The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are shaping up to be a major night for country music, with several of the genre’s biggest names earning nominations across key categories.
The 2026 VMAs will take place live from Los Angeles on Sunday, September 27, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. The ceremony will air on CBS and MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
This year’s nominations were announced on August 18, with Madonna leading the overall field with 11 nominations and Taylor Swift following with nine.
COUNTRY MUSIC REPRESENTATION
Ella Langley is among the country artists making a particularly strong showing this year. Her hit “Choosin’ Texas” earned two nominations, including Best Country and Song of the Year.
She joins Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Shaboozey, Stella Lefty, and Tucker Wetmore in the Best Country category.
Shaboozey also picked up two nominations. “Cowgirl” is competing for Best Country and Best Cinematography, while Stella Lefty earned nominations for Best Country and Best New Artist.
Morgan Wallen received a nomination for Artist of the Year, putting him alongside Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Madonna, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift in the category.
BEST COUNTRY
The nominees for Best Country are:
Ella Langley — “Choosin’ Texas”
Kacey Musgraves — “Dry Spell”
Lainey Wilson — “Somewhere Over Laredo”
Luke Combs — “Back in the Saddle”
Shaboozey — “Cowgirl”
Stella Lefty — “Boston”
Tucker Wetmore — “Brunette”
SONG OF THE YEAR
Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” also earned a nomination for Song of the Year.
She is competing against BTS with “Swim,” HUNTR/X with “Golden,” Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter with “Bring Your Love,” Olivia Dean with “Man I Need,” PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson with “Stateside,” and RAYE with “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”
OTHER MAJOR CATEGORIES
Morgan Wallen is nominated for Artist of the Year, while Stella Lefty is competing for Best New Artist.
Shaboozey’s “Cowgirl” earned a Best Cinematography nomination, adding another major category to his VMA résumé this year.
Fan voting is open in 13 categories through September 25 at 6 p.m. ET, while Best New Artist voting continues through the show. Fans can cast their votes through the official VMA voting site.
With country artists appearing across several high-profile categories, the September 27 ceremony promises to put plenty of attention on Nashville’s newest stars and established favorites.
For fans of Ella Langley, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Shaboozey, Tucker Wetmore, Kacey Musgraves, and Stella Lefty, the 2026 VMAs will be one to watch.