BTS’ ‘Swim’ nominated for Song of the Year at MTV VMAs

BTS’ “Swim” has been nominated for Song of the Year at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, putting the K-pop septet in contention for one of the ceremony’s top honors.

The lead track from BTS’ fifth studio album, “Arirang,” was among the nominees announced Tuesday. It will compete against songs including Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Bring Your Love,” PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson’s “Stateside” and Raye’s “Where is My Husband!”

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The nomination marks BTS’ second time competing for Song of the Year. The group became the first Korean act nominated in the category with “Dynamite” in 2021.

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Released March 20, “Swim” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has remained on the chart for 20 consecutive weeks. It also debuted at No. 2 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart, setting a new career high for the group.

BTS also earned a nomination for Best K-pop, giving the group a chance to take home two awards this year. The boy band shares the record for the most wins in the category, having won three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021.

Member J-Hope received a separate Best K-pop nomination for Le Sserafim’s “Spaghetti (feat. J-Hope of BTS),” on which he was featured.

BTS has been a regular winner at the VMAs since taking home Best Group and Best K-pop in 2019. The group won four awards in 2020, three in 2021 and Group of the Year in 2022. Jungkook later won Song of Summer as a solo artist with “Seven (feat. Latto)” in 2023.