Madonna already has 19 MTV Video Music Awards wins to her name, 20 if you count her Video Vanguard honor, but she’s looking to add a few more Moon Persons to her collection on Sunday (Sept. 27).
Going into Sunday’s ceremony, the Confessions II artist, who recently linked with fellow 2026 VMA nominee Charli xcx for “Danceteria Afterhours,” led the pack with 13 total nods.
The film companion to the acclaimed sequel to 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor, starring Julia Garner and more, is up for the night’s top award, Video of the Year. Also vying for the title are Ariana Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” Bruno Mars’ “I Just Might,” GENER8ION’s “Storm” featuring Yung Lean, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Tears,” and Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia.”
Fans might presume that it’s a good omen for the Queen of Pop that she was also enlisted to open the ceremony with a performance. At any rate, see below for the full rundown of this year’s winners, updated live. Drake’s ICEMAN, one of three new albums he rolled out back in May, landed a Best Album nod, while “Janice STFU,” arguably one of the most addictive singles in the 6 god’s catalog, entered Sunday night as a contender in the Best Hip-Hop category.
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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 - WINNER
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Ariana Grande - Republic Records
- Bruno Mars - Atlantic Records
- Madonna - Warner Records - WINNER
- 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 - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - 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 - WINNER
- 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 - WINNER
- PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
- Shakira & Burna Boy - “Dai Dai” - Sony Music US Latin
- Teyana Taylor & 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 - WINNER
- 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 ft. 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 - WINNER
- PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - 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” – Sony Music Nashville
- Shaboozey - “Cowgirl” - American Dogwood/EMPIRE
- Stella Lefty - “Boston” - Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
- Tucker Wetmore - “Brunette” - Back Blocks Music/MCA/Mercury Records
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
- ASAP 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
BEST GROUP (SOCIAL CATEGORY)
- BLACKPINK
- BTS
- CORTIS
- FLO
- Fuerza Regida
- Geese
- KATSEYE
- Twenty One Pilots
BEST LONG-FORM VIDEO (SOCIAL CATEGORY)
- 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 (SOCIAL CATEGORY)
- 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 (SOCIAL CATEGORY)
- 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
MTV VMA Artist Director Honors
- Taylor Swift — WINNER
Video Vanguard Award
- Nirvana — WINNER
