EntertainmentMadonna has earned 11 nominations at this year's VMAs for her album Confessions II and its accompanying film.She beats out Taylor Swift, the VMA's most awarded solo artist of all timeCole Cooper · CBC News · Posted: Aug 19, 2026 1:06 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Madonna at the 2025 Met Gala in New York City. Known as the Queen of Pop, she has been closely tied to the MTV Video Music Awards since an iconic performance at the inaugural VMAs. (AFP via Getty Images)The queen of pop is coming back for her throne. An MTV Video Music Awards icon has topped the nominations list this year — and no, it’s not Taylor Swift. For the third time in her career, Madonna is the most nominated artist at the VMAs. Her 11 nominations at next month’s ceremony, including for artist and video of the year, were for the chart-topping album Confessions II and its accompanying film.Madonna beat out Taylor Swift, the most awarded solo artist in VMA history, who earned nine nominations for her album The Life of a Showgirl and for the music video for The Fate of Ophelia. Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande trailed Swift, with seven nominations each.BTS say they won't submit their music for the 2027 Grammy AwardsHere's the 2026 SOCAN Polaris Song Prize short listDéjà vuMadonna also led the VMAs nominations in 1990 and 1998 with her Vogue and Ray of Light eras. However, she might be most closely associated with the awards for a performance at the inaugural 1984 ceremony, when she took to the stage in a wedding dress and "Boy Toy" belt buckle and rolled on the floor singing Like a Virgin.The performance is now remembered as a watershed moment, testing the boundaries of what was permissible on cable television.The dress Madonna wore for her iconic 1984 MTV VMAs performance of Like A Virgin, displayed at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City. (Getty Images)Madonna's nominations include video of the year, artist of the year, and song and collaboration of the year for Bring Your Love, which features fellow nominee Carpenter. For the biggest prize of the night — video of the year — Confessions is up against Swift's Ophelia, as well as the videos for 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 Voting is open to the public for 13 of this year’s categories. Winners will be announced at the Sept. 27 ceremony, which will be broadcast live on CBS, MTV, and streamed on Paramount+.ABOUT THE AUTHORCole Cooper is an intern with CBC Toronto's entertainment unit. Born and raised in Guelph, Ont., he's finishing his BA in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. He can be reached at cole.cooper@cbc.caWith files from Reuters