Only eight MTV VMAs were handed out in this year’s broadcast. Here are the 17 winners you missed

The blue carpet has officially been unrolled for the wildest awards show in entertainment, but the best is yet to come from the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs).

The VMAs earned their chaotic reputation long before the artist formerly known as Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech in 2009, and that’s in large part thanks to Madonna. And on Sunday night at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre (Monday morning AEST), the queen of pop is gracing the stage and performing at the VMAs for the first time in 23 years.

A quick refresher for the uninitiated: Madonna’s first performance at the VMAs was in 1984, an edgy rendition of Like A Virgin some critics dubbed obscene. She upped the edgy ante in 2003, when she performed the opening medley with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera … and locked lips with them.

It’s not just the Madonna show – though she is nominated 13 times, the most of any artist this year. Fellow VMAs heavy hitter Swift is receiving the inaugural VMA Artist Director Honours, marking her 31st VMA win overall and breaking her tie with Beyoncé to become the most-awarded artist in the award show’s history (Swift is nominated in nine categories, going up against Madonna in seven of them).

On the Australian front, it’s a little quiet this year. Tame Impala is the only homegrown artist nominated, with Dracula getting a nod in the best alternative category.

Here are the full list of winners and nominations at the 2026 MTV VMAs, which we’ll be updating live as they’re announced.

Best Pop

• WINNER: LISA feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi, Dream
• Ariana Grande, Hate That I Made You Love Me
• Charli xcx, SS26
• Olivia Rodrigo, Drop Dead
• Sabrina Carpenter, House Tour
• Tate McRae, Nobody’s Girl
• Taylor Swift, The Fate of Ophelia

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 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 Campbell & Lucky Daye, Hard Part

Best Hip-Hop

• Cardi B feat. 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 Dance

• Bebe Rexha & Faithless, New Religion
• Harry Styles, Aperture
• Lady Gaga & Doechii, Runway
• PinkPantheress, Stateside + Zara Larsson
• Slayyyter, Dance…
• Tate McRae, Nobody’s Girl

Best Latin

• Anitta with Shakira, Choka Choka
• Bad Bunny, Nuevayol
• Fuerza Regida, Tu Sancho
• Karol G, Papasito
• Rosalía feat. 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 feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi, Dream

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, Runway
• 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 feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi, Dream
• 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 feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi, Dream
• 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 feat. Hans Zimmer, Click Clack Symphony
• Taylor Swift, The Fate of Ophelia

Best Group

• Blackpink
• BTS
• Cortis
• Fuerza Regida
• Geese
• Katseye
• Twenty One Pilots

Best Long Form Video

• Charli xcx, Music, Fashion, Film
• Ella Langley, Choosin’ Texas
• Gener8ion, Storm starring Yung Lean
• Madonna, Confessions II – The Film

Best Album

• Drake, Iceman
• Madonna, Confessions II
• Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving
• Olivia Rodrigo, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love
• Sabrina Carpenter, Man’s Best Friend
• Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl

Song of the Summer

• Ariana Grande, Hate That I Made You Love Me
• Bruno Mars, Risk It All
• Charli xcx, Camera
• Ella Langley, Choosin’ Texas
• Katseye, Hootie Frutti
• Latto feat. Doja Cat, Okayyy
• Morgan Wallen, Been by Now
• Olivia Dean, So Easy (To Fall in Love)
• Olivia Rodrigo, Stupid Song
• Sabrina Carpenter, House Tour
• Slayyyter, Brand New Chanel$
• Sombr, Homewrecker
• Stella Lefty, Boston
• Tame Impala and Jennie, Dracula
• Taylor Swift, I Knew It, I Knew You

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Bronte Gossling is a reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, WAtoday and Brisbane Times.Connect via email.