VMAs 2026: the complete winners list — and who went home empty-handed
All 23 categories, the special honors and the nominees who lost in each race.
The 43rd MTV Video Music Awards took place Sunday at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, hosted by Snoop Dogg. Only six awards were handed out on air; the other 17 were presented off-camera. The full list of winners is in the box.
Video of the Year: Taylor Swift won for “The Fate of Ophelia” over Ariana Grande (“Hate That I Made You Love Me”), Bruno Mars (“I Just Might”), Gener8ion (“Storm”, starring Yung Lean), Madonna (“Confessions II — The Film”) and Sabrina Carpenter (“Tears”).
Artist of the Year: Madonna beat Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift. For Song of the Year, BTS’s “Swim” topped “Choosin’ Texas” (Ella Langley), “Golden” (Huntr/X), “Bring Your Love” (Madonna & Sabrina), “Man I Need” (Olivia Dean), “Stateside” (PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson) and “Where Is My Husband!” (Raye).
Best Pop went to LISA for “Dream”, against Ariana Grande, Charli xcx, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae and Taylor Swift. In Best Latin, Bad Bunny won with “NUEVAYoL” over Anitta with Shakira (“Choka Choka”), Fuerza Regida, Karol G (“Papasito”), Rosalía (“La Perla”), Ryan Castro and Shakira with Burna Boy (“Dai Dai”).
In Best Hip-Hop, Cardi B and Kehlani (“Safe”) beat Don Toliver, Drake (“Janice STFU”), Megan Thee Stallion, Travis Scott (“Dumbo”) and Tyler, the Creator. Bruno Mars took Best R&B over Chris Brown, Dave & Tems, Justin Bieber (“Yukon”), Kehlani and Mariah the Scientist with Kali Uchis.
Olivia Rodrigo won Best Alternative for “The Cure”, ahead of Geese, MGK & Fred Durst, Noah Kahan, Sombr, Tame Impala and Twenty One Pilots. Ella Langley took Best Country over Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Shaboozey, Stella Lefty and Tucker Wetmore.
BTS won Best K-Pop against BLACKPINK (“Jump”), Cortis, Katseye, Le Sserafim with J-Hope and LISA, plus Best Group over BLACKPINK, Cortis, Fuerza Regida, Geese, Katseye and Twenty One Pilots. Sienna Spiro was Best New Artist, ahead of Bella Kay, Cortis, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith and Stella Lefty.
Madonna also won Best Album (“Confessions II”) over Drake, Olivia Dean, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift (“The Life of a Showgirl”), plus Best Dance, Cinematography, Choreography and Long Form Video. Ariana Grande took Song of the Summer and Visual Effects; Sabrina Carpenter, Editing; PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, Art Direction.
What we know
- Video of the Year: Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”
- Artist of the Year: Madonna
- Song of the Year: BTS — “Swim”
- Best New Artist: Sienna Spiro
- Best Collaboration: Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter — “Bring Your Love”
- Best Pop: LISA feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi — “Dream”
- Best Hip-Hop: Cardi B feat. Kehlani — “Safe”
- Best R&B: Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”
- Best Alternative: Olivia Rodrigo — “The Cure”
- Best Dance: Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”
- Best Latin: Bad Bunny — “NUEVAYoL”
- Best K-Pop: BTS — “Swim”
- Best Country: Ella Langley — “Choosin’ Texas”
- Best Group: BTS
- Best Album: Madonna — “Confessions II”
- Song of the Summer: Ariana Grande — “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
- Best Direction: Taylor Swift — “Opalite”
- Best Art Direction: PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson — “Stateside”
- Best Cinematography: Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”
- Best Editing: Sabrina Carpenter — “House Tour”
- Best Choreography: Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”
- Best Visual Effects: Ariana Grande — “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
- Best Long Form Video: Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”
- Video Vanguard: Nirvana
- Artist Director Honors (new): Taylor Swift
