> At a Glance
> – Taylor Swift leads the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards with nine nominations
> – Alex Warren, Sabrina Carpenter, and Bad Bunny follow closely with eight nods each
> – The awards show airs live on FOX on March 26 from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles
> – Why it matters: The fan-voted honors spotlight the most-played tracks across iHeartRadio stations and app, shaping pop-culture conversations for the year ahead.
The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards nominees are out, and Swift‘s chart-topping 2025 has translated into a category-leading haul, while a trio of young hit-makers trail just behind.
The Nomination Leaders
Swift collected nine total nominations, anchored by her Billboard No. 1 single “The Fate of Ophelia” and her latest album The Life of a Showgirl. Warren‘s viral hit “Ordinary”, Carpenter‘s pop smash “Manchild”, and Bad Bunny‘s chart-dominating album Debí Tirar Más Fotos each scored eight nods.
Key Categories & Voting
Fan voting is now open for select socially-driven categories and closes March 19. Winners in most-played categories are determined by iHeartRadio airplay and app data.
Song of the Year contenders:
- “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
- “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
- “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
- “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
- “Anxiety” – Doechii
Artist of the Year nominees:
- Taylor Swift
- Bad Bunny
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Kendrick Lamar
- Morgan Wallen
New & Noteworthy Categories
The 2026 edition introduces four fan-voted additions:
- Favorite TikTok Dance
- Favorite Debut Album
- Favorite K-pop Collab
- Favorite Broadway Debut
Key Takeaways
- Swift could sweep pop categories, doubling her current career total of iHeartRadio wins
- Bad Bunny heads into his Super Bowl LX halftime gig with major momentum
- Carpenter and Warren solidify breakout-year status across pop fields
- Voting ends March 19, so fans have five weeks to push their favorites
- The ceremony broadcasts live March 26 on FOX
With ballots now open, followers of Swift, Bad Bunny, Carpenter, and Warren will be streaming, sharing, and clicking to decide who takes home the fan-driven trophies on March 26.
