The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) have scrapped the \u2018Best Rock\u2019 category after 37 years.<\/p>\n
The category is not included in the upcoming 2026 awards, with nominations announced on Wednesday<\/a> (August 19).<\/p>\n It has been replaced by \u2018Best Alternative\u2019, which this year includes nods to Geese<\/a>,\u00a0Tame Impala<\/a>,\u00a0Olivia Rodrigo<\/a>,\u00a0Sombr<\/a>,\u00a0Noah Kahan<\/a>\u00a0and more.<\/p>\n Rock music was first recognised at the VMAS in 1989, when the \u2018Best Heavy Metal Video\u2019 category was introduced. It later evolved to \u2018Best Metal\/Hard Rock Video\u2019 and \u2018Best Hard Rock Video\u2019 before officially becoming \u2018Best Rock Video\u2019 in 1997, and evolving to just \u2018Best Rock\u2019 in recent years.<\/p>\n The change comes just one year after the VMAs honoured the late Ozzy Osbourne with a musical tribute<\/a> by Yungblud<\/a> and Aerosmith<\/a>\u2018s\u00a0Steven Tyler<\/a> and Joe Perry.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s ceremony is due to take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday September 27. It\u2019ll be broadcast live, airing simultaneously on CBS, MTV and Paramount+.<\/p>\n Madonna<\/a> is leading the way with 11 nods, including Video Of The Year for the star-studded\u00a0Confessions II \u2013 The Film<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 which accompanied her acclaimed\u00a0latest studio album<\/a>.<\/p>\n Madonna is also in the running for Artist Of The Year, as well as Song Of The Year for her \u2018Confessions II\u2019 single\u00a0\u2018Bring Your Love\u2019<\/a>\u00a0with\u00a0Sabrina Carpenter<\/a>. The joint track is up for Best Collaboration, too.<\/p>\n Confessions II \u2013 The Film\u00a0completes the star\u2019s nominations by featuring in the following categories: Best Dance, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography and Best Visual Effects.<\/p>\n Taylor Swift<\/a>\u00a0follows with nine appearances, including Artist Of The Year and Video Of The Year for\u00a0\u2018The Fate Of Ophelia\u2019<\/a>. The single is nominated for numerous other awards, while\u00a0the video for \u2018Opalite\u2019<\/a>\u00a0is vying for Best Direction.<\/p>\n Other acts in the running for Artist Of The Year include\u00a0Ariana Grande<\/a>,\u00a0Bruno Mars<\/a>\u00a0and Sabrina Carpenter. The Song Of The Year category also features\u00a0BTS<\/a>\u00a0(\u2018Swim\u2019),\u00a0Olivia Dean<\/a>\u00a0(\u2018Man I Need\u2019),\u00a0Raye<\/a>\u00a0(\u2018Where Is My Husband!)\u2019 and more.<\/p>\n Elsewhere,\u00a0Harry Styles<\/a>\u00a0has secured a nomination in the Best Dance list for his single\u00a0\u2018Aperture\u2019<\/a>.\u00a0Charli XCX<\/a>\u00a0is up for two prizes \u2013 Best Pop and Best Art Direction \u2013 with\u00a0\u2018SS26\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Best Alternative category includes\u00a0Geese<\/a>,\u00a0Tame Impala<\/a>,\u00a0Olivia Rodrigo<\/a>,\u00a0Sombr<\/a>,\u00a0Noah Kahan<\/a>\u00a0and more.<\/p>\n Should Swift take home just one prize, she will become the most-awarded artist at the VMAs ever.\u00a0She currently ties with Beyonc\u00e9 for having the most wins at the MTV VMAs<\/a>, with each having 30 to their name.<\/p>\n Fan voting for the 2026 ceremony is open now\u00a0here<\/a>, and you can check out the nominations list in full here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) have scrapped the \u2018Best Rock\u2019 category after 37 years. 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