Taylor Swift has nine VMA nominations and an honorary trophy waiting. Can she take Artist of the Year on Sept 27?
73% of users predicted NO — the community got this one right. 11 predictions cast.
Taylor Swift did not win Artist of the Year at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, held September 27 in Los Angeles. Madonna won the award instead, part of a night in which she took home seven trophies overall, including Best Dance and Best Collaboration for "Bring Your Love" with Sabrina Carpenter.
Swift entered the ceremony with nine nominations and did not go home empty-handed: she won Video of the Year for "The Fate of Ophelia" and received the show's first-ever Artist Director Honors, a new career-recognition award. But the marquee Artist of the Year prize, which factors in a nominee's overall impact across video, chart performance and audience engagement for the eligibility period, went to Madonna, who was marking her first VMA performance in 23 years.
The community correctly anticipated this outcome, with only 27% expecting Swift to win Artist of the Year. Madonna's dominant night — anchored by her return to the VMA stage after more than two decades away — overshadowed Swift's nomination haul and set the tone for a ceremony that split its top honors between the two artists rather than crowning one clear victor.