The nominations for the 2026 American Music Awards are in—and once again, Taylor Swift is setting the pace.
With eight nominations, Swift leads this year’s field, further extending her position as the most awarded artist in AMAs history. Already holding 40 wins, she now has the opportunity to widen that gap even further.
Close behind her are Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and sombr, each earning seven nominations, while Alex Warren and Lady Gaga follow with six.
For Swift, the numbers are already historic. Michael Jackson currently sits in second place with 24 wins, followed by Alabama with 23 and Whitney Houston with 21. The distance between first and second is already significant—and this year’s nominations suggest it may only grow.
Justin Bieber is also one to watch. With four nominations, he currently holds 18 AMA wins. A single victory this year would move him into a tie with Kenny Rogers for the second-most wins among male artists, just behind Jackson.
Beyond the established names, this year’s nominations also highlight a strong wave of emerging talent.
Olivia Dean and sombr are both competing in three major categories: new artist of the year, song of the year, and breakthrough album of the year. The two artists previously faced off at the Grammys, where Dean took home the win.
Several artists are making their AMA debut this year, including Alex Warren, BigXthaPlug, KATSEYE, Leon Thomas, PinkPantheress, RAYE, Role Model, Sienna Spiro, and Tate McRae—marking a shift toward newer voices shaping the current music landscape.
Teyana Taylor also enters the AMAs for the first time, earning a nomination for best female R&B artist. Her recognition comes during a standout year that has already included an Oscar nomination, a Golden Globe win, and a Grammy nod.
Meanwhile, crossover success continues to define this year’s list. The vocal trio HUNTR/X—EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI—earned three nominations for their track “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, further blurring the line between film and music.
The 52nd American Music Awards will take place on May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, with Queen Latifah set to host. The ceremony will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
As always, the AMAs remain fully fan-voted, with nominees determined by a combination of streaming, sales, radio airplay, and touring data tracked by Billboard and Luminate.
Voting is currently open and will close on May 8, with select categories remaining open during the live broadcast.
Genre-Neutral 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”
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 (New)
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 (New)
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
sombr – I Barely Know Her
Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun
Best Throwback Song (New)
4 Non Blondes – “What’s Up”
Black Eyed Peas – “Rock That Body”
Goo Goo Dolls – “Iris”
Best Vocal Performance (New)
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 (New)
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 (New)
KATSEYE
Sienna Spiro
Zara Larsson
Best Pop Song
Alex Warren – “Ordinary”
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 (New)
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 (New)
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 Thoma
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 (New)
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 (New)
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
Other Genre Categories
Best Dance/Electronic Artist
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
Fred again..
ILLENIUM
John Summit
Best Male K-Pop Artist
ATEEZ
BTS
ENHYPEN
Stray Kids
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
Best Female K-Pop Artist
aespa
BLACKPINK
ILLIT
LE SSERAFIM
TWICE
Best Afrobeats Artist
Burna Boy
MOLIY
Rema
Tyla
Wizkid
Best Americana/Folk Artist (New)
Lord Huro
The Lumineers
Mumford & Sons
Noah Kahan
Tyler Childers
