Madonna has a chance to become the first two-time winner for best long-form video at the MTV VMAs. She won the award the first time it was presented, in 1991, for The Immaculate Collection and is nominated again this year for Confessions II: The Film.
Best long-form video is one of four “social categories” for which CBS and MTV announced nominations on Friday (Sept. 18). The others are best group, best album and song of summer. All voting will be hosted on MTV’s Instagram Stories.
Best long-form video has been presented just four times. Previous winners, following Madonna, were Beyoncé for Lemonade (2016), Taylor Swift for All Too Well: The Short Film (2022) and Ariana Grande for Brighter Days Ahead (2025).
BTS, which won best group four years in a row (2019-22), is nominated in that category for the first time since its hiatus ended. It faces BLACKPINK, which won last year and in 2023.
Two of the nominees for song of summer are past winners in that category. Grande, nominated this year for “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” won in 2019 for “Boyfriend,” a collab with Social House. Swift, nominated for “I Knew It, I Knew You,” won in 2024 for “Fortnight” (featuring Post Malone). If either wins, they’ll become just the second repeat winner in the category. Jung Kook won in 2021 as a member of BTS (“Butter”) and solo in 2023 with “Seven” (featuring Latto).
And two of the nominees for best album are past winners in the category. Sabrina Carpenter, nominated this year for Man’s Best Friend, won last year for Short n’ Sweet. Swift, nominated for The Life of a Showgirl, won in 2023 for Midnights. If either wins, they’ll become the first repeat winner in the category.
Madonna, who is set to open the 2026 VMAs, maintains her lead with the most nominations (13).
Hosted by Snoop Dogg, the VMAs will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 27 (7:30-9:30 p.m. ET/4:30-6:30 p.m. PT) on CBS, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ (Premium) in the U.S. The show will also be available globally the next day on Paramount+ and MTV.
LISA, RAYE, Sienna Spiro, Shaboozey (with and without Gunna), and GENER8ION and Yung Lean are also set to perform on the show.
The VMAs are produced by Gunpowder & Sky. Van Toffler serves as producer. Jesse Ignjatovic of Den of Thieves, Barb Bialkowski and Bruce Gillmer serve as executive producers alongside Barry Barclay and Floris Bauer. Melanie Block serves as co-executive producer and Gary Lanvy as co-producer. Snoop Dogg is executive producer alongside producers Sara Ramaker and Jasmin Ratansi. Jen Proctor is executive talent producer.
Below is the full list of nominees in the four social categories, followed by an updated leaderboard showing the artists with the most nominations for the 2026 VMAs.
Best Group
Fan voting will begin Monday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. ET on MTV’s Instagram Stories (three rounds, bracket-style face-off, final round tap to vote); closes Thursday, Sept. 24, at 11 a.m. ET.
BLACKPINK
BTS
CORTIS
FLO
Fuerza Regida
Geese
KATSEYE
Twenty One Pilots
Best Long Form Video
Fan voting will begin Thursday, Sept. 24m at 11 a.m. ET on MTV’s Instagram Stories (one round, tap to vote); closes Friday, Sept. 25, at 11 a.m. ET.
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
Fan voting will begin Friday, Sept. 25, at 11 a.m. ET on MTV’s Instagram Stories (one round, tap to vote); closes Saturday, Sept. 26, at 11 a.m. ET.
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
Fan voting will launch Saturday, Sept. 26, at 11 a.m. ET on MTV’s Instagram Stories (one round, tap to vote); closes Sunday, Sept. 27, at 11 a.m. ET.
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
Updated leaderboard: Top nominees for 2026 VMAs
Madonna, 13
Taylor Swift, 11
Sabrina Carpenter, 9
Ariana Grande, 8
Bruno Mars, 6
PinkPantheress, 5
Zara Larsson, 5
Charli xcx, 4
Ella Langley, 4
GENER8ION, 4
KATSEYE, 4
LISA, 4
Olivia Rodrigo, 4
Yung Lean, 4