Madonna, BTS & More Receive 2026 VMAs Nominations in Social Categories: Full List

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).

LISA, RAYE, Sienna Spiro, Shaboozey (with and without Gunna), and GENER8ION and Yung Lean are also set to perform on the show.

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.

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