Taylor Swift leads American Music Awards nominations

Raechal ShewfeltTue, April 14, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC

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Taylor Swift at the 2025 Grammys in Los AngelesCredit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Taylor Swift is living the life.

The singer's The Life of a Showgirl album propelled her to eight nominations at this year's American Music Awards, which were unveiled Tuesday. Swift, who already had more wins than any other artist at the show, picked up another eight noms, including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year for her hit "The Fate of Ophelia."

Swift could also win in categories including Best Pop Album, Best Pop Song, Best Female Pop Artist, Best Music Video ("Ophelia" again), and Song of the Summer ("Elizabeth Taylor").

Right behind her, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Dean, Sombr, and Morgan Wallen each received seven nominations. (Both Dean and Sombr are first-time nominees.)

Morgan Wallen in 2023Credit: Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty

But, as music fans know, the AMAs are about the iconic performances taking place onstage — Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Eminem, and Missy Elliot are just a few of the icons who've wowed the audience — and that's not even counting the red carpet looks, as the stars arrive at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Queen Latifah will be hosting this year, returning to the mic after cohosting in 1995.

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"I am so excited to return to the American Music Awards stage to host this year," Latifah said in a statement. "It's been an incredible year for music and there is no better place to celebrate than in Vegas."

The star-studded 2026 show is set to air live on Memorial Day, May 25, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and Paramount+.

See the full list of nominees:

ARTIST OF THE YEARBad Bunny Bruno Mars BTSHarry StylesJustin BieberKendrick LamarLady GagaMorgan Wallen Sabrina CarpenterTaylor Swift

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEARAlex WarrenElla Langley Katseye Leon ThomasOlivia Dean Sombr

ALBUM OF THE YEARCardi 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 YEARAlex 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 YEARBigXthaPlug, 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 YEARDisco Lines, Tinashe – “No Broke Boys”PinkPantheress – “Illegal”Role Model – “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out”Tyla – “Chanel”Zara Larsson – “Lush Life”

BEST MUSIC VIDEOKatseye – “Gnarly”Rosalía, Björk, Yves Tumor – “Berghain”Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” Tyla – “CHANEL”

BEST SOUNDTRACKF1 The AlbumHazbin Hotel: Season TwoKPop Demon Hunters Wicked: For GoodCharli xcx - Wuthering Heights

TOUR OF THE YEARBeyoncé – “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”

NEW - BREAKOUT TOURBenson 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”

NEW - BREAKTHROUGH ALBUM OF THE YEAROlivia Dean – “The Art of Loving”Sombr – “I Barely Know Her”Zara Larsson – “Midnight Sun”

NEW - BEST THROWBACK SONG4 Non Blondes – “What’s Up”Black Eyed Peas – “Rock That Body” Goo Goo Dolls – “Iris”

NEW - BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCEAlex 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”

NEW - SONG OF THE SUMMERAlex 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”

Best Male Pop ArtistAlex WarrenBenson BooneEd SheeranHarry StylesJustin Bieber

Best Female Pop ArtistLady Gaga Olivia DeanSabrina CarpenterTate McRaeTaylor Swift

NEW - Breakthrough Pop ArtistKatseyeSienna SpiroZara Larsson

Best Pop SongAlex 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”

Best Male Country ArtistJelly RollLuke CombsMorgan WallenRiley GreenShaboozey

Best Female Country ArtistElla LangleyKelsea Ballerini Lainey Wilson Megan MoroneyMiranda Lambert

Best Country Duo or GroupBrooks & DunnOld DominionRascal FlattsTreaty Oak RevivalZac Brown Band

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NEW - Breakthrough Country ArtistSam BarberTucker WetmoreZach Top

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

Best Country AlbumBigXthaPlug – “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 ToliverKendrick LamarPlayboi CartiTyler, The CreatorYoungBoy Never Broke Again

Best Female Hip-Hop ArtistCardi B Doechii GloRillaSexyy Red YKNiece

NEW - Breakthrough Hip-Hop ArtistEsDeeKidMonaleoPluto

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 ArtistBruno MarsChris Brown Daniel CaesarPartyNextDoorThe Weeknd

Best Female R&B ArtistKehlaniSummer WalkerSZATeyana Taylor Tyla

Breakthrough R&B ArtistLeon ThomasMariah the ScientistRavyn Lenae

Best R&B SongBruno Mars – “I Just Might”Chris Brown, Bryson Tiller – “It Depends”Kehlani – “Folded”Leon Thomas – “Mutt”Mariah the Scientist – “Burning Blue”

Best R&B AlbumBruno Mars – “The Romantic”Justin Bieber – “Swag”Leon Thomas – “Mutt”Mariah the Scientist – “Hearts Sold Separately”Summer Walker – “Finally Over It”

Best Male Latin ArtistBad Bunny Junior H Peso PlumaRauw AlejandroTito Double P

Best Female Latin Artist Gloria EstefanKarol G Natti NatashaRosalíaShakira

Best Latin Duo or Group Clave EspecialFuerza RegidaGrupo Firme Grupo Frontera Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda

NEW - Breakthrough Latin Artist BeéleKapoNetón 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”

Best Rock/Alternative ArtistDeftonesLinkin ParkThe Marías Sleep TokenTwenty One Pilots

NEW - Breakthrough Rock/Alternative ArtistGeeseGigi Perez Sombr

Best Rock/Alternative SongNoah Kahan – “The Great Divide”Linkin Park – “Up From the Bottom”Sombr – “Back to Friends”Sublime – “Ensenada”Tame Impala – “Dracula”

Best Rock/Alternative AlbumSleep 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 ArtistCalvin HarrisDavid GuettaFred AgainIlleniumJohn Summit

K-POP CATEGORIES

Best Male K-Pop ArtistAteezBTSEnhypenStray KidsTomorrow X Together

Best Female K-Pop ArtistAespaBlackpinkIllitLe SserafimTwice

Best Afrobeats ArtistBurna BoyMoliyRema TylaWizkid

AMERICANA/FOLK CATEGORIES

NEW - Best Americana/Folk ArtistLord HuronThe LumineersMumford & SonsNoah KahanTyler Childers

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”