The pop culture event of the year is about to happen, and you better be watching to catch all the craziness while it’s happening in real time.
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, or the VMAs, are scheduled to occur this weekend, and the 42-year-old awards ceremony is poised to have its biggest and boldest show in years, with stars like Madonna, Sombr and maybe Taylor Swift likely to attend.
Us Weekly has a front-row seat to all the action, and Watch With Us has your complete guide to when and where you can watch the 2026 MTV VMAs, who is performing, a full list of all the nominees and everything else you need to know.
When Is the 2026 MTV VMAs Show?
The 2026 MTV VMAs ceremony will take place on September 27 at 7:30 p.m. EDT/4:30 p.m. PDT.
Where Can I Watch the 2026 MTV VMAs on Broadcast TV?
The 2026 VMAs will be broadcast on CBS and MTV.
Can I Stream the 2026 MTV VMAs?
Yes! If you’re a Paramount+ Premium subscriber, you can watch the ceremony live. However, if you’re a Paramount+ Essential subscriber, you’ll only be able to stream the awards show on demand the day after it airs, on September 28.
Who Is Hosting the 2026 MTV VMAs?
Snoop Dogg will be this year’s VMAs host. The legendary rapper has never hosted the ceremony, but he’s no stranger to it — he’s a 13-time nominee and three-time winner.
In a press release, he confessed that “MTV and the VMAs have been part of my story since the beginning. Some of the biggest moments of my career happened on that stage and on MTV — they gave hip hop a place to be loud, fearless, and seen by the whole world. So to come back now and host the VMAs, all these years later, that’s a full-circle moment for me.”
Who Is Performing at the 2026 MTV VMAs?
Every VMAs show needs a headliner, and this year, it’s getting one of the best artists to ever do it — Madonna. Madge will open the show with a medley of past and current hits, particularly from her chart-topping, critically acclaimed 2026 album, Confessions II.
She won’t be alone, though; other performers scheduled to appear include Gener8ion and Yung Lean, Lisa, Raye, Shaboozey, Gunna and Sienna Spiro. And get ready for not but two tributes: for George Michael, performed by Raye, Sombr and Teddy Swims, and the other for Dolly Parton by Kacey Musgraves.
Who Is Receiving the 2026 Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs?
The groundbreaking ’90s grunge rock band Nirvana is the recipient of this year’s Video Vanguard Award.
Will Taylor Swift Be at the 2026 VMAs?
Probably. Swift is set to receive a new award, the MTV VMA Artist Director Honors, at the 2026 VMAs. The new award is for “groundbreaking music artists whose work behind the camera has expanded the possibilities of music video and advanced the art of visual storytelling.”
Is There a Complete List of the 2026 VMAs Nominees?
Yes! Below is a complete list of every nominee in every category at the 2026 VMAs show.
Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande
Bruno Mars
Madonna
Morgan Wallen
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift
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”
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 & Lucky Daye, “Hard Part”
Best Pop
Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
Charli xcx, “SS26”
LISA feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi, “Dream”
Olivia Rodrigo, “Drop Dead”
Sabrina Carpenter, “House Tour”
Tate McRae, “Nobody’s Girl”
Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”
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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