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\n\tMadonna<\/a> and Taylor Swift<\/a> will go toe to toe at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards<\/a>, with the two pop icons picking up the most nominations this year.<\/p>\n \n\tMadonna led all nominees with 11, thanks largely to the short film she made<\/a> for her celebrated new album, Confessions II<\/a><\/em>. The visual is up for Video of the Year, as well as a host of creative categories like Best Direction, Cinematography, and Choreography. It also anchors the returning Best Dance category, which was given out regularly for decades starting in 1989, but hasn\u2019t been awarded since 2019.<\/p>\n \n\tMadonna and Sabrina Carpenter\u2019s Confessions II <\/em>track, \u201cBring Your Love\u201d<\/a> also picked up nods for Song of the Year and Best Collaboration, while Madonna is up for for Artist of the Year, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tSwift, meanwhile, earned nine nominations. She, too, is up for Artist of the Year, while the video for her Life of a Showgirl<\/a> <\/em>hit, \u201cThe Fate of Ophelia\u201d<\/a> is nominated for Video of the Year, Best Pop, and numerous creative prizes. The visual for Swift\u2019s other big Showgirl <\/em>hit, \u201cOpalite,\u201d<\/a> also scored a lone nod for Best Direction.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tFor Video of the Year, the Confessions II <\/em>short film and \u201cThe Fate of Ophelia\u201d will compete against Ariana Grande\u2019s \u201cHate That I Made You Love Me,\u201d Bruno Mars\u2019 \u201cI Just Might,\u201d Gener8ion and Yung Lean\u2019s \u201cStorm,\u201d and Sabrina Carpenter\u2019s \u201cTears.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tAs for the VMAs\u2019 other big categories, Artist of the Year will find Madonna and Swift competing against Grande, Mars, Carpenter, and Morgan Wallen. And in Song of the Year, Madonna and Carpenter\u2019s \u201cBring Your Love\u201d will go up against BTS\u2019 \u201cSwim,\u201d Ella Langley\u2019s \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas,\u201d Huntr\/x\u2019s \u201cGolden,\u201d Olivia Dean\u2019s \u201cMan I Need,\u201d PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson\u2019s \u201cStateside\u201d remix, and Raye\u2019s \u201cWhere Is My Husband!\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tLastly, the VMAs\u2019 Best New Artist category will feature newcomers Bella Kay, Cortis, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro, and Stella Lefty.\u00a0<\/p>\n