Taylor Swift Leads 2026 American Music Awards Noms With Eight, as Olivia Dean and Sombr Follow Close Behind: Complete List of Nominees

Taylor Swift, by most measures the all-time queen of the American Music Awards, has plenty of chances to extend her historic lead even further this year. She leads the race for the 2026 AMAs with eight nominations, in a ballot revealed Tuesday morning.

via: Rolling Stone

The American Music Awards will return this year for its 52nd iteration, kicking off on May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Area in Las Vegas. Taylor Swift leads with eight nominations including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. The pop star is trailed by Sabrina Carpenter, Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, and Sombr with seven nods each.

Swift has had a monumental year thanks to her record-breaking 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. The record’s lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia,” is up for Song of the Year, Best Pop Song, and Best Music Video, while “Elizabeth Taylor” (which many critics cite as the centerpiece of the LP) is up for Song of the Summer, one of the 11 newly added categories to the annual ceremony. If Swift takes home the award in all eight categories, she will tie Michael Jackson (1984) and Whitney Houston (1994) for most wins in one night.

Breakout stars Olivia Dean and Sombr are first-time nominees and facing off in the New Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Breakthrough Album of the Year categories. Alex Warren, Teyana Taylor, BigXthaPlug, Katseye, Leon Thomas, PinkPantheress, Raye, Role Model, Sienna Spiro, and Tate McRae are also first-time AMA nominees.

Meanwhile, Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami, the musical voices of Huntr/x in KPop Demon Hunters, are nominated in three categories — Song of the Year, Best Vocal Performance, and Best Pop Song — for their colossal hit “Golden” from the film.

This year’s AMAs will also welcome back Queen Latifah, who last hosted 30 years ago, to lead the annual ceremony on Memorial Day. “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 52nd American Music Awards air live on Monday, May 25, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, beginning at 8 p.m. E.T. on Paramount+ and CBS.

52nd annual AMA Awards nominations:

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 (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”

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”

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 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

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

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

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

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

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 Huron

The Lumineers

Mumford & Sons

Noah Kahan

Tyler Childers

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