Madonna leads MTV VMA nominations with 11

Madonna is leading this year’s MTV Video Music Awards race with 11 nominations, according to MTV’s 2026 VMA voting page and multiple nomination roundups published on August 18. Taylor Swift follows with nine nominations, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter received seven each. MTV says the 43rd annual ceremony will air live on September 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS, with a simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+. The nomination count puts Madonna back at the top of the VMA field for the first time in decades, according to Billboard’s August 18 list, which said it was her first time leading nominations since 1998. Her 14-minute “Confessions II – The Film” is among the six nominees for video of the year, alongside videos by Swift, Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars and Gener8ion featuring Yung Lean. (vote.mtv.com) ### Which Madonna project is driving the nomination total? “Confessions II – The Film” is the main engine of Madonna’s 11 nominations. MTV’s voting page lists it in video of the year, and Billboard reported that the film helped deliver a personal-best VMA tally for Madonna this year. Billboard said Madonna is also nominated in artist of the year, and ABC News reported that she and Swift are both adding to already large collections of Moon Person nominations and wins. (billboard.com) Swift, who Billboard said has won a record 30 Moon Persons, is second this year with nine nominations. ### How close is Taylor Swift behind her? Taylor Swift is one of the six nominees for video of the year with “The Fate of Ophelia,” and ABC News said she trails Madonna by two nominations overall. (vote.mtv.com) MTV’s voting page also lists Swift in artist of the year. Billboard’s August 18 roundup placed Swift among the top repeat contenders at the show and said this is her fifth nomination for artist of the year. (abcnews.com) The same report listed Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter at seven nominations each, keeping the top of the ballot heavily concentrated among female pop artists. ### Where does K-pop show up on this ballot? (vote.mtv.com) Lisa is the most heavily nominated K-pop artist in the 2026 field with four nominations, including Best Pop, Best K-Pop, Best Cinematography and Best Editing for “Dream,” according to Korea Portal. The same report said six acts are competing in Best K-Pop, including BTS, BLACKPINK, CORTIS and KATSEYE. (billboard.com) Korea JoongAng Daily separately reported that BTS’s “Swim” and HUNTR/X’s “Golden” were nominated for song of the year, while Lisa earned four nominations overall. Billboard’s full list also shows CORTIS in best new artist, indicating that some K-pop-adjacent acts are appearing beyond the genre category itself. ### Did MTV actually drop Best Rock? (en.koreaportal.com) MTV’s current 2026 voting page lists categories including Best Pop, Best Hip-Hop, Best R&B, Best Alternative, Best Latin, Best K-Pop, Best Dance and Best Country, but it does not list Best Rock among the active categories. MTV’s published 2025 winners page, by contrast, included a Best Rock winner, Coldplay’s “ALL MY LOVE.” That side-by-side comparison indicates Best Rock is not part of the 2026 ballot, though MTV’s voting page does not include an explanation for the change. (koreajoongangdaily.com) Reports in outside outlets have described the omission as the end of a 35-year run for the category, but MTV’s own materials reviewed here confirm only that the category is absent from this year’s lineup. ### What happens next before the show airs? (vote.mtv.com) MTV’s voting page says fan voting is open now, and ABC News reported that voting runs through September 25 at 6 p.m. ET. The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are scheduled for Sunday, September 27, at 7:30 p.m. ET from Los Angeles, airing on CBS, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+. (vote.mtv.com)