Madonna, the queen of pop, is set to reclaim her throne at the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards. Surpassing Taylor Swift, Madonna has secured the most nominations for this year’s VMAs, marking her third time as the most nominated artist at the event.
With a total of 11 nominations, Madonna’s recognition at the ceremony next month is attributed to her hit album “Confessions II” and its corresponding film. Taylor Swift, who holds the title of the most awarded solo artist in VMA history, follows closely behind with nine nominations for her album “The Life of a Showgirl” and the music video “The Fate of Ophelia.” Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande also received notable nominations, each earning seven nods.
This isn’t Madonna’s first rodeo leading the VMAs nominations; she previously dominated in 1990 and 1998 with her “Vogue” and “Ray of Light” eras. Nonetheless, her groundbreaking performance at the 1984 ceremony, where she famously sang “Like a Virgin” while clad in a wedding dress and a “Boy Toy” belt buckle, remains a pivotal moment in VMA history, pushing the boundaries of cable television.
Among Madonna’s multiple nominations are video of the year, artist of the year, and song and collaboration of the year for her track “Bring Your Love,” featuring fellow nominee Sabrina Carpenter. The highly coveted video of the year award will see Madonna’s “Confessions” competing against Taylor Swift’s “Ophelia,” Ariana Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Tears,” Bruno Mars’s “I Just Might,” and Gener8ion and Yung Lean’s “Storm.”
For this year’s VMAs, the public can participate in voting for 13 categories. The winners will be revealed during the live broadcast of the ceremony on September 27, airing on CBS, MTV, and streaming on Paramount+.