iHeartRadio Awards 2026: Swift, Bunny, Carpenter Lead/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Taylor Swift leads the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards with nine nominations, maintaining her dominance. Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and Alex Warren follow closely with eight nods each. The awards celebrate the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio platforms and air March 26 on FOX.
iHeartRadio Awards 2026 Quick Looks
- Taylor Swift leads nominations with nine total, including Artist of the Year
- Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and Alex Warren each earn eight nominations
- Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” nominated for Song of the Year
- Fan voting includes new TikTok dance category
- Awards broadcast live March 26 from the Dolby Theatre
- Social voting open until March 19 via iHeartRadio.com
- Event celebrates artists most played on iHeartRadio stations and app
iHeartRadio Awards 2026: Swift, Bunny, Carpenter Lead
Deep Look
Taylor Swift continues her reign over pop music in 2026, securing nine nominations at this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards, the most of any artist. Following closely behind are Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and Alex Warren, each earning eight nominations and demonstrating their own dominance across radio airwaves and streaming platforms.
These annual awards celebrate the most-played artists and songs across iHeartRadio stations and its digital app throughout the year. Swift, a consistent front-runner, has topped the nomination list for three consecutive years. In 2025, she shared the top spot with Morgan Wallen, and in 2024, she tied with Harry Styles and Lizzo. This time, Swift leads solo once again, showing her unmatched presence in both fan loyalty and airplay.
The categories Swift is nominated in span across genres and fan-favorite segments, including:
- Artist of the Year
- Pop Artist of the Year
- Song of the Year (“The Fate of Ophelia”)
- Pop Song of the Year
- Best Lyrics
- Best Music Video
- Favorite On-Screen Performance
- Favorite Tour Style
- Favorite TikTok Dance (a newly added fan-voted category for 2026)
“This is a show for the fans, by the fans,” said John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises, and Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer at iHeartMedia, in a joint statement. “We’re celebrating the biggest songs and artists that our listeners couldn’t stop playing all year.”
In the Artist of the Year category, Swift faces stiff competition. Nominees include:
- Morgan Wallen
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Bad Bunny
- Benson Boone
- Chris Brown
- Jelly Roll
- Kendrick Lamar
- Lady Gaga
- Tate McRae
Song of the Year contenders feature a broad array of genres and themes, showing the diversity in musical trends. Swift’s hit “The Fate of Ophelia” competes against:
- “Love Somebody” – Morgan Wallen
- “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
- “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else” – Benson Boone
- “Anxiety” – Doechii
- “Good News” – Shaboozey
- “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
- “Luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
- “Mutt” – Leon Thomas
- “Stargazing” – Myles Smith
One of the most interactive aspects of the iHeartRadio Music Awards is its fan-voted categories, a tradition that continues in 2026. Categories open to public voting include:
- Favorite TikTok Dance
- Best Lyrics
- Favorite On-Screen Performance
- Favorite Tour Photographer
- Favorite Soundtrack
- Favorite Broadway Debut
- Favorite Tour Tradition
- Favorite Tour Style
- Favorite Debut Album
- Favorite K-pop Collaboration
Voting is currently open on iHeartRadio.com/awards and will close on March 19 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards ceremony will be broadcast live on March 26 at 8 p.m. EDT from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, airing nationally on FOX and across iHeartRadio stations and digital platforms.
With fan participation, mainstream appeal, and high-profile nominees, the 2026 edition of the iHeartRadio Music Awards is set to be one of the biggest nights in music. As Taylor Swift continues to command attention across genres and platforms, the event showcases the ever-evolving music landscape, where pop powerhouses share space with genre-defying newcomers.
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