Madonna, the queen of pop, is making a triumphant return to claim her throne. This year’s MTV Video Music Awards nominations have placed her at the top, surpassing even Taylor Swift. With a remarkable 11 nominations for the upcoming ceremony, Madonna’s acclaimed album “Confessions II” and its corresponding film have garnered significant recognition.
Outshining Taylor Swift, who holds the record for the most VMA wins as a solo artist, Madonna’s nominations include top categories like artist and video of the year. Taylor Swift received nine nominations for her album “The Life of a Showgirl” and her music video “The Fate of Ophelia.” Following closely behind Swift are Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande, each with seven nominations.
This isn’t Madonna’s first time leading the VMA nominations; she previously achieved this feat in 1990 and 1998 during her “Vogue” and “Ray of Light” eras, respectively. However, her unforgettable moment at the 1984 VMA ceremony, where she performed “Like a Virgin” in a wedding dress and “Boy Toy” belt buckle, remains iconic and boundary-pushing in cable television history.
Among Madonna’s nominations are video of the year, artist of the year, and song and collaboration of the year for “Bring Your Love,” a track featuring fellow nominee Carpenter. Competing for the coveted video of the year award are Madonna’s “Confessions,” Swift’s “Ophelia,” Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” Carpenter’s “Tears,” Bruno Mars’s “I Just Might,” and Gener8ion and Yung Lean’s “Storm.”
For this year’s awards, the public can vote in 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+.