2026 VMA Full List: Burna Boy, Tems Get Nominations as MTV Drops Best Afrobeats Category

• Burna Boy scored two nominations at the 2026 MTV VMAs for his FIFA World Cup collaboration with Shakira
• Tems earned a Best R&B nod for 'Raindance', her joint record with British rapper Dave
• MTV quietly dropped the Best Afrobeats category after just three editions, raising questions about African music's place at the awards

Burna Boy and Tems are flying the Nigerian flag at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, with both artists securing nominations in major genre categories, even as MTV quietly retired the Best Afrobeats category that had become a flashpoint for debate among African music fans.

The VMAs are scheduled for Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, with the ceremony broadcasting live on CBS and MTV and streaming on Paramount+.

Burna Boy's two nominations

As published on the MTV website, Burna Boy picked up two nominations off the back of "Dai Dai", his collaboration with Colombian superstar Shakira that served as the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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The track earns him spots in both the Best Collaboration and Best Latin categories.

In Best Collaboration, "Dai Dai" goes up against "Chains & Whips" by Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice; "Ever Since U Left Me" by French Montana and Max B; "Bring Your Love" by Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter; "Stateside" by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson; and "Hard Part" by Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye.

The Best Latin field is equally competitive, with "Dai Dai" facing entries from Anitta featuring Shakira, Bad Bunny, Fuerza Regida, Karol G, Rosalía featuring Yahritza y Su Esencia, and Ryan Castro, Kapo and GANGSTA.

Tems enters the R&B race

Tems received her MTV VMA nomination in the Best R&B category for "Raindance", a collaborative track with British rapper Dave.

Tems is up against Bruno Mars for "I Just Might", Chris Brown for "It Depends/Obvious", Justin Bieber for "YUKON", Kehlani for "Folded", and Mariah the Scientist alongside Kali Uchis for "Is It a Crime."

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The track has performed strongly in the United Kingdom and internationally, further cementing Tems' presence in mainstream R&B circles.

MTV drops the best Afrobeats category

The nominations arrive against the backdrop of MTV removing the Best Afrobeats category from this year's lineup entirely, ending it after just three editions.

The category launched in 2023, with Rema and Selena Gomez winning its inaugural award for "Calm Down".

South African artist Tyla then claimed back-to-back victories in 2024 and 2025 with "Water" and "Push 2 Start" respectively, the latter triumphing over a field that included Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, Tems and Asake.

Tyla's consecutive wins had sparked considerable debate about how African music is categorised at global awards. MTV has offered no public explanation for axing the category.

The Best Afrobeats drop is not the only change to this year's show.

Best Rock, Best Group, Best Album, Video for Good, Best Long-form Video and Song of the Summer have all been removed, while the Best Dance category makes a return after a prolonged absence.

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Leading this year's nominations is Madonna with 11 nods, followed by Taylor Swift with nine nods.

Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each received seven. Fan voting across 13 categories closes on 25 September.

Full nominations list:

Video Of The Year

• Ariana Grande – “hate that I made you love me” – Republic Records
• Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
• GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
• Sabrina Carpenter – “Tears”- Island
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

Artist Of The Year

• Ariana Grande – Republic Records
• Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
• Madonna – Warner Records
• Morgan Wallen – Big Loud/Mercury Records
• Sabrina Carpenter – Island
• Taylor Swift – Republic Records

Song Of The Year

• BTS – “Swim” – BIGHIT MUSIC
• Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
• HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – “Golden” – Republic Records/Visva Records
• Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
• Olivia Dean – “Man I Need” – Island
• PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
• RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – Human Re Sources

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Best New Artist

• Bella Kay – Atlantic Records
• CORTIS – BIGHIT MUSIC
• Magnus Ferrell -Visva Records/Republic Records
• Malcolm Todd – Columbia Records
• Myles Smith – RCA Records
• Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records
• Stella Lefty – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost

Best Collaboration

• Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – “Chains & Whips” – Roc Nation Distribution
• French Montana x Max B – “Ever Since U Left Me” – Coke Boys Records
• Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
• PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
• Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin
• Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – “Hard Part” – Def Jam Recordings

Best Pop

• Ariana Grande – “hate that I made you love me” – Republic Records
• Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
• LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./RCA Records
• Olivia Rodrigo – “drop dead” – Geffen Records
• Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
• Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

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Best Hip-Hop

• Cardi B ft. Kehlani – “Safe” – Atlantic Records
• Don Toliver – “E85” – Cactus Jack/ Atlantic Records
• Drake – “Janice ST.FU” – OVO/Republic Records
• Megan Thee Stallion – “LOVER GIRL” – Hot Girl Productions
• Travis Scott – “DUMBO” – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
• Tyler, The Creator – “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE” – Columbia Records

Best R&B

• Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
• Chris Brown – “It Depends/Obvious” – RCA Records
• Dave & Tems – “Raindance” – Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
• Justin Bieber – “YUKON” – Def Jam Recordings
• Kehlani – “Folded” – Atlantic Records
• Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis – “Is It a Crime” – Epic Records

Best Alternative

• Geese – “Taxes” – Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
• mgk & Fred Durst – “FIX UR FACE” – EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
• Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide” – Mercury Records
• Olivia Rodrigo – “the cure” – Geffen Records
• SOMBR – “Homewrecker” – SMB Music/Warner Records
• Tame Impala – “Dracula” – Columbia Records
• Twenty One Pilots – “Drag Path” – Fueled By Ramen

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Best Dance

• Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion” – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
• Harry Styles – “Aperture” – Columbia Records
• Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
• PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
• Slayyyter – “DANCE…” – RECORDS/Columbia Records
• Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records

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

Best K-Pop

• BLACKPINK – “JUMP” – YG Entertainment
• BTS – “SWIM” – BIGHIT MUSIC
• CORTIS – “REDRED” – BIGHIT MUSIC
• KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
• LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) – “SPAGHETTI” – SOURCE MUSIC
• LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records

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Best Country

• Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
• Kacey Musgraves – “Dry Spell” – Lost Highway/Interscope Records
• Lainey Wilson – “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Broken Bow Records
• Luke Combs – “Back in the Saddle” – Columbia Nashville
• Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
• Stella Lefty – “Boston” – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
• Tucker Wetmore – “Brunette” – Back Blocks Music/Mercury Records

Best Direction

• Ariana Grande – “hate that I made you love me” – Republic Records
• Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
• GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
• Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
• Taylor Swift – “Opalite” – Republic Records

Best Art Direction

• Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
• Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
• PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
• SOMBR – “My Body Isn’t Ready” – SMB Music/Warner Records
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

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Best Cinematography

• A$AP Rocky – “PUNK ROCKY” – A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records
• Ariana Grande – “hate that I made you love me” – Republic Records
• LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
• Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

Best Editing

• Ariana Grande – “hate that I made you love me” – Republic Records
• Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
• LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
• Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

Best Choreography

• GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
• Harry Styles – “Dance No More” – Columbia Records
• KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
• Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

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Best Visual Effects

• Ariana Grande – “hate that I made you love me” – Republic Records
• JISOO X ZAYN – “Eyes Closed” – Warner Records
• Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
• PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
• RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony.” – Human Re Sources
• Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

Burna Boy, Shakira's World Cup song makes history

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Burna Boy’s FIFA World Cup 2026 collaboration with Shakira, Dai Dai, ranked at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart after climbing two spots.

The track also held firm atop the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for a third consecutive week, marking the first official World Cup song to lead either chart since their launch in 2020.

For Burna Boy, this milestone represents his first-ever Billboard Global 200 No. 1, while Shakira secured her second chart-topping hit.

Source: Legit.ng