The nominations for the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards are officially here, and it is a massive moment for African music on the global stage. Set to take place live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday, 26 March, the ceremony will celebrate the most-played songs and artists from the past year while giving us a look at what is coming next.
This year, the spotlight is firmly on our very own stars. Ayra Starr, Tyla, and Moliy have all secured spots in the “World Artist of the Year” category. They are joined in that category by global heavyweights Jackson Wang and JO1.
Ghanaian breakout star Moliy is having a particularly historic run. She has become the most-nominated African artist at this year’s awards with three major nods. Aside from “World Artist of the Year,” she is up for “Best New Artist (Hip-Hop)” and “Best Music Video” for the remix of her hit, Shake It to the Max (FLY). The track, which features Shenseea, Skillibeng, and Silent Addy, became a global fixture in 2025, topping the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats chart and becoming the most Shazamed song of the year.
The nominations also feature big names like Taylor Swift, who leads with nine nominations, followed closely by Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, and Alex Warren. Shaboozey is also in the mix with nominations for “Song of the Year” and “Country Song of the Year” for his hit “Good News.”
For the fans, there is plenty of room to get involved. Several categories are socially voted, including “Best Music Video,” where you can support Moliy’s collaboration. Voting is open now and will run until 19 March, giving everyone a chance to help decide who takes home the trophy in Los Angeles this March.
See the full list of nominees below:
Song of the Year:
- “Anxiety” – Doechii
- “Good News” – Shaboozey
- “Love Somebody” – Morgan Wallen
- “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
- “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
- “MUTT” – Leon Thomas
- “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
- “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else” – Benson Boone
- “Stargazing” – Myles Smith
- “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
Artist of the Year:
- Bad Bunny
- Benson Boone
- Chris Brown
- Jelly Roll
- Kendrick Lamar
- Lady Gaga
- Morgan Wallen
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Tate McRae
- Taylor Swift
Pop Artist of the Year:
- Alex Warren
- Benson Boone
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Tate McRae
- Taylor Swift
Pop Song of the Year:
- “Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI
- “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
- “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
- “Pink Pony Club” – Chappell Roan
- “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
Best New Artist (Pop):
- Alex Warren
- Jessie Murph
- Myles Smith
- Ravyn Lenae
- sombr
Duo/Group of the Year:
- HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI
- Linkin Park
- Maroon 5
- Shinedown
- Twenty One Pilots
Best Collaboration:
- “All The Way” – BigXthaPlug ft. Bailey Zimmerman
- “APT.” – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
- “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
- “Timeless” – The Weeknd ft. Playboi Carti
- “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red
Country Song of the Year:
- “After All The Bars Are Closed” – Thomas Rhett
- “Good News” – Shaboozey
- “Liar” – Jelly Roll
- “Love Somebody” – Morgan Wallen
- “Whiskey Drink” – Jason Aldean
Country Artist of the Year:
- Jason Aldean
- Jelly Roll
- Lainey Wilson
- Luke Combs
- Morgan Wallen
Best New Artist (Country):
- Chase Matthew
- Ella Langley
- Hudson Westbrook
- Josh Ross
- Zach Top
Hip-Hop Song of the Year:
- “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
- “NOKIA” – Drake
- “Outside” – Cardi B
- “The Largest” – BigXthaPlug
- “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:
- Cardi B
- GloRilla
- Kendrick Lamar
- Playboi Carti
- Tyler, The Creator
Best New Artist (Hip-Hop):
- MOLIY
- PLUTO
- Real Boston Richey
- YKNIECE
- ZEDDY WILL
R&B Song of the Year:
- “Burning Blue” – Mariah the Scientist
- “Folded” – Kehlani
- “MUTT” – Leon Thomas
- “Residuals” – Chris Brown
- “SOMEBODY LOVES ME” – PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake
R&B Artist of the Year:
- Chris Brown
- Kehlani
- Leon Thomas
- Mariah the Scientist
- SZA
Best New Artist (R&B):
- Jenevieve
- Kwn
- Leon Thomas
- Mariah the Scientist
- Sailorr
World Artist of the Year:
- Ayra Starr
- Jackson Wang
- JO1
- MOLIY
- Tyla
Alternative Song of the Year:
- “Back To Friends” – sombr
- “Ensenada” – Sublime
- “One Eyed Bastard” – Green Day
- “Stargazing” – Myles Smith
- “The Contract” – Twenty One Pilots
Alternative Artist of the Year:
- Cage the Elephant
- Green Day
- Linkin Park
- Sublime
- Twenty One Pilots
Best New Artist (Alternative):
· almost monday
· Gigi Perez
· Lola Young
· Role Model
· sombr
Rock Song of the Year:
- “Afterlife” – Evanescence
- “Bad Guy” – Falling In Reverse ft. Saraya
- “Dance, Kid, Dance” – Shinedown
- “Even If It Kills Me” – Papa Roach
- “Heavy Is the Crown” – Linkin Park
Rock Artist of the Year:
- Linkin Park
- Papa Roach
- Shinedown
- Sleep Token
- Three Days Grace
Best New Artist (Rock):
- Architects
- Poppy
- Return to Dust
- Sleep Theory
- Spiritbox
Dance Song of the Year:
- “Blessings” – Calvin Harris feat. Clementine Douglas
- “In My Arms” – ILLENIUM & HAYLA
- “No Broke Boys” – Disco Lines & Tinashe
- “Save My Love” – Marshmello, Ellie Goulding and AVAION
- “Won’t Be Possible” – Tiësto, Odd Mob & Goodboys
Dance Artist of the Year:
- Calvin Harris
- David Guetta
- John Summit
- Martin Garrix
- Tiësto
Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year:
- “Angel” – Grupo Frontera & Romeo Santos
- “DEGENERE” – Myke Towers & benny blanco
- “DtMF” – Bad Bunny
- “Qué Pasaría…” – Rauw Alejandro and Bad Bunny
- “Soltera” – Shakira
Latin Pop/Urban Artist of the Year:
- Bad Bunny
- Feid
- J Balvin
- Karol G
- Shakira
Best New Artist (Latin Pop/Urban):
- Alleh
- Beéle
- De La Rose
- Dei V
- Louis BPM
Regional Mexican Song of the Year:
- “Amor Bonito” – Luis Angel “El Flaco”
- “El Amor De Mi Vida” – Calibre 50
- “Flores” – Xavi
- “Hecha Pa’ Mi” – Grupo Frontera
- “Lejos Estamos Mejor” – Eden Muñoz
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year:
- Alejandro Fernández
- Carín León
- Fuerza Regida
- Grupo Frontera
- Luis Angel “El Flaco”
Best New Artist (Regional Mexican):
- Clave Especial
- Edgardo Nuñez
- Los Dos De Tamaulipas
- Óscar Maydon
- Oscar Ortiz
K-pop Artist of the Year:
- JENNIE
- j-hope
- Jin
- LISA
- ROSÉ
K-pop Group of the Year:
- ATEEZ
- BLACKPINK
- ENHYPEN
- Stray Kids
- TWICE
K-pop Song of the Year:
- “APT.” – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
- “Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI
- “JUMP” – BLACKPINK
- “Killin’ It Girl” – j-hope feat. GloRilla
- “like JENNIE” – JENNIE
Best New Artist (K-pop):
- 82Major
- AllDay Project
- Cortis
- Hearts2Hearts
- Meovv
Songwriter of the Year:
- Amy Allen
- Ashley Gorley
- Cal Shapiro
- Charlie Handsome
- Julia Michaels
Producer of the Year:
- Andrew Watt
- Dijon
- Jack Antonoff
- Max Martin & Shellback
- Sounwave
Favorite Broadway Debut: Socially Voted Category
- Ashley Graham, “Chicago”
- Cheryl Porter, “& Juliet”
- Durrell “Tank” Babbs, “Hell’s Kitchen”
- Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”
- Jack Wolfe, “Hadestown”
- Kelsie Watts, “Six! The Musical”
- Lencia Kebede, “Wicked”
- Lizzy McAlpine, “Floyd Collins”
- Meg Donnelly, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”
- Ne-Yo, “Hell’s Kitchen”
- Tom Felton, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
- Trisha Paytas, “Beetlejuice”
Favorite TikTok Dance: Socially Voted Category
- “Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
- “Gnarly” – KATSEYE
- “GO!” – CORTIS
- “Happen To Me” – Russell Dickerson
- “JUMP” – BLACKPINK
- “like JENNIE” – JENNIE
- “Midnight Sun” – Zara Larsson
- “MONA LISA” – j-hope
- “Revolving Door” – Tate McRae
- “SPAGHETTI” – LE SSERAFIM, j-hope
- “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
Favorite Debut Album: Socially Voted Category
- Addison Rae, “Addison”
- Alex Warren, “You’ll Be Alright, Kid”
- Audrey Hobert, “Who’s the Clown?”
- Calum Hood, “ORDER chaos ORDER”
- Coco Jones, “Why Not More?”
- JADE, “THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!”
- JENNIE, “Ruby”
- LISA, “Alter Ego”
- Michael Clifford, “SIDEQUEST”
- Perrie, “Perrie”
- sombr, “I Barely Know Her”
- Tucker Wetmore, “What Not To”
Best Lyrics: Socially Voted Category
- “Anxiety” – Doechii
- “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Bad Bunny
- “Camera” – Ed Sheeran
- “Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley
- “DAISIES” – Justin Bieber
- “Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI
- “Man I Need” – Olivia Dean
- “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
- “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
- “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
- “undressed” – sombr
- “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – RAYE
Best Music Video: Socially Voted Category
- “Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
- “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Bad Bunny
- “BORN AGAIN” – LISA feat. Doja Cat & RAYE
- “Gabriela” – KATSEYE
- “JUMP” – BLACKPINK
- “like JENNIE” – JENNIE
- “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
- “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
- “Sapphire” – Ed Sheeran
- “Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)” – MOLIY, Shenseea, Skillibeng, Silent Addy
- “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
- “toxic till the end” – ROSÉ
Favorite On Screen: Socially Voted Category
- AJ McLean, Nicole Scherzinger, Liam Payne, Kelly Rowland, “Building the Band”
- Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked: For Good”
- Bad Bunny, “Happy Gilmore 2”
- Becky G, “REBBECA”
- Ed Sheeran, “ONE SHOT with Ed Sheeran: A Musical Experience”
- Jimin and Jungkook, “Are You Sure?!”
- Jonas Brothers, “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie”
- Karol G, “Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful”
- Lady Gaga, “Wednesday”
- LISA, “The White Lotus”
- Taylor Swift, “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The End of an Era”
- Zara Larsson, “Up Close”
Favorite Tour Photographer: Socially Voted Category
- Abby Waisler for Gracie Abrams
- Adam DeGross for Post Malone
- Anna Lee for Coldplay
- baeth for Tate McRae
- Chris Cornejo for Shakira
- Cynthia Parkhurst for Katy Perry
- Henry Hwu for Billie Eilish
- Hyghly for The Weeknd
- Joshua Halling for Oasis
- Rahul Bhatt for KATSEYE
- Thomas Falcone for Shawn Mendes
- Tom Pallant for YUNGBLUD
Favorite Soundtrack: Socially Voted Category
- “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (Original Soundtrack)”
- “F1 the Album”
- “Frankenstein (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)”
- “KPop Demon Hunters”
- “Nobody Wants This Season 2: The Soundtrack”
- “Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)”
- “Smurfs Movie Soundtrack (Music From & Inspired By)”
- “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”
- “Tron: Ares (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)”
- “Wicked: For Good – The Soundtrack”
- “Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires (Original Soundtrack)”
Favorite Tour Style: Socially Voted Category
- Bad Bunny, “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOtoS World Tour”
- Beyoncé, “Cowboy Carter Tour”
- Billie Eilish, “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour”
- BLACKPINK, “Deadline World Tour”
- Dua Lipa, “Radical Optimism Tour”
- Ella Langley, “Still Hungover Tour”
- KATSEYE, “Beautiful Chaos Tour”
- Lady Gaga, “The Mayhem Ball”
- Sabrina Carpenter, “Short n’ Sweet Tour”
- Tate McRae, “Miss Possessive Tour”
- Taylor Swift, “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour”
- Zara Larsson, “Midnight Sun Tour”
Favorite Tour Tradition: Socially Voted Category
- Benson Boone, Cover song
- Beyoncé, Blue Ivy & Rumi on stage
- Billie Eilish, “when the party’s over” silent loop
- Coldplay, Crowd cam
- Dua Lipa, Surprise guest
- Jonas Brothers, Surprise guest
- KATSEYE, “Gnarly” dance break
- Lainey Wilson, Cowgirl of the night
- ROLE MODEL, Sally
- Sabrina Carpenter, Celebrity “Juno” arrest
- Tate McRae, Fan cam on stage
- Zara Larsson, “Lush Life” star
Favorite K-pop Collab: Socially Voted Category
- “Blink” – Corbyn Besson & TZUYU of TWICE
- “BORN AGAIN” – LISA feat. Doja Cat & RAYE
- “BUCK” – Jackson Wang feat. Diljit Dosanjh
- “Confessions” – Flo Rida, HEESEUNG & JAKE of ENHYPEN, Paul Russell
- “Dirty Work” – aespa feat. Flo Milli
- “ExtraL” – JENNIE, Doechii
- “EYES CLOSED” – JISOO X ZAYN
- “Illegal + SEVENTEEN” – PinkPantheress, SEVENTEEN
- “On My Mind” – Alex Warren & ROSÉ
- “Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)” – j-hope, Miguel
- “TOO BAD” – G-DRAGON feat. Anderson .Paak
- “WE PRAY (TWICE Version)” – Coldplay, TWICE, Burna Boy, Elyanna, TINI, Little Simz
