MTV Announces 2026 Video Music Awards Nominees With Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter Leading

MTV has unveiled the nominees for the 2026 Video Music Awards, and pop superstars Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter are leading the pack with eight nominations each, setting up what promises to be one of the most competitive award shows in recent memory.

The nominations, announced Thursday morning via MTV's social media channels and a livestreamed event, recognize the year's biggest music videos and performances. Swift earned nods in major categories including Video of the Year for her cinematic "Fortnight" collaboration with Post Malone, Artist of the Year, and Song of the Year. Carpenter, who has seen her career explode over the past year, matched Swift's eight nominations with recognition for her viral hit "Espresso" and album tracks from her chart-topping "Short n' Sweet" project.

The 2026 VMAs will take place on September 10 at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, marking a return to the New York metropolitan area after last year's show in Los Angeles. MTV confirmed that voting is now open across all categories, with fans able to cast ballots through the network's website and official VMA app.

Video of the Year Battle Shapes Up

The Video of the Year category—the VMAs' most prestigious honor—features a diverse slate of nominees that spans genres and styles. Joining Swift's "Fortnight" are Billie Eilish's atmospheric "Birds of a Feather," SZA's emotionally charged "Saturn," Ariana Grande's romantic "We Can't Be Friends," and Eminem's rap showcase "Houdini."

Industry observers note that the category reflects the current fragmentation of popular music, with no single sound dominating the charts the way certain genres have in previous eras. Swift and Grande represent pop's melodic traditionalists, while Eilish and SZA push boundaries with more experimental production and visual storytelling. Eminem's inclusion acknowledges hip-hop's continued cultural relevance even as the veteran rapper enters his fifth decade in the industry.

The Song of the Year category mirrors many of the Video of the Year nominees, though with some notable differences. Carpenter's "Espresso" appears alongside Swift's "Fortnight," Kendrick Lamar's protest anthem "Not Like Us," Benson Boone's viral TikTok sensation "Beautiful Things," and Jack Harlow's summer hit "Denver."

Newcomers and Established Stars

The Best New Artist category highlights emerging talent that has broken through over the past year. Nominees include Benson Boone, whose emotional ballads have resonated with Gen Z listeners; Chappell Roan, the Missouri-born singer whose theatrical pop performances have drawn comparisons to early Lady Gaga; Gracie Abrams, daughter of filmmaker J.J. Abrams, who has carved out her own identity with confessional songwriting; Shaboozey, whose genre-blending country-rap fusion has crossed demographic boundaries; and Teddy Swims, the Georgia native whose soulful vocals have made him a streaming phenomenon.

Meanwhile, the Artist of the Year category pits established megastars against one another. Swift, Carpenter, Grande, Eilish, and Bad Bunny are all in contention for the honor, which recognizes overall impact across music, culture, and commercial success throughout the eligibility period.

Bad Bunny's nomination marks his fourth consecutive year as an Artist of the Year nominee, cementing his status as global music's most consistent Latin superstar. The Puerto Rican artist continues to break language barriers, with his Spanish-language albums regularly topping English-language charts in the United States and around the world.

Genre Categories Showcase Diversity

The genre-specific categories reveal the breadth of contemporary music's landscape. In Best Hip Hop, Eminem's "Houdini" competes against Lamar's "Not Like Us," Gunna's "Blessings," Sexyy Red and Drake's collaboration "U My Everything," and Travis Scott's "FE!N."

Best Pop nominations went to Carpenter's "Espresso," Swift's "Fortnight," Grande's "Yes, And?," Camila Cabello's "I Luv It," and Dua Lipa's "Illusion"—all songs that dominated radio playlists and streaming platforms throughout the spring and summer months.

The Rock category features Coldplay's "Feels Like I'm Falling in Love," Imagine Dragons' "Nice to Meet You," Lenny Kravitz's "Human," Linkin Park's "The Emptiness Machine," and U2's "Atomic City," showcasing the genre's ongoing evolution as legacy acts adapt to contemporary production styles while maintaining their core sound.

Performance Lineup Still Under Wraps

While MTV has not yet announced which artists will perform at the September 10 ceremony, industry sources expect Swift, Carpenter, and Eilish to headline the show given their nomination counts and current cultural relevance. The VMAs have historically used their performance slots to create viral moments, from Madonna's 1984 "Like a Virgin" performance to Beyoncé's 2011 pregnancy reveal to Harry Styles' 2022 debut of "As It Was."

The network has also not revealed who will host the ceremony. Last year's show was hosted by actress and comedian Nicki Minaj, who brought her signature chaotic energy to the proceedings. Past hosts have included Miley Cyrus, Keke Palmer, and Sebastian Maniscalco, with varying degrees of critical and commercial success.

VMAs Adapt to Changing Music Industry

This year's nominations reflect how dramatically the music industry has changed since MTV launched the VMAs in 1984. Music videos, once relegated to cable television programming blocks, now premiere on YouTube and rack up hundreds of millions of views within hours. TikTok has become as important as radio for breaking new songs, and artists like Carpenter have leveraged social media virality into mainstream success.

The VMAs themselves have evolved to recognize these platform shifts. New categories in recent years have honored Social Media Star and Best Trending Video, acknowledging that a song's or artist's impact can no longer be measured solely through traditional metrics like album sales or radio spins.

Fan voting has also become more sophisticated, with MTV deploying real-time vote tallies and social media integrations that let viewers feel directly connected to the outcome. The network typically sees millions of votes cast across all categories in the weeks leading up to the ceremony.

What to Watch

As the September 10 ceremony approaches, several storylines will dominate industry conversation. Will Swift extend her record as the most-awarded artist in VMA history, or will Carpenter's breakthrough year result in a clean sweep? Can Eminem, now 53, compete against artists half his age in the Video of the Year category? Will Bad Bunny finally win Artist of the Year after three previous nominations?

The answers will come in two weeks when music's most unpredictable awards show unfolds at UBS Arena. For now, fans can cast their votes and speculate about which moments will become part of VMAs history—and which will simply become memes by morning.