Madonna Dominates 2026 VMA Nominations with 11 Nods

The Peacock Theater crowd hasn't even filed in, but Madonna is already owning the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards — 11 nominations, confirmed by CBS News, with her Confessions II short film powering through nearly every major creative category. Taylor Swift trails with nine, and the night's heavyweight bout is locked: two pop dynasties, one very crowded trophy shelf.

The Head-to-Head

Madonna's "Confessions II — The Film" lands in Video of the Year alongside Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia," Ariana Grande's "Hate That I Made You Love Me," Bruno Mars' "I Just Might," Sabrina Carpenter's "Tear," and GENER8ION's "Storm" starring Yung Lean. Both Madonna and Swift are also up for Artist of the Year, where they face Grande, Mars, Carpenter, and Morgan Wallen.

The numbers tell a tight story. Madonna carries 19 competitive VMA wins into the night and was the first solo female artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award, way back in 1986. A clean sweep this year would tie her with Beyoncé and Taylor Swift at 30 wins apiece — Swift already sits at 30, meaning a single trophy makes her the most-awarded artist in VMA history. Eminem holds the male record at 15.

Song of the Year puts Madonna and Carpenter's "Bring Your Love" against BTS' "Swim," Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas," HUNTR/X's "Golden," Olivia Dean's "Man I Need," the PinkPantheress and Larsson "Stateside" remix, and RAYE's "Where Is My Husband!" Best Collaboration stacks Shakira and Burna Boy's "Dai Dai," French Montana and Max B, Clipse with Kendrick Lamar, and Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye against that Madonna-Carpenter entry.

The Rest of the Field

Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress, and Zara Larsson each pulled five nods. LISA landed four. Shakira, Tate McRae, GENER8ION, and Yung Lean are tied at three. Twenty-six first-time nominees dot the ballot — the K-pop boy band CORTIS, viral "Boston" singer Stella Lefty, Olivia Dean, Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, and Tucker Wetmore among them — and the Best Dance category is back after a seven-year hiatus, anchored by Madonna's "Confessions II" and featuring Tate McRae's "Nobody's Girl," Harry Styles' "Aperture," and Lady Gaga and Doechii's "Runway."

Best Pop runs through Grande's "hate that i made you love me," Charli XCX's "SS26," LISA's "Dream" with Kentaro Sakaguchi, Olivia Rodrigo's "drop dead," Carpenter's "House Tour," McRae, and Swift. Best New Artist pulls Bella Kay, CORTIS, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro, and Stella Lefty into a debut spotlight.

On the Calendar

Best New Artist voting stays open through the broadcast itself; voting across the other 13 categories closes Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. ET. The two-hour show goes live Sunday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m. ET and 4:30 p.m. PT on CBS, simulcasting on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. — and going global on Paramount+ and MTV the next day.

The verdict before the lights go up: a Madonna coronation would shake the all-time record books, but Swift is one win from permanent history. The Peacock Theater is going to feel the weight of either outcome.