The MTV Video Music Awards 2026 will air live on Sunday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time on CBS and Paramount+.
Voting is open in the fan-voted categories, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist.
Date and start time
- Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026
- Start: 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT
- US television: CBS
- Streaming: Paramount+, subject to plan and region
Viewers outside the United States should check local listings because Paramount+ catalogues, live feeds and broadcast rights differ by country.
How VMA voting works
The official voting page allows fans to vote in eligible categories and displays a daily voting allowance. Some craft awards—such as direction, cinematography, editing and visual effects—are listed as non-votable categories.
Fans should vote only through MTV's official domain. Social posts asking for passwords, payment details or account codes are not part of the award ballot.
Major categories to watch
The Video of the Year field listed on the official ballot includes Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, GENER8ION featuring Yung Lean, Madonna, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift.
Artist, song, collaboration, pop, hip-hop, R&B, alternative, Latin, K-pop, dance and country categories are also part of the public ballot. Final nominees and voting availability can change, so the live MTV page should be treated as authoritative.
Can you watch after the live show?
On-demand availability depends on the user's Paramount+ plan and country. Highlights and performance clips may also appear through official MTV channels after broadcast, but music-rights restrictions can affect availability.
How to avoid time-zone confusion
The listed 7:30 p.m. start is Eastern Time in the United States. Use a current time-zone converter on the event date because daylight-saving rules vary internationally.
Vote through the official MTV ballot and confirm broadcast details on MTV. See more Entertainment coverage and our guide to the global box-office recovery.
