia."

Sabrina Carpenter Is EVERYWHERE

Can we talk about how Sabrina Carpenter is having THE year? Not only did she score seven nominations of her own (including Video of the Year for "Tears"), but she's also nominated alongside Madonna for their collab "Bring Your Love" in multiple categories.

E! Online reports that Ariana Grande is also tied with Carpenter at seven nominations each, with Grande's "hate that i made you love me" up for Video of the Year.

And Then There's The Dance Category Comeback

Here's something that has us genuinely excited: the Best Dance category is returning for the first time in SEVEN years. Madonna, Tate McRae, PinkPantheress, and Zara Larsson will battle it out against Harry Styles, Bebe Rexha, Slayyyter, and Lady Gaga & Doechii for their "RUNWAY" collab from The Devil Wears Prada 2.

The category disappeared after 2019, and its return feels like MTV finally remembering that dance-pop is very much still a thing. Thank you!

The Video Of The Year Race Is STACKED

The biggest category of the night features some absolute bangers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Video of the Year nominees are:

• 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"

Bruno Mars also snagged five nominations overall and is up for Artist of the Year alongside Madonna, Swift, Grande, Carpenter, and… Morgan Wallen. (Yes, country is officially infiltrating every awards show now.)

Best New Artist Is About To Launch Some CAREERS

The Best New Artist category always delivers future superstars, and this year's lineup includes Bella Kay, CORTIS, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro, and Stella Lefty — who's also nominated in Best Country for her viral hit "Boston."

Any of these names could be headlining arenas in five years. We're calling it now.

The Madonna Comeback Nobody Saw Coming

Let's be real: Madonna's Confessions II album has been widely regarded as her best work since 2005's original Confessions on a Dance Floor. The 11 nominations mark her biggest VMA moment in over a decade, proving that at any age, the Queen of Pop can still command the industry's attention.

Her "Confessions II - The Film" video is nominated across multiple technical categories including Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Choreography. When Madonna does something, she does it ALL the way.

When And Where To Watch

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS and MTV — marking the first time the show has been held in LA since 2017.

Fans can vote for 13 categories at vote.mtv.com through Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. ET, with the Best New Artist category staying open into the live broadcast.

So… are you Team Madonna or Team Taylor for the big wins? And which Video of the Year nominee has your vote? Sound off below! 👇

Sources:

• E! Online: MTV VMAs 2026 Nominees Full List
• The Hollywood Reporter: Madonna, Taylor Swift Lead 2026 VMA Nominations