While it is true that anything can happen at the VMA’s… You can have a say in who takes home the win if you vote
Fans can start casting votes right away at vote.mtv.com. Head to the site, log in with email or Google, and pick your favourites. Most categories are open through Saturday 26 September at around 8 a.m. AEST
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards air live from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday 27 September (US time) at 7:30–9:30 p.m. ET / 4:30–6:30 p.m. PT on CBS (simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ in the US).
For us in Australia, we can catch the event Monday 28 September starting at 9:30 a.m. AEST (8:30 a.m. ACST / 7:30 a.m. AWST).
The show is scheduled to be available globally the next day on Paramount+ (and MTV platforms where available).
(Check Paramount+ closer to the date for exact on-demand or any delayed linear availability in Australia)
Key voting boosts:
- Double Days (20 votes per category instead of the usual 10): Tuesday 18 August, Wednesday 19 August, and Saturday 26 September (the Double Day itself runs on the US calendar date of 25 September).
- Power Hours (double votes): Daily from 3–4 a.m. AEST the following morning from 21st of August through to the 25th September.
You can vote every day, so consistent fans have a real shot at influencing the Moon Persons.
The full ballot spans established stars and newer voices across every major category
Categories and Nominees:
Video of the Year
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me”
Bruno Mars – “I Just Might”
GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean”
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Tears”
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Madonna, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
BTS – “Swim”
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
HUNTR/X (EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI) – “Golden”
Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love”
Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”
PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”
Best New Artist
Bella Kay, CORTIS, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro, Stella Lefty
Best Dance (returning after seven years)
Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion”
Harry Styles – “Aperture”
Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNAWAY”
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Slayyyter – “DANCE …”
Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl”
Best Collaboration
Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – “Chains & Whips”
French Montana x Max B – “Ever Since U Left Me”
Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love”
PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai”
Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – “Hard Part”
Best Pop
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me”
Charli xcx – “SS26”
LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Olivia Rodrigo – “drop dead”
Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour”
Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl”
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Hip-Hop
Cardi B ft. Kehlani – “Safe”
Don Toliver – “E85”
Drake – “Janice STFU”
Megan Thee Stallion – “LOVER GIRL”
Travis Scott – “DUMBO”
Tyler, The Creator – “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE”
Best R&B
Bruno Mars – “I Just Might”
Chris Brown – “It Depends/Obvious”
Dave & Tems – “Raindance”
Justin Bieber – “YUKON”
Kehlani – “Folded”
Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis – “Is It a Crime”
Best Alternative
Geese – “Taxes”
mgk & Fred Durst – “FIX UR FACE”
Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide”
Olivia Rodrigo – “the cure”
SOMBR – “Homewrecker”
Tame Impala – “Dracula”
twenty one pilots – “Drag Path”
Best Latin
Anitta with Shakira – “Choka Choka”
Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL”
Fuerza Regida – “TU SANCHO”
KAROL G – “Papasito”
Rosalía ft. Yahritza y Su Esencia – “La Perla”
Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA – “LA VILLA”
Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai”
Best K-Pop
BLACKPINK – “JUMP”
BTS – “SWIM”
CORTIS – “REDRED”
KATSEYE – “PINKY UP”
LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) – “SPAGHETTI”
LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Best Country
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
Kacey Musgraves – “Dry Spell”
Lainey Wilson – “Somewhere Over Laredo”
Luke Combs – “Back in the Saddle”
Shaboozey – “Cowgirl”
Stella Lefty – “Boston”
Tucker Wetmore – “Brunette”
Best Direction
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me”
Bruno Mars – “I Just Might”
GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean”
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour”
Taylor Swift – “Opalite”
Best Art Direction
Charli xcx – “SS26”
Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNAWAY”
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
SOMBR – “My Body Isn’t Ready”
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
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”
Bruno Mars – “I Just Might”
LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour”
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Choreography
GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean”
Harry Styles – “Dance No More”
KATSEYE – “PINKY UP”
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl”
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me”
JISOO X ZAYN – “Eyes Closed”
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony.”
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Madonna’s 11 nominations cover Artist of the Year, Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best Dance, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and Best Visual Effects, nearly all tied to the Confessions II project. If she takes home even a few, she further solidifies her VMA legacy (19 competitive wins already, plus becoming the first solo female Video Vanguard recipient in 1986).
Taylor Swift, with 30 Moon Persons to date, sits one win away from becoming the most-awarded artist in VMA history; her nine nods span Artist of the Year, Video of the Year, Best Pop, Best Direction (for “Opalite”), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and Best Visual Effects (primarily for “The Fate of Ophelia”).
Voting is live now and is especially valuable on Double Days. Keep voting each day at http://vote.mtv.com before every moonperson is handed out!
