Madonna has received 11 nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, recognising her work on the short film for her latest album, Confessions II, per rollingstone.com.
The nominations include Artist of the Year, Video of the Year, and Song of the Year for her collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter, “Bring Your Love.”
The nominations mark a significant return for the artist to the forefront of the awards show she helped define more than 40 years ago. The Confessions II film has also been nominated in the revived Best Dance category, competing against releases from Harry Styles, Zara Larsson, and Lady Gaga.
The 2026 ceremony, airing Sunday, September 27, will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the venue’s first time hosting since 2015. This year’s show will be the first to take place in the city since 2017.
Madonna has not won a VMA since 1999 when “Beautiful Stranger” took Best Video from a Film. Her last nomination was in 2022 for her concert film Madame X in the Best Longform Video category. She was notably absent from the nominations throughout the 2010s, despite releasing chart-topping albums.
Her legacy at the VMAs is built on landmark performances, including “Like a Virgin” at the inaugural 1984 show, the 1990 “Vogue” performance, and the 2003 “Hollywood” duet with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. In 1986, she became the first woman to receive the Video Vanguard Award.
MTV founders and industry observers note that her work created a pathway for iconic appearances from subsequent generations of pop stars. Her surprise appearance at the 2021 VMAs, where she marked the network’s 40th anniversary, was widely considered one of the night’s most memorable moments.