The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards wrapped Thursday night (March 26) with a show that felt both celebratory and record-setting, as some of the industry’s biggest names gathered at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre for one of radio’s most defining nights.
Hosted by Ludacris, the evening leaned into spectacle while still grounding itself in what the awards have always aimed to spotlight: the artists and songs that dominated airwaves and streaming platforms throughout the past year.
At the center of it all was Taylor Swift—and once again, she didn’t just attend, she owned the night.
Swift entered the ceremony as the most-nominated artist with nine nods, and by the end of the evening, she had secured seven wins, including the coveted Artist of the Year. It marks her third consecutive win in the category, further solidifying her position as one of the most consistently dominant forces in contemporary music.
With these latest wins, Swift extends her record as the most awarded artist in iHeartRadio Music Awards history, now holding an impressive total of 41 trophies. It’s a milestone that reflects not just chart performance, but cultural reach—something Swift has continued to expand with each release.
Beyond the awards themselves, Swift also made headlines for a more personal moment, attending the ceremony alongside her fiancé, Travis Kelce. The appearance marked a notable first for the couple at a major awards show, adding a layer of offstage intrigue to an already headline-heavy evening.
Elsewhere, the night was punctuated by a series of honors recognizing legacy, innovation, and emerging talent. John Mellencamp was presented with the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award, a fitting acknowledgment of his decades-long influence on American rock. Ludacris himself was honored with the Landmark Award, celebrating his impact both within and beyond music.
Miley Cyrus took home the Innovator Award, reflecting her evolution across genres and eras, while Alex Warren earned Breakthrough Artist of the Year—a moment that capped off a rapid rise. Warren also secured Song of the Year for “Ordinary,” marking one of the night’s defining wins.
Performances played a major role in shaping the tone of the evening. Warren delivered a standout set, while Mellencamp brought a sense of legacy to the stage. Kehlani and Lainey Wilson each added their own stylistic imprint, while Ludacris returned to the stage as a performer as well as host.
One of the night’s most talked-about moments came from a rare collaborative performance featuring TLC, Salt-N-Pepa, and En Vogue, marking the first time the three iconic groups shared a stage together—a cross-generational moment that felt both nostalgic and timely.
Now in its 13th year, the iHeartRadio Music Awards continues to reflect listening habits across radio and streaming, drawing from data across iHeartRadio stations and its app. This year also introduced new categories, including favorite TikTok dance, favorite debut album, and favorite K-pop collaboration—an acknowledgment of how the industry continues to evolve alongside digital culture.
If anything, the 2026 ceremony underscored a familiar truth: while the platforms may change, the artists who define the moment remain unmistakable. And once again, Taylor Swift stood firmly at the center of it.
General Categories
Song of the Year
“Anxiety” – Doechii
“Good News” – Shaboozey
“Love Somebody” – Morgan Wallen
“luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
“MUTT” – Leon Thomas
WINNER: “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
“Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else” – Benson Boone
“Stargazing” – Myles Smith
“The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Benson Boone
Chris Brown
Jelly Roll
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga
Morgan Wallen
Sabrina Carpenter
Tate McRae
WINNER: Taylor Swift
Duo/Group of the Year
WINNER: HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI
Linkin Park
Maroon 5
Shinedown
Twenty One Pilots
Best Collaboration
“All The Way” – BigXthaPlug ft. Bailey Zimmerman
WINNER: “APT.” – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
“luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
“Timeless” – The Weeknd ft. Playboi Carti
“WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red
Songwriter of the Year
WINNER: Amy Allen
Ashley Gorley
Cal Shapiro
Charlie Handsome
Julia Michaels
Producer of the Year
WINNER: Andrew Watt
Dijon
Jack Antonoff
Max Martin & Shellback
Sounwave
Album of the Year
WINNER: Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl
Breakthrough Award
Alex Warren
Innovator Award
Miley Cyrus
Icon Award
John Mellencamp
Landmark Award
Ludacris
Pop Categories
Pop Artist of the Year
Alex Warren
Benson Boone
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter
Tate McRae
Taylor Swift
Pop Song of the Year
“Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Ordinary” – Alex Warren
“Pink Pony Club” – Chappell Roan
WINNER: “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
Best New Artist (Pop)
WINNER: Alex Warren
Jessie Murph
Myles Smith
Ravyn Lenae
sombr
Pop Album of the Year
WINNER: Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl
Country Categories
Country Song of the Year
“After All The Bars Are Closed” – Thomas Rhett
WINNER: “Good News” – Shaboozey
“Liar” – Jelly Roll
“Love Somebody” – Morgan Wallen
“Whiskey Drink” – Jason Aldean
Country Artist of the Year
Jason Aldean
Jelly Roll
Lainey Wilson
Luke Combs
WINNER: Morgan Wallen
Best New Artist (Country)
Chase Matthew
WINNER: Ella Langley
Hudson Westbrook
Josh Ross
Zach Top
Country Album of the Year
WINNER: Morgan Wallen, I’m the Problem
Hip-Hop Categories
Hip-Hop Song of the Year
WINNER: “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
“NOKIA” – Drake
“Outside” – Cardi B
“The Largest” – BigXthaPlug
“WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
Cardi B
GloRilla
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar
Playboi Carti
Tyler, The Creator
Best New Artist (Hip-Hop)
MOLIY
PLUTO
WINNER: Real Boston Richey
YKNIECE
ZEDDY WILL
Hip-Hop Album of the Year
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar, GNX
R&B Categories
R&B Song of the Year
“Burning Blue” – Mariah the Scientist
WINNER: “Folded” – Kehlani
“MUTT” – Leon Thomas
“Residuals” – Chris Brown
“SOMEBODY LOVES ME” – PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake
R&B Artist of the Year
WINNER: Chris Brown
Kehlani
Leon Thomas
Mariah the Scientist
SZA
Best New Artist (R&B)
Jenevieve
Kwn
WINNER: Leon Thomas
Mariah the Scientist
Sailorr
R&B Album of the Year
WINNER: Leon Thomas, PHOLKS
Alternative Categories
Alternative Song of the Year
“Back To Friends” – sombr
WINNER: “Ensenada” – Sublime
“One Eyed Bastard” – Green Day
“Stargazing” – Myles Smith
“The Contract” – Twenty One Pilots
Alternative Artist of the Year
Cage the Elephant
Green Da
Linkin Park
Sublime
WINNER: Twenty One Pilots
Best New Artist (Alternative)
almost monday
Gigi Perez
Lola Young
Role Model
WINNER: sombr
Alternative Album of the Year
WINNER: sombr, I Barely Know Her
Rock Categories
Rock Song of the Year
“Afterlife” – Evanescence
“Bad Guy” – Falling In Reverse ft. Saraya
“Dance, Kid, Dance” – Shinedown
“Even If It Kills Me” – Papa Roach
WINNER: “Heavy Is the Crown” – Linkin Park
Rock Artist of the Year
Linkin Park
Papa Roach
WINNER: Shinedown
Sleep Token
Three Days Grace
Best New Artist (Rock)
Architects
Poppy
Return to Dust
WINNER: Sleep Theory
Spiritbox
Rock Album of the Year
WINNER: Sleep Token, Even in Arcadia
Latin Pop/Urban Categories
Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year
“Angel” – Grupo Frontera & Romeo Santos
“DEGENERE” – Myke Towers & benny blanco
WINNER: “DtMF” – Bad Bunny
“Qué Pasaría…” – Rauw Alejandro and Bad Bunny
“Soltera” – Shakira
Latin Pop/Urban Artist of the Year
WINNER: Bad Bunny
Feid
J Balvin
Karol G
Shakira
Best New Artist (Latin Pop/Urban)
Alleh Mezher
WINNER: Beéle
De La Rose
Dei V
Louis BPM
Latin Pop/Urban Album of the Year
WINNER: Bad Bunny, Debí Tirar Más Fotos
Regional Mexican Categories
Regional Mexican Song of the Year
WINNER: “Amor Bonito” – Luis Angel “El Flaco”
“El Amor De Mi Vida” – Calibre 50
“Flores” – Xavi
“Hecha Pa’ Mi” – Grupo Frontera
“Lejos Estamos Mejor” – Eden Muñoz
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year
Alejandro Fernández
Carin León
Fuerza Regida
WINNER: Grupo Frontera
Luis Angel “El Flaco”
Best New Artist (Regional Mexican)
Clave Especial
Edgardo Nuñez
WINNER: Los Dos De Tamaulipas
Óscar Maydon
Oscar Ortiz
Regional Mexican Album of the Year
WINNER: Fuerza Regida, 111XPANTIA
K-pop Categories
K-pop Artist of the Year
JENNIE
j-hope
Jin
LISA
WINNER: ROSÉ
K-pop Group of the Year
ATEEZ
BLACKPIN
ENHYPEN
WINNER: Stray Kids
TWICE
K-pop Song of the Year
“APT.” – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
WINNER: “Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI
“JUMP” – BLACKPINK
“Killin’ It Girl” – j-hope feat. GloRilla
“like JENNIE” – JENNIE
Best New Artist (K-pop)
82Major
AllDay Project
WINNER: Cortis
Hearts2Hearts
Meovv
K-pop Album of the Year
WINNER: JENNIE, Ruby
Dance & World Categories
Dance Song of the Year
“Blessings” – Calvin Harris feat. Clementine Douglas
“In My Arms” – ILLENIUM & HAYLA
WINNER: “No Broke Boys” – Disco Lines & Tinashe
“Save My Love” – Marshmello, Ellie Goulding and AVAION
“Won’t Be Possible” – Tiësto, Odd Mob & Goodboys
Dance Artist of the Year
Calvin Harris
WINNER: David Guetta
John Summit
Martin Garrix
Tiësto
World Artist of the Year
Ayra Starr
Jackson Wang
JO1
WINNER: MOLIY
Tyla
Socially Voted Categories
Favorite Broadway Debut
Ashley Graham, Chicago
Cheryl Porter, & Juliet
Durrell “Tank” Babbs, Hell’s Kitchen
Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Jack Wolfe, Hadestown
Kelsie Watts, Six! The Musical
Lencia Kebede, Wicked
Lizzy McAlpine, Floyd Collins
Meg Donnelly, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Ne-Yo, Hell’s Kitchen
WINNER: Tom Felton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Trisha Paytas, Beetlejuice
Favorite TikTok Dance (new category)
“Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
“Gnarly” – KATSEYE
“GO!” – CORTIS
“Happen To Me” – Russell Dickerson
“JUMP” – BLACKPINK
“like JENNIE” – JENNIE
“Midnight Sun” – Zara Larsson
WINNER: “MONA LISA” – j-hope
“Revolving Door” – Tate McRae
“SPAGHETTI” – LE SSERAFIM, j-hope
“The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
Favorite Debut Album (new category)
Addison Rae, Addison
WINNER: Alex Warren, You’ll Be Alright, Kid
Audrey Hobert, Who’s the Clown?
Calum Hood, ORDER chaos ORDER
Coco Jones, Why Not More?
JADE, THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!
JENNIE, Ruby
LISA, Alter Ego
Michael Clifford, SIDEQUEST
Perrie, Perrie
sombr, I Barely Know Her
Tucker Wetmore, What Not To
Best Lyrics
“Anxiety” – Doechi
“BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Bad Bunny
“Camera” – Ed Sheeran
“Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley
“DAISIES” – Justin Bieber
“Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI
“Man I Need” – Olivia Dean
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Ordinary” – Alex Warren
WINNER: “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
“undressed” – sombr
“WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – RAYE
Best Music Video
“Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
“BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Bad Bunny
“BORN AGAIN” – LISA feat. Doja Cat & RAYE
“Gabriela” – KATSEYE
“JUMP” – BLACKPINK
“like JENNIE” – JENNIE
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Ordinary” – Alex Warren
“Sapphire” – Ed Sheeran
“Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)” – MOLIY, Shenseea, Skillibeng, Silent Addy
WINNER: “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
“toxic till the end” – ROSÉ
Favorite On Screen
AJ McLean, Nicole Scherzinger, Liam Payne, Kelly Rowland, Building the Band
Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo, Wicked: For Good
Bad Bunny, Happy Gilmore 2
Becky G, REBBECA
Ed Sheeran, ONE SHOT with Ed Sheeran: A Musical Experience
WINNER: Jimin and Jung Kook, Are You Sure?!
Jonas Brothers, A Very Jonas Christmas Movie
Karol G, Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful
Lady Gaga, Wednesday
LISA, The White Lotus
Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The End of an Era
Zara Larsson, Up Close
Favorite Tour Photographer
Abby Waisler for Gracie Abrams
Adam DeGross for Post Malone
Anna Lee for Coldplay
baeth for Tate McRae
Chris Cornejo for Shakira
Cynthia Parkhurst for Katy Perry
Henry Hwu for Billie Eilish
Hyghly for The Weeknd
Joshua Halling for Oasis
WINNER: Rahul Bhatt for KATSEYE
Thomas Falcone for Shawn Mendes
Tom Pallant for YUNGBLUD
Favorite Soundtrack
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (Original Soundtrack)
F1 the Album
Frankenstein (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)
WINNER: KPop Demon Hunters
Nobody Wants This Season 2: The Soundtrack
Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Smurfs Movie Soundtrack (Music From & Inspired By)
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
Tron: Ares (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Wicked: For Good – The Soundtrack
Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires (Original Soundtrack)
Favorite Tour Style
Bad Bunny, “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOtoS World Tour”
Beyoncé, “Cowboy Carter Tour”
Billie Eilish, “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour”
BLACKPINK, “Deadline World Tour”
Dua Lipa, “Radical Optimism Tour”
Ella Langley, “Still Hungover Tour”
KATSEYE, “Beautiful Chaos Tour”
Lady Gaga, “The Mayhem Ball”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Short n’ Sweet Tour”
Tate McRae, “Miss Possessive Tour”
WINNER: Taylor Swift, “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour”
Zara Larsson, “Midnight Sun Tour”
Favorite Tour Tradition
Benson Boone, Cover song
Beyoncé, Blue Ivy & Rumi on stage
Billie Eilish, “when the party’s over” silent loop
WINNER: Coldplay, Crowd cam
Dua Lipa, Surprise guest
Jonas Brothers, Surprise guest
KATSEYE, “Gnarly” dance break
Lainey Wilson, Cowgirl of the night
ROLE MODEL, Sally
Sabrina Carpenter, Celebrity “Juno” arrest
Tate McRae, Fan cam on stage
Zara Larsson, “Lush Life” star
Favorite K-pop Collab (new category)
“Blink” – Corbyn Besson & TZUYU of TWICE
“BORN AGAIN” – LISA feat. Doja Cat & RAYE
“BUCK” – Jackson Wang feat. Diljit Dosanjh
“Confessions” – Flo Rida, HEESEUNG & JAKE of ENHYPEN, Paul Russell
“Dirty Work” – aespa feat. Flo Milli
“ExtraL” – JENNIE, Doechii
“EYES CLOSED” – JISOO X ZAYN
“Illegal + SEVENTEEN” – PinkPantheress, SEVENTEEN
“On My Mind” – Alex Warren & ROSÉ
WINNER: “Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)” – j-hope, Miguel
“TOO BAD” – G-DRAGON feat. Anderson .Paak
“WE PRAY (TWICE Version)” – Coldplay, TWICE, Burna Boy, Elyanna, TINI, Little Simz
