Taylor Swift dominates 2026 American Music Awards with 8 nominations

Raye recently declared that the only person Taylor Swift will ever be competing with is herself. And the 52nd American Music Awards nominations just proved her right.

The pop superstar leads the 2026 AMAs nominations with eight nods, putting her in prime position to extend her already record-breaking run. Swift, 36, currently holds the position as the top winner in the history of the AMAs with 40 trophies, with Michael Jackson following behind with 24 wins.

Hence, Swift’s crown is well-secured even if she doesn’t win any of the following nominations:

• Artist of the Year
• Album of the Year — The Life of a Showgirl
• Song of the Year — The Fate of Ophelia
• Best Pop Song — The Fate of Ophelia
• Best Pop Album — The Life of a Showgirl
• Best Female Pop Artist
• Song of the Summer — Elizabeth Taylor
• Best Music Video — The Fate of Ophelia

Close behind are Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and sombr with seven nominations each, while Lady Gaga and Alex Warren earned six.

Justin Bieber, who picked up four nominations this year, is inching closer to another milestone. One more win would tie him with Kenny Rogers for the second-most AMA wins among male artists, just behind Jackson.

Rising stars are also making noise. Dean and sombr are both nominated in three major categories, including new artist of the year, after going head-to-head at the Grammys earlier this year. A wave of first-time nominees — including PinkPantheress, RAYE and Tate McRae — signals a major generational shift in the lineup.

Meanwhile, Teyana Taylor continues her standout year with her first AMA nomination, adding to an already stacked awards season across music and film.

The ceremony, hosted by Queen Latifah, will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 25, airing on CBS and streaming via Paramount+.