Taylor Swift leads 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards nominations ahead of Sabrina Carpenter

Taylor Swift has emerged as the most nominated artist at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, securing nine nominations and leading a closely contested field.

Sabrina Carpenter, Alex Warren, and Bad Bunny follow with eight nominations each, according to the official shortlist released ahead of the ceremony.

Swift’s strong showing comes following the release of her twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, which has contributed to her prominence across multiple categories. She is nominated for artist of the year, an award she has won for the past two years.

Other contenders in the category include Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, Tate McRae, Benson Boone, Chris Brown, Jelly Roll, Kendrick Lamar, and Morgan Wallen.

She is also nominated for Song of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia”. Swift previously won in this category in 2015 for “Shake It Off” and in 2024 for “Anti-Hero”.

This year, she competes against songs by Benson Boone, Doechii, SZA, Sabrina Carpenter, Morgan Wallen, Leon Thomas, Myles Smith, Shaboozey, and Alex Warren.

Additional nominations place Swift in contention for pop artist of the year, while “The Fate of Ophelia” is also shortlisted for pop song of the year. The track appears in several fan-voted categories, including best lyrics, best music video, and favourite TikTok dance.

Beyond music releases, Swift’s Disney+ concert film Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The End of an Era is nominated in the favourite on-screen category.

She has also received a nomination for favourite tour style, linked to the wardrobe featured during The Eras Tour.

The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards will recognise the most-played artists and songs across iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2025.

The ceremony is scheduled to air live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 26, broadcast on Fox.