Music
Madonna and Taylor Swift Lead 2026 MTV VMA Nominations
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday, August 18, and this year’s top nominees are being dominated by women. Seven of the eight artists with the most nominations are female, with Madonna leading the pack with 11 nods.
The 11 nominations mark a personal best for the music icon and the first time she has led the VMA nominations since 1998, the year she won Video of the Year for Ray of Light. She also led the nominations in 1990 with nine nods following the success of Vogue.
Photo: Getty Images
Taylor Swift, who is tied with Beyoncé for the most Moon Person wins, followed with nine nominations. Other artist with several nods are Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande with seven nominations each, Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson with five nominations, while Lisa followed with four.
Among the 26 first-time nominees are Don Toliver, Kali Uchis, Noah Kahan, Olivia Dean, Sienna Spiro, Tucker Wetmore and Yung Lean.
Fan voting is currently open in 13 categories through September 25, including Best Dance, which is returning for the first time in seven years. Voting for Best New Artist will remain open through the night of the ceremony.
This year’s ceremony will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 27 and will mark the first time the VMAs have been held on the West Coast in nine years. The last Los Angeles ceremony took place in 2017 when Katy Perry hosted the show. A host for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards has not yet been announced.
See the full list of nominations below:
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande — Republic Records
Bruno Mars — Atlantic Records
Madonna — Warner Records
Morgan Wallen — Big Loud/Mercury Records
Sabrina Carpenter — Island Records
Taylor Swift — Republic Records
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Photo: Instagram
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 Records
Taylor Swift — The Fate of Ophelia — Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
BTS — Swim — BIGHIT MUSIC
Ella Langley — Choosin’ Texas — Columbia Records
HUNTR/X (Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami) — Golden — Republic Records/Visva Records
Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter — Bring Your Love — Warner Records
Olivia Dean — Man I Need — Island Records
PinkPantheress and 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
Photo: Instagram
Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice — Chains & Whips — Roc Nation Distribution
French Montana and Max B — Ever Since U Left Me — Coke Boys Records
Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter — Bring Your Love — Warner Records
PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson — Stateside — Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Shakira and Burna Boy — Dai Dai — Sony Music US Latin
Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye — Hard Part — Def Jam Recordings
BEST POP
Ariana Grande — Hate That I Made You Love Me — Republic Records
Charli XCX — SS26 — Atlantic Records
Lisa — Dream (feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi) — Lloud Co./RCA Records
Olivia Rodrigo — Drop Dead — Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter — House Tour — Island Records
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
Photo: Getty Images
Bruno Mars — I Just Might — Atlantic Records
Chris Brown — It Depends/Obvious — RCA Records
Dave and Tems — Raindance — Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
Justin Bieber — Yukon — Def Jam Recordings
Kehlani — Folded — Atlantic Records
Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis — Is It a Crime — Epic Records
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Geese — Taxes — Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
MGK and 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 and Faithless — New Religion — Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
Harry Styles — Aperture — Columbia Records
Lady Gaga and Doechii — RUNAWAY — Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
Madonna — Confessions II – The Film — Warner Records
PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson — Stateside — Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Slayyyter — DANCE… — RECORDS/Columbia Records
Tate McRae — Nobody’s Girl — RCA Records
BEST LATIN
Anitta and 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 (feat. Yahritza Y Su Esencia) — La Perla — Columbia Records
Ryan Castro, Kapo and Gangsta — La Villa — AWOO Corp./Sony Music US Latin
Shakira and 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/Mercury Records
BEST DIRECTION
Photo: Getty Images
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 Records
Taylor Swift — Opalite — Republic Records
BEST ART DIRECTION
Charli XCX — SS26 — Atlantic Records
Lady Gaga and Doechii — RUNAWAY — Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
Madonna — Confessions II – The Film — Warner Records
PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson — Stateside — 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
Ariana Grande — Hate That I Made You Love Me
Lisa — Dream (feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi)
Madonna — Confessions II – The Film
Shaboozey — Cowgirl
Taylor Swift — The Fate of Ophelia
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 Records
Taylor Swift — The Fate of Ophelia — Republic Records
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Photo: Instagram
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 and Zayn — Eyes Closed — Warner Records
Madonna — Confessions II – The Film — Warner Records
PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson — Stateside — Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Raye (feat. Hans Zimmer) — Click Clack Symphony — Human Re Sources
Taylor Swift — The Fate of Ophelia — Republic Records
Mac Miller’s estate has released three previously unreleased songs to mark the 10th anniversary of The Divine Feminine, the rapper’s fourth studio album. The expanded edition arrived on October 2, 2026, adding “Grand,” “Channel 13” and “Butterflies” to the original 10-track project.
Originally released on September 16, 2016, The Divine Feminine explored love, intimacy and relationships through a mix of hip-hop, R&B and neo-soul. The album marked a shift in Miller’s sound, with more singing and melodic arrangements alongside his established rap style.
Photo: Instagram/@macmillermemior
Of the three additions, “Butterflies” was released ahead of the anniversary edition in August 2026. The neo-soul track features bass from Thundercat and was produced by Taylor Graves. The song had circulated online before its official release, making the anniversary edition an opportunity for the recording to reach listeners through an authorized release.
The original album included collaborations with several established artists. Anderson .Paak appeared on “Dang!,” Ariana Grande joined Miller on “My Favorite Part,” Ty Dolla $ign featured on “Cinderella,” and Kendrick Lamar appeared on “God Is Fair, Sexy Nasty.” Other contributors included CeeLo Green, Bilal and Njomza.
Photo: Instagram/@macmillermemior
The anniversary edition retains the original tracklist and places the three additional recordings at the end. It is also available as a three-LP vinyl release, with specially designed inner sleeves and an art print.
The anniversary also includes The Divine Feminine Live, a special based on a 2016 television series originally broadcast on DirecTV. The program was scheduled to stream on Miller’s official YouTube channel on October 2, offering viewers a chance to revisit performances associated with the album.
Photo: Instagram/@macmillermemior
Miller died in September 2018 at age 26. Since his death, his estate has released several projects, including Circles in 2020 and Balloonerism in 2025. The GO:OD AM 10th-anniversary edition also arrived in 2025 with additional recordings.
With the release of “Grand,” “Channel 13” and “Butterflies,” the anniversary edition adds to the available recordings from the sessions behind The Divine Feminine. It also gives listeners a chance to revisit an album that explored a more melodic, relationship-focused direction in Miller’s music.
Taylor Swift returns with a new single titled “Patient Zero,” which will be released this Friday, September 25. Swift made the announcement on Instagram, writing
“I’ve been impatiently waiting to tell you that my brand new single “Patient Zero” will be out on September 25 and it’s available to preorder now on my website for 24 hours.”
The singer’s website is also selling three limited-edition CDs of the single, with one featuring the standard version, while the other two come with acoustic and piano versions of the song.
Photo: Taylorswift.com
Of course, Swift had already been leaving clues before announcing the song. Her Instagram bio was changed to read, “And, baby, that’s sh0w business f0r y0u,” with the letter “o” replaced by the number zero. Similar changes were also spotted in the lyrics for “The Life of a Showgirl,” which sent fans looking for a connection between “Patient Zero” and the album.
The connection is not clear yet, but there are several signs pointing back to The Life of a Showgirl. The album’s logo appears on the page where fans can purchase the physical “Patient Zero” editions, while the single’s release also comes nearly a year after the album arrived. However, Swift has not said whether the song is part of a deluxe edition of The Life of a Showgirl or a separate project.
Photo: Getty Images
The new single “Patient Zero” will be Swift’s first release since she married Travis Kelce on July 3 and will also be her second release of the year. Her first came in June, when she released “I Knew It, I Knew You” for the Toy Story 5 soundtrack.
Before Swift announced the new song, MTV announced on Monday that she will receive the inaugural Artist Director Honors at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards. According to a press release, the new award recognizes artists whose work behind the camera has helped expand music video and visual storytelling. Swift is also nominated for nine awards at this year’s ceremony, which takes place on September 27.
Photo: Taylorswift.com
Meanwhile, fans are still holding onto the theory that Swift could be preparing to release Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version) to mark the 20th anniversary of her 2006 debut album. Swift has not confirmed that project, and “Patient Zero” has not been officially announced as part of it.
Miley Cyrus enters a new chapter with “Bass Persuades,” the first single and title track from her upcoming tenth studio album. Released alongside a dance-driven video directed by longtime collaborator Mert Alas, the song presents a more electronic, movement-focused side of the singer while reflecting on the growing distance between people and the physical experience of music.
The track draws from the energy of 1980s-inspired synth-pop, combining pulsing production with lyrics that encourage listeners to step away from their screens and return to the simplicity of dancing.
Photo: YouTube
The accompanying visual expands that idea. Opening with Cyrus in a leather-inspired look, the video gradually builds from an intimate performance into a larger celebration of movement, with dancers joining her as the the energy spills into the city streets. The choreography becomes the focus, reinforcing the song’s invitation to experience music physically rather than simply consume it through a screen.
“Bass Persuades” also introduces a shift in how Cyrus presents herself. For this era, she is using only “Miley” as her artist name, marking a fresh identity alongside the release of the new record. The album follows Something Beautiful (2025), adding another musical turn to Cyrus’ career, which has moved through pop, rock and country.
Photo: Getty images
The song also looks back to a time when MTV was a major way people discovered music. Cyrus contrasts that with modern habit of being glued to phones and screens. The result is a track that looks back without becoming trapped in the past.
The new album also reflects a more personal period in Cyrus’ life. In an interview with Wonderland, she described the record as a layered love story, explaining that her recent work has been influenced by a sense of personal growth and a more peaceful approach to relationships.
With “Bass Persuades,” Cyrus is not attempting to erase the different versions of herself that came before. Instead, she builds on them, creating a chapter centred on performance, rhythm, and the emotional release that comes from letting music take control.
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