Bruno Mars, Shakira, Bad Bunny, and more Latinos earn 2026 MTV VMAs nominations

Latin music has taken over globally, and while there should probably be more than one category, we can expect to see some Latino star power at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards.

Bruno Mars, Shakira, Bad Bunny, Karol G, Anitta, Fuerza Regida, Rosalía, Ryan Castro and more Latino artists are among this year’s nominees, with several of the biggest names in Latin music competing for Best Latin. 

Bruno Mars, who has Puerto Rican roots, is the most-nominated Latino artist this year, earning five nods across the 2026 MTV VMAs. 

He is up for Video of the Year and Artist of the Year, while “I Just Might” is nominated for Video of the Year, Best R&B and Best Direction.   

Next is  Shakira, with three nominations overall, for her collaboration with Burna Boy on “Dai Dai” and  “Choka Choka” with Anitta

This year’s Best Latin category brings together artists from different corners of the genre.

Best Latin

• Anitta with Shakira – “Choka Choka” – Republic Records/UMLE
• Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL” – Rimas Entertainment
• Fuerza Regida – “TU SANCHO” – Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
• KAROL G – “Papasito” – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
• Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia – “La Perla” – Columbia Records
• Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA – “LA VILLA” – AWOO Corp./ Sony Music US Latin
• Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin

The biggest names leading the overall nominations

Outside of the Latin categories, Madonna leads the overall nominations with 11 nods. ∫ follows with nine, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each have seven. Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson each earned five nominations, while LISA picked up four.

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 – “Bring Your Love”
• Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”
• PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
• RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”

Best New Artist

• Bella Kay
• CORTIS
• Magnus Ferrell
• Malcolm Todd
• Myles Smith
• 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 + Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
• 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 feat. 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 – “RUNWAY”
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
• PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
• Slayyyter – “DANCE…”
• Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl”

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 K-Pop

• BLACKPINK – “JUMP”
• 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”
• 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”

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 Visual Effects

• Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me”
• JISOO X ZAYN – “Eyes Closed”
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film”
• PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson”
• RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony.”
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”