MTV Reveals Social Category Nominees for 2026 VMAs
MTV announced nominations for four social categories at the 2026 VMAs: best long-form video, best group, best album, and song of summer. Madonna is nominated for best long-form video for 'Confessions II: The Film,' potentially becoming a two-time winner. BTS returns to the best group category for the first time since its hiatus, while Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift could become repeat winners in best album.
The best long-form video category has been awarded only four times in VMA history, making Madonna's potential second win especially notable. Her 1991 victory for The Immaculate Collection predates the category's three subsequent winners by decades, with Beyoncé, Swift, and Grande each claiming it in different eras. Madonna's 13 total nominations lead all artists this year, and she is also scheduled to open the ceremony.
Fan voting for the four social categories runs exclusively through MTV's Instagram Stories from September 21 through September 24, using a bracket-style format for best group. The ceremony airs September 27 on CBS and MTV, with Snoop Dogg hosting from Los Angeles. Additional performers include LISA, RAYE, Sienna Spiro, Shaboozey, and GENER8ION with Yung Lean.
These social categories could reshape how audiences engage with award shows, shifting voting power directly to fans through social platforms rather than industry panels. Repeat winners like Swift and Carpenter may reinforce existing fan bases, while BTS's return could mobilize a large dormant voting bloc. The outcome may signal which artists maintain cultural relevance in the streaming era, potentially influencing future promotional strategies and label investments in fan-driven campaigns.