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2026 American Music Awards Nominations: Taylor Swift Leads Pack With Eight Nods

2026 top American Music Awards nominees (Photo Courtesy of CBS)

The winningest artist in American Music Awards history, Taylor Swift, will be attempting to run up her win tally at the 2026 AMAs. Swift has been nominated in eight categories, including Song of the Year (“The Fate of Ophelia”), Album of the Year (The Life of a Showgirl), and Artist of the Year.  Swift is also competing in the Best Music Video (“The Fate of Ophelia”), Song of the Summer (“Elizabeth Taylor”), Best Female Pop Artist, Best Pop Song (“The Fate of Ophelia”), and Best Pop Album (The Life of a Showgirl) categories.

Taylor Swift holds the American Music Awards record with 40 wins. 

Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and SOMBR followed Swift with seven nominations each. Alex Warren, Lady Gaga, Ella Langley, Fuerza Regida, and Zara Larsson each earned five.

Queen Latifah will host the 52nd American Music Awards. The AMAs will air live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Monday, May 25, at 5pm PT/8pm ET on CBS and Paramount+.

52ND AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES

GENERAL CATEGORIES

Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Bruno Mars
BTS
Harry Styles
Justin Bieber
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga
Morgan Wallen
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift

New Artist of the Year
Alex Warren
Ella Langley
KATSEYE
Leon Thomas
Olivia Dean
SOMBR

Album of the Year
Cardi B – “AM I THE DRAMA?”
Fuerza Regida – “111xpantia”
Justin Bieber – “SWAG”
Lady Gaga – “Mayhem”
Morgan Wallen – “I’m The Problem”
Olivia Dean – “The Art of Loving”
Playboi Carti – “MUSIC”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Man’s Best Friend”
Tate McRae – “So Close To What”
Taylor Swift – “The Life of a Showgirl”

Song of the Year
Alex Warren – “Ordinary”
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”
Kehlani – “Folded”
Leon Thomas – “MUTT”
Morgan Wallen – “I’m The Problem”
Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
SOMBR – “back to friends”
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”

Collaboration of the Year
BigXthaPlug, Bailey Zimmerman – “All The Way”
David Guetta, Teddy Swims, Tones And I – “Gone Gone Gone”
Morgan Wallen, Tate McRae – “What I Want”
PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
Shaboozey, Jelly Roll – “Amen”

Social Song of the Year
Disco Lines, Tinashe – “No Broke Boys”
PinkPantheress – “Illegal”
Role Model – “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out”
Tyla – “CHANEL”
Zara Larsson – “Lush Life”

Best Music Video
KATSEYE – “Gnarly”
ROSALÍA, Björk, Yves Tumor – “Berghain”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”
Tyla – “CHANEL”

Best Soundtrack
F1 The Album
Hazbin Hotel: Season Two
KPop Demon Hunters
Wicked: For Good
Charli xcx – Wuthering Heights

Tour of the Year
Beyoncé – “Cowboy Carter Tour”
Kendrick Lamar, SZA – “Grand National Tour”
Lady Gaga – “The Mayhem Ball”
Oasis – “Oasis Live ‘25 Tour”
Shakira – “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour”

Breakout Tour
Benson Boone – “American Heart World Tour”
Kali Uchis – “The Sincerely, Tour”
The Marías – “Submarine Tour”
Megan Moroney – “Am I Okay? Tour”
Sleep Token – “Even in Arcadia Tour”

Breakthrough Album of the Year
Olivia Dean – “The Art of Loving”
SOMBR – “I Barely Know Her”
Zara Larsson – “Midnight Sun”

Best Throwback Song
4 Non Blondes – “What’s Up”
Black Eyed Peas – “Rock That Body”
Goo Goo Dolls – “Iris”

Best Vocal Performance
Alex Warren – “Ordinary”
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”
SIENNA SPIRO – “Die on this Hill”

Song of the Summer
Alex Warren – “FEVER DREAM”
Bella Kay – “iloveitiloveitiloveit”
BTS – “SWIM”
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
Harry Styles – “American Girls”
Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide”
PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
SOMBR – “Homewrecker”
Tame Impala, JENNIE – “Dracula”
Taylor Swift – “Elizabeth Taylor”

Pop Categories

Best Male Pop Artist
Alex Warren
Benson Boone
Ed Sheeran
Harry Styles
Justin Bieber

Best Female Pop Artist
Lady Gaga
Olivia Dean
Sabrina Carpenter
Tate McRae
Taylor Swift

Breakthrough Pop Artist
KATSEYE
SIENNA SPIRO
Zara Larsson

Best Pop Song
Alex Warren – “Ordinary”
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”
Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Pop Album
Lady Gaga – “Mayhem”
Olivia Dean – “The Art of Loving”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Man’s Best Friend”
Tate McRae – “So Close To What”
Taylor Swift – “The Life of a Showgirl”

COUNTRY CATEGORIES

Best Male Country Artist
Jelly Roll
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Riley Green
Shaboozey

Best Female Country Artist
Ella Langley
Kelsea Ballerini
Lainey Wilson
Megan Moroney
Miranda Lambert

Best Country Duo or Group
Brooks & Dunn
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Treaty Oak Revival
Zac Brown Band

Breakthrough Country Artist
Sam Barber
Tucker Wetmore
Zach Top

Best Country Song
BigXthaPlug, Bailey Zimmerman – “All The Way”
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
Morgan Wallen – “Just In Case”
Russell Dickerson – “Happen To Me”
Shaboozey – “Good News”

Best Country Album
BigXthaPlug – “I Hope You’re Happy”
Megan Moroney – “Cloud 9”
Morgan Wallen – “I’m The Problem”
Sam Barber – “Restless Mind”
Tucker Wetmore – “What Not To”

HIP-HOP CATEGORIES

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
Don Toliver
Kendrick Lamar
Playboi Carti
Tyler, The Creator
YoungBoy Never Broke Again

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist
Cardi B
Doechii
GloRilla
Sexyy Red
YKNIECE

Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist
EsDeeKid
Monaleo
PLUTO

Best Hip-Hop Song
Cardi B – “ErrTime”
Drake – “NOKIA”
Gunna, Burna Boy – “wgft”
Playboi Carti, The Weeknd – “Rather Lie”
YKNIECE, Quavo, Metro Boomin, Breskii – “Take Me Thru Dere”

Best Hip-Hop Album
Cardi B – “AM I THE DRAMA?”
Don Toliver – “OCTANE”
Gunna – “The Last Wun”
Playboi Carti – “MUSIC”
YoungBoy Never Broke Again – “MASA”

R&B CATEGORIES

Best Male R&B Artist
Bruno Mars
Chris Brown
Daniel Caesar
PARTYNEXTDOOR
The Weeknd

Best Female R&B Artist
Kehlani
Summer Walker
SZA
Teyana Taylor
Tyla

Breakthrough R&B Artist
Leon Thomas
Mariah the Scientist
Ravyn Lenae

Best R&B Song
Bruno Mars – “I Just Might”
Chris Brown, Bryson Tiller – “It Depends”
Kehlani – “Folded”
Leon Thomas – “MUTT”
Mariah the Scientist – “BURNING BLUE”

Best R&B Album
Bruno Mars – “The Romantic”
Justin Bieber – “SWAG”
Leon Thomas – “MUTT”
Mariah the Scientist – “HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY”
Summer Walker – “Finally Over It”

LATIN CATEGORIES

Best Male Latin Artist
Bad Bunny
Junior H
Peso Pluma
Rauw Alejandro
Tito Double P

Best Female Latin Artist
Gloria Estefan
KAROL G
Natti Natasha
ROSALÍA
Shakira

Best Latin Duo or Group
Clave Especial
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Firme
Grupo Frontera
Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda

Breakthrough Latin Artist
Beéle
Kapo
Netón Vega

Best Latin Song
Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL”
benny blanco, Selena Gomez, The Marías – “Ojos Tristes”
Fuerza Regida – “Marlboro Rojo”
Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera – “ME JALO”
KAROL G – “LATINA FOREVA”

Best Latin Album
Fuerza Regida – “111xpantia”
KAROL G – “Tropicoqueta”
Netón Vega – “Mi Vida Mi Muerte”
Peso Pluma, Tito Double P – “DINASTÍA”
ROSALÍA – “Lux”

ROCK CATEGORIES

Best Rock/Alternative Artist
Deftones
Linkin Park
The Marías
Sleep Token
Twenty One Pilots

Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist
Geese
Gigi Perez
SOMBR

Best Rock/Alternative Song
Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide”
Linkin Park – “Up From The Bottom”
SOMBR – “back to friends”
Sublime – “Ensenada”
Tame Impala – “Dracula”

Best Rock/Alternative Album
Sleep Token – “Even In Arcadia”
SOMBR – “I Barely Know Her”
Tame Impala – “Deadbeat”
Twenty One Pilots – “Breach”
Zach Bryan – “With Heaven On Top”

DANCE/ELECTRONIC CATEGORIES

Best Dance/Electronic Artist
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
Fred again..
ILLENIUM
John Summit

K-POP CATEGORIES

Best Male K-Pop Artist
ATEEZ
BTS
ENHYPEN
Stray Kids
TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Best Female K-Pop Artist
aespa
BLACKPINK
ILLIT
LE SSERAFIM
TWICE

AFROBEATS CATEGORIES

Best Afrobeats Artist
Burna Boy
MOLIY
Rema
Tyla
Wizkid

AMERICANA/FOLK CATEGORIES

Best Americana/Folk Artist
Lord Huron
The Lumineers
Mumford & Sons
Noah Kahan
Tyler Childers

Rebecca Murray: Journalist covering the entertainment industry for 23+ years, including 13 years as the first writer for About.com's Hollywood Movies site. Member of the Critics Choice Association (Film & TV Branches), Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and Past President of the San Diego Film Critics Society.
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