Tems and Burna Boy have been nominated for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), while the organisers have omitted the Best Afrobeats category from this year’s nomination list.

Tems earned a nomination in the Best R&B category for ‘Raindance’, her collaborative single with Dave. Meanwhile, Burna Boy received two nominations for ‘Dai Dai’, his World Cup collaboration with Shakira.

The song is nominated in the Best Collaboration and Best Latin categories.

However, the omission of Best Afrobeats is notable because the category has been a key part of the VMAs’ recognition of African music since it was introduced in 2023. Rema won the inaugural award that year, while Tyla claimed the honour in 2024 and 2025.

In addition to Best Afrobeats, several other categories are missing from the 2026 nomination list. They include Best Rock, Best Pop Artist, Push Performance of the Year, Best Album, Video for Good, Best Long-form Video, Best Group and Song of Summer.

Elsewhere, Madonna leads this year’s nominations with 11 nods. Taylor Swift follows with nine, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each received seven nominations.

For Tems, the Best R&B nomination places her alongside Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Kehlani, Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis.

Burna Boy, on the other hand, will compete in two categories for ‘Dai Dai’. His Best Collaboration nomination sees him go up against acts including Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice, French Montana and Max B, Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter, PinkPantheress, and Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye.

Voting for the 2026 VMAs opens on Wednesday. However, voting in most categories will close on September 25.

The ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, September 27, at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, United States.

FULL NOMINATION LIST

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’

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Ariana Grande
• Bruno Mars
• Madonna
• Morgan Wallen
• Sabrina Carpenter
• Taylor Swift

SONG OF THE YEAR

• BTS – “Swim”
• Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
• HUNTR/X: Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”
• Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – ‘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 Smit
• 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 – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
• Olivia Rodrigo – “Drop Dead”
• Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour”
• Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl”
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”

BEST HIP-HOP

• Cardi B ft. 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 – “Runaway”
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
• PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
• Slayyyter – “Dance…”

BEST LATIN

• Anitta with Shakira – “Choka Choka”
• Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL”
• Fuerza Regida – “Tu Sancho”
• Karol G – “Papasito”
• Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia – “La Perla”
• Ryan Castro, Kapo & Gangsta- “La Villa”
• Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai”

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 K-POP

• Blackpink – “Jump” – YG Entertainment
• BTS – “Swim”
• Cortis – “REDRED”
• Katseye – “Pinky Up”
• LE SSERAFIM (feat. J-Hope of BTS) – “Spaghetti”
• Lisa – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”

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” – Atlantic Records
• 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 – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
• 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 – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
• Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour”
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”

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