The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) aired live on September 27, 2026, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Hosted by Snoop Dogg, the star-studded ceremony was defined by historic achievements, massive comebacks, and emotional tributes.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

– Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
– Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
– GENER8ION – “STORM” starring Yung Lean – Iconoclast Music
– Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
– Sabrina Carpenter – “Tears” – Island
– Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

– Ariana Grande – Republic Records
– Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
– Madonna – Warner Records
– Morgan Wallen – Big Loud/Mercury Records
– Sabrina Carpenter – Island
– Taylor Swift – Republic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR

– BTS – “Swim” – BIGHIT MUSIC
– Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
– HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – “Golden” – Republic Records/Visva Records
– Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
– Olivia Dean – “Man I Need” – Island
– PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
– RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – Human Re Sources

BEST NEW ARTIST

– Bella Kay – Atlantic Records
– CORTIS – BIGHIT MUSIC
– Magnus Ferrell – Visva Records/Republic Records
– Malcolm Todd – Columbia Records
– Myles Smith – RCA Records
– Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records
– Stella Lefty – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost

BEST COLLABORATION

– Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – “Chains & Whips” – Roc Nation Distribution
– French Montana x Max B – “Ever Since U Left Me” – Coke Boys Records
– Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
– PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
– **Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin** 🇳🇬
– Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – “Hard Part” – Def Jam Recordings

GENRE CATEGORIES

### 🎧 BEST POP
– Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
– Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
– **WINNER: LISA – “Dream” feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi – Lloud Co./RCA Records**
– Olivia Rodrigo – “drop dead” – Geffen Records
– Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
– Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
– Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

### 🎤 BEST HIP-HOP
– Cardi B feat. Kehlani – “Safe” – Atlantic Records
– Don Toliver – “E85” – Cactus Jack/Atlantic Records
– Drake – “Janice STFU” – OVO/Republic Records
– Megan Thee Stallion – “LOVER GIRL” – Hot Girl Productions
– Travis Scott – “DUMBO” – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
– Tyler, The Creator – “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE” – Columbia Records

### 💜 BEST R&B
– Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
– Chris Brown – “It Depends/Obvious” – RCA Records
– **Dave & Tems – “Raindance” – Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records** 🇳🇬
– Justin Bieber – “YUKON” – Def Jam Recordings
– Kehlani – “Folded” – Atlantic Records
– Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis – “Is It a Crime” – Epic Records

### 🎸 BEST ALTERNATIVE
– Geese – “Taxes” – Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
– mgk & Fred Durst – “FIX UR FACE” – EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
– Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide” – Mercury Records
– Olivia Rodrigo – “the cure” – Geffen Records
– SOMBR – “Homewrecker” – SMB Music/Warner Records
– Tame Impala – “Dracula” – Columbia Records
– twenty one pilots – “Drag Path” – Fueled By Ramen

### 🕺 BEST DANCE
– Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion” – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
– Harry Styles – “Aperture” – Columbia Records
– Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
– Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
– PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
– Slayyyter – “DANCE…” – RECORDS/Columbia Records
– Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records

### 🌎 BEST LATIN
– Anitta with Shakira – “Choka Choka” – Republic Records/UMLE
– Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL” – Rimas Entertainment
– Fuerza Regida – “TU SANCHO” – Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
– KAROL G – “Papasito” – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
– Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia – “La Perla” – Columbia Records
– Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA – “LA VILLA” – AWOO Corp./Sony Music US Latin
– **Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin** 🇳🇬

### 🇰🇷 BEST K-POP
– BLACKPINK – “JUMP” – YG Entertainment
– BTS – “SWIM” – BIGHIT MUSIC
– CORTIS – “REDRED” – BIGHIT MUSIC
– KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
– LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) – “SPAGHETTI” – SOURCE MUSIC
– LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./RCA Records

### 🤠 BEST COUNTRY
– Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
– Kacey Musgraves – “Dry Spell” – Lost Highway/Interscope Records
– Lainey Wilson – “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Broken Bow Records
– Luke Combs – “Back in the Saddle” – Columbia Nashville
– Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
– Stella Lefty – “Boston” – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
– Tucker Wetmore – “Brunette” – Back Blocks Music/MCA/Mercury Records

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# TECHNICAL CATEGORIES

### 🎬 BEST DIRECTION
– Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
– Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
– GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
– Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
– Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
– Taylor Swift – “Opalite” – Republic Records

### 🎨 BEST ART DIRECTION
– Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
– Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
– Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
– PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
– SOMBR – “My Body Isn’t Ready” – SMB Music/Warner Records
– Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

### 📽️ BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
– A$AP Rocky – “PUNK ROCKY” – A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records
– Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
– LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./RCA Records
– Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
– Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
– Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

### ✂️ BEST EDITING
– Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
– Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
– LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./RCA Records
– Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
– Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
– Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

### 💃 BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
– GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
– Harry Styles – “Dance No More” – Columbia Records
– KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
– Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
– Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
– Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

### ✨ BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
– Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
– JISOO X ZAYN – “Eyes Closed” – Warner Records
– Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
– PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
– RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony” – Human Re Sources
– Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

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# SOCIAL CATEGORIES

### 👥 BEST GROUP
– BLACKPINK
– BTS
– CORTIS
– FLO
– Fuerza Regida
– Geese
– KATSEYE
– Twenty One Pilots

### 📺 BEST LONG FORM VIDEO
– Charli xcx – *Music, Fashion, Film* – Atlantic Records
– Ella Langley – *Choosin’ Texas* – Columbia Records
– GENER8ION – *STORM starring Yung Lean* – Iconoclast Music
– Madonna – *Confessions II – The Film* – Warner Records

### 💿 BEST ALBUM
– Drake – *ICEMAN* – OVO/Republic Records
– Madonna – *Confessions II* – Warner Records
– Olivia Dean – *The Art of Loving* – Island
– Olivia Rodrigo – *you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love* – Geffen Records
– Sabrina Carpenter – *Man’s Best Friend* – Island
– Taylor Swift – *The Life of a Showgirl* – Republic Records

### ☀️ SONG OF SUMMER
– Ariana Grande – “Hate That I Made You Love Me” – Republic Records
– Bruno Mars – “Risk It All” – Atlantic Records
– Charli xcx – “Camera” – Atlantic Records
– Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
– KATSEYE – “Hootie Frutti” – HYBE x Geffen Records
– Latto ft. Doja Cat – “Okayyy” – Steamcut/RCA Records
– Morgan Wallen – “Been By Now” – Big Loud/Mercury Records
– Olivia Dean – “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” – Island
– Olivia Rodrigo – “Stupid Song” – Geffen Records
– Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
– Slayyyter – “Brand New Chanel$” – RECORDS/Columbia Records
– sombr – “Homewrecker” – SMB Music/Warner Records
– Stella Lefty – “Boston” – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
– Tame Impala & JENNIE – “Dracula” – Columbia Records
– Taylor Swift – “I Knew It, I Knew You” – Walt Disney Records/Republic Records

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## 🇳🇬 NIGERIAN / AFRICAN INTEREST

Three nominations stand out for African music fans:

1. **Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai”** — nominated twice: **Best Collaboration** and **Best Latin**. The 2026 World Cup anthem keeps collecting nods.

2. **Dave & Tems – “Raindance”** — nominated for **Best R&B**. Tems continues her run as one of Nigeria’s most decorated crossover artists.

3. **JISOO X ZAYN – “Eyes Closed”** — nominated for **Best Visual Effects**. ZAYN’s Afrobeats-adjacent era continues paying off.

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**Notable snubs:** No Wizkid, Rema, or Ayra Starr nominations despite monster years. The VMAs still haven’t added African-specific categories—unlike the NAACP Image Awards, which just announced 10.

Want me to pull this into a single-column plain list, or format it as a table for a blog post?