Taylor Swift leads the 2026 American Music Awards with eight nominations, extending her record at the fan-voted ceremony, organisers announced Tuesday, per variety.com.
The nominations, based on commercial performance, were revealed ahead of the May 25;telecast in Las Vegas.
Swift, who holds a record 40 career AMA wins, is nominated for Artist of the Year and Best Female Pop Artist. Her album The Life of a Showgirl is up for Album of the Year and Best Pop Album. “The Fate of Ophelia” earned nods for Song of the Year, Best Pop Song and Best Music Video. Her Song of the Summer contender is “Elizabeth Taylor”, promoted as the third single from her 2025 album.
Four artists follow with seven nominations each: Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Dean, Sombr and Morgan Wallen. Lady Gaga and Alex Warren each received six nominations. Ella Langley, Fuerza Regida, Leon Thomas and Zara Larsson earned five apiece.
Cardi B, Justin Bieber, Playboi Carti, Bruno Mars, Tate McRae and Tyla each secured four nominations. First-time nominees include Olivia Dean, Sombr, Teyana Taylor, Raye, Alex Warren, Katseye, Leon Thomas, Tate McRae, Sienna Spiro, BigXthaPlug, PinkPantheress and the singing voices of Huntr/X from “KPop Demon Hunters”.
The Artist of the Year category includes Swift, Carpenter, Wallen, Bieber, Gaga, Mars, BTS, Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar and Harry Styles. Album of the Year contenders are releases from Cardi B, Fuerza Regida, Bieber, Gaga, Wallen, Dean, Playboi Carti, Carpenter, Tate McRae and Swift.
Eleven new categories have been added for 2026. They are: Breakout Tour, Breakthrough Album, Best Throwback Song, Best Vocal Performance, Song of the Summer, Breakthrough Pop Artist, Breakthrough Country Artist, Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist, Breakthrough Latin Artist, Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist, and Best Americana/Folk Artist.
The 52nd AMA telecast will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It will air on CBS for the second year after a long run on ABC, with Queen Latifah hosting. Public voting decides winners via the awards website and social media.
Conceived in the 1970s by Dick Clark Productions as a populist alternative to the Grammys, the AMAs base nominations on commercial metrics rather than industry voting. The show moved to CBS in 2025.
