Article Summary: Taylor Swift received nine 2026 VMA nominations, including Video and Artist of the Year, putting her one win away from becoming the most-awarded artist in VMA history.
Taylor Swift is one win away from VMA history. MTV announced its 2026 nominations this week, and Swift landed near the top of the list once again.
Taylor Swift received nine nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year and Artist of the Year. Swift currently shares the all-time VMA record with Beyoncé at 30 wins, meaning just one victory on September 27 would make Swift the most-awarded artist in VMA history.
This record-breaking possibility matters right now because the nominations just dropped this week, giving fans a full six weeks to watch the race build toward the September ceremony.
How Many VMA Nominations Did Taylor Swift Get?
Swift earned nine nominations total for 2026. That places her second behind only Madonna, who leads the field with 11. Furthermore, Swift’s haul spans both major categories and technical ones, showing the range of her nominated work this cycle.
Her nominations include Video of the Year and Artist of the Year, along with Best Pop, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography and Best Visual Effects. That’s a heavy technical showing for a single video campaign. Taylor Swift VMA nominations this year all trace back to one song and its accompanying rollout.
Can Taylor Swift Break the All-Time VMA Record?
Yes, and it would take just one win to do it. Swift and Beyoncé are currently tied at 30 competitive Moon Person awards each, the most in VMA history. Beyoncé isn’t eligible this year, which clears Swift’s path toward sole ownership of the Taylor Swift VMA record, at least temporarily.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Swift remains the most-awarded act in VMA history even before this year’s ceremony. Additionally, Swift’s nine nominations arrived as what one outlet called a “late wedding gift” from MTV, following her recent engagement announcement. Any single win in September would settle the Taylor Swift most VMA wins question outright, even if only for this award cycle.
What Is Taylor Swift Nominated for at the VMAs?
Swift’s Video of the Year nomination comes from “The Fate of Ophelia.” The Taylor Swift Fate of Ophelia VMA nod puts her in direct competition with Madonna’s 14-minute “Confessions II — The Film,” as well as entries from Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Sabrina Carpenter, and Gener8ion featuring Yung Lean.
The Taylor Swift Video of the Year race this year features some unusually long-form competition. Per Billboard, Madonna leads all nominees with 11 nods this year, marking her strongest VMA showing since 1990. That sets up a genuine two-way showdown between two of pop’s most decorated stars.
The 2026 MTV VMA nominations also include strong showings from Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter, who are tied for third with seven nominations each. Both also earned nods for Artist of the Year and Video of the Year. Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson round out the next tier with five nominations apiece.
The VMAs air September 27 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, marking the show’s return to the city for the first time since 2017. Runway will track every category leading up to the ceremony, especially the Video of the Year showdown between Swift and Madonna. For more on this year’s biggest music moments, see Runway’s Taylor Swift Toy Story 5 coverage and Runway’s Kelly Clarkson career reset coverage.
