Eleven nominations and an unusual career span
Madonna leads the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with 11 nominations, including video, artist and song of the year, the Associated Press reported after the August 18 announcement.
Her nominations extend across performance and production categories such as collaboration, dance, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography and visual effects. The breadth reflects both star power and the many crafts involved in a major music video.
Madonna's relationship with the VMAs reaches back to her 1984 performance of 'Like a Virgin,' one of the ceremony's defining early moments. AP says she has now been nominated in every decade of the awards' existence.
Taylor Swift and the record book
Taylor Swift follows with nine nominations. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter have seven each, while Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson received five apiece.
AP counts Madonna with 19 competitive wins. Winning all 11 categories would bring her to 30, tying Beyoncé and Swift for the most competitive VMA victories. Swift needs one win to move ahead of Beyoncé under that count.
Reuters uses a 20-award total for Madonna when including the 1986 Video Vanguard Award. The difference illustrates why awards statistics should state whether honorary recognition is included.
Voting and broadcast details
Fans may vote in 13 designated categories through September 25, while best new artist voting remains open into the show, according to the published schedule. Technical categories can follow different voting processes.
The ceremony is scheduled for September 27 in Los Angeles and will air on CBS and MTV, with streaming on Paramount+. Time and availability can vary by region and subscription.
Twenty-six first-time nominees add another layer to a ballot led by two established global stars. The final results will show how fan enthusiasm, industry recognition and the format's long history intersect, but the nomination count alone cannot predict the winners.
Limits and what to watch
Nominations do not guarantee awards, fan voting covers only designated categories and lifetime-win counts can distinguish competitive trophies from honorary recognition.
The next development to watch is the close of fan voting September 25 and the live awards ceremony in Los Angeles September 27.
Sources and further reading
Associated Press: Madonna leads 2026 VMA nominations ↗
Reuters: Madonna tops Taylor Swift in the nomination count ↗