MagazinAisle

Author: rb809rb

  • Madonna, Taylor Swift Lead 2026 VMA Nominations

    Madonna, Taylor Swift Lead 2026 VMA Nominations

    Madonna is the top nominee heading into the 2026 MTV VMAs, the network announced on Tuesday, with the pop icon earning 11 nominations overall this year, including for artist of the year, video of the year, song of the year for her Sabrina Carpenter collaboration “Bring Your Love” and video of the year for “Confessions II – The Film.”

    Taylor Swift, the most-awarded act in VMAs history, came in second this year with nine nominations, including for artist of the year and video of the year with “The Fate of Ophelia.” Ariana Grande and Carpenter are tied for third with seven each. Both earned artist and video of the year nods as well; Grande’s “hate that i made you love me” is up for video of the year, as is Carpenter’s “Tears.”

    The last two acts for this year’s video of the year race are Bruno Mars for “I Just Might,” and Gener8ion for “STORM starring Yung Lean.” Mars, who has five nominations overall, is also up for artist of the year, with Morgan Wallen rounding out the nominees in the category.

    Madonna’s VMAs feat is the latest in a resurgent year for the superstar, whose Confessions II debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart last month. The album has been widely regarded as her best since 2005’s original Confessions on a Dance Floor.

    For song of the year, along with “Bring Your Love,” the rest of the nominees are BTS’s “Swim,” Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” K-Pop Demon Hunters‘ smash “Golden,” Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need,” PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson’s “Stateside” remix and Raye’s “Where is My Husband!”

    This year’s best new artist race features Bella Kay, Malcom Todd, CORTIS, Sienna Spiro, Myles Smith, Stella Lefty and Magnus Ferrell.

    This year’s show, which will once again air on CBS and simulcast on MTV, will also feature the best dance category for the first time in seven years.

    The VMAs are set to air live from Los Angeles on Sept. 27, marking the first time the show will have taken place in L.A. since 2017. Fans are able to vote on the categories from now through Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. ET.

    A complete list of this year’s nominees follows.

    VIDEO OF THE YEAR

    Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
    Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
    GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    Sabrina Carpenter – “Tears”- Island
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Ariana Grande – Republic Records
    Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
    Madonna – Warner Records
    Morgan Wallen – Big Loud/Mercury Records
    Sabrina Carpenter – Island
    Taylor Swift – Republic Records

    SONG OF THE YEAR

    BTS – “Swim” – BIGHIT MUSIC
    Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
    HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – “Golden” – Republic Records/Visva Records
    Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
    Olivia Dean – “Man I Need” – Island
    PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
    RAYE – “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – Human Re Sources

    BEST NEW ARTIST, presented by The General Insurance®

    Bella Kay – Atlantic Records
    CORTIS – BIGHIT MUSIC
    Magnus Ferrell -Visva Records/Republic Records
    Malcolm Todd – Columbia Records
    Myles Smith – RCA Records
    Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records
    Stella Lefty – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost

    BEST COLLABORATION

    Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – “Chains & Whips” – Roc Nation Distribution
    French Montana x Max B – “Ever Since U Left Me” – Coke Boys Records
    Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
    PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
    Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin
    Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – “Hard Part” – Def Jam Recordings

    BEST POP

    Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
    Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
    LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./RCA Records
    Olivia Rodrigo – “drop dead” – Geffen Records
    Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
    Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    BEST HIP-HOP

    Cardi B ft. Kehlani – “Safe” – Atlantic Records
    Don Toliver – “E85” – Cactus Jack/ Atlantic Records
    Drake – “Janice STFU” – OVO/Republic Records
    Megan Thee Stallion – “LOVER GIRL” – Hot Girl Productions
    Travis Scott – “DUMBO” – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
    Tyler, The Creator – “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE” – Columbia Records

    BEST R&B

    Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
    Chris Brown – “It Depends/Obvious” – RCA Records
    Dave & Tems – “Raindance” – Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
    Justin Bieber – “YUKON” – Def Jam Recordings
    Kehlani – “Folded” – Atlantic Records
    Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis – “Is It a Crime” – Epic Records

    BEST ALTERNATIVE

    Geese – “Taxes” – Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
    mgk & Fred Durst – “FIX UR FACE” – EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
    Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide” – Mercury Records
    Olivia Rodrigo – “the cure” – Geffen Records
    SOMBR – “Homewrecker” – SMB Music/Warner Records
    Tame Impala – “Dracula” – Columbia Records
    twenty one pilots – “Drag Path” – Fueled By Ramen

    BEST DANCE, presented by BACARDÍ® Rum

    Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion” – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
    Harry Styles – “Aperture” – Columbia Records
    Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
    Slayyyter – “DANCE…” – RECORDS/Columbia Records
    ate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records

    BEST LATIN

    Anitta with Shakira – “Choka Choka” – Republic Records/UMLE
    Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL” – Rimas Entertainment
    Fuerza Regida – “TU SANCHO” – Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
    KAROL G – “Papasito” – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
    Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia – “La Perla” – Columbia Records
    Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA – “LA VILLA” – AWOO Corp./ Sony Music US Latin
    Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin

    BEST K-POP

    BLACKPINK – “JUMP” – YG Entertainment
    BTS – “SWIM” – BIGHIT MUSIC
    CORTIS – “REDRED” – BIGHIT MUSIC
    KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
    LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) – “SPAGHETTI” – SOURCE MUSIC
    LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records

    BEST COUNTRY 

    Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
    Kacey Musgraves – “Dry Spell” – Lost Highway/Interscope Records
    Lainey Wilson – “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Broken Bow Records
    Luke Combs – “Back in the Saddle” – Columbia Nashville
    Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
    Stella Lefty – “Boston” – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost 
    Tucker Wetmore – “Brunette” – Back Blocks Music/Mercury Records

    BEST DIRECTION

    Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
    Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
    GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
    Taylor Swift – “Opalite” – Republic Records

    BEST ART DIRECTION

    Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
    Lady Gaga & Doechii – “RUNWAY” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
    SOMBR – “My Body Isn’t Ready” – SMB Music/Warner Records
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

    A$AP Rocky – “PUNK ROCKY” – A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records
    Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
    LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    BEST EDITING

    Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
    Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
    LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

    GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
    Harry Styles – “Dance No More” – Columbia Records
    KATSEYE – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

    Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
    JISOO X ZAYN – “Eyes Closed” – Warner Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
    RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony.” – Human Re Sources
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

  • Why Standard Security Can’t Stop AI-Powered Phishing and Digital Fraud

    Why Standard Security Can’t Stop AI-Powered Phishing and Digital Fraud

    The scam message that hit your phone on Tuesday morning wasn’t a random act of digital mischief. It was planned, tested, and optimized with the same corporate rigor as a Silicon Valley product launch.

    Today’s cybercriminals have co-opted the practices of mature, industrialized corporations, and this professionalized approach is paying off: global consumers lost a staggering $450 billion to scams last year alone. Because these threats are more sophisticated than ever, basic antivirus isn’t enough anymore. How can you protect yourself?

    A comprehensive digital life protection solution like Bitdefender will safeguard your identity, privacy, and devices, so you can stay safe from front to back. The company isn’t just providing solutions; they’re also monitoring the scam economy in real time, most recently in their Global Scam Intelligence Report, to stay ahead of emerging threats so you don’t have to.

    Here’s a look inside the modern fraud machine, how you can protect yourself, and why a security suite like Bitdefender is becoming the new normal for privacy-conscious consumers.

    How Is Global Digital Fraud Evolving?

    Bitdefender’s 2026 Global Scam Intelligence Report analyzed trillions of URLs, billions of messages, live ad ecosystems, and call honeypots, as part of the cybersecurity company’s scam-detection and prevention efforts. The conclusion was clear: Cybercriminals are moving faster and scaling larger than ever before. 

    The report rounds up several key trends driving the modern fraud economy:

    • Fraud goes borderless: Cross-border scams are bypassing traditional filters at an alarming rate as industrial-scale fraud spreads across regions like Myanmar and Cambodia

    • A new baseline for personal risk: One in seven consumers fell victim to a digital scam over the past year

    • Social media overtakes email: The feed has become a new vehicle for bad actors as malicious paid ads on Meta, Google, and YouTube push fake software subscriptions and account-stealing browser extensions

    • Everyday scam scenarios on the rise: Attacks increasingly center on high-converting everyday encounters, from fake delivery notifications and banking impersonation to fake online shops and account takeover attempts

    • The youth vulnerability gap: Younger consumers are now twice as likely as older adults to get scammed because of high exposure, rapid browsing habits, and online transaction speeds

    • Scams move at the speed of news: Cybercriminals weaponize the daily news cycle in real time by building immediate fraud campaigns around trending topics and cultural events

    Now that AI has arrived, security is less about device protection and more about digital life protection. Bitdefender’s approach to offering digital life protection, backed by its pioneering history of AI innovation since 2008 to stop scams and threats before they reach you, stands apart in the industry as being truly ready to meet this moment of sophisticated, coordinated, multilateral cyberthreats.

    Why Device-Centric Security Isn’t Enough

    Most digital defenses were designed for a different era of threats. There was a time when our digital lives were much less interconnected, not to mention much less subject to the interdependencies of so many personal devices. Back in those days, traditional antivirus software excelled at identifying known malware, and basic browser protections flagged some established malicious websites. These remain valuable layers, but they were built to catch threats that had already arrived at your digital front door.

    Today’s fraud efforts, emboldened by AI, don’t always bother to install malware. Instead, they’re engineered to manipulate you into handing over credentials, financial information, or personal data voluntarily through a convincing fake site, a spoofed phone number, or a social media ad that loads a cloned login page. (Think social engineering on steroids.) These tactics target personal credentials directly, heightening the risk of credential exposure and complete account takeovers.

    As mentioned in Bitdefender’s report, scam operations are industrialized now. They use automation, AI-generated content, spoofed infrastructure, and mechanisms of paid advertising to scale attacks across millions of targets simultaneously. It’s not just you; many consumers are struggling to keep up.

    Where Does Bitdefender Come In?


    Bitdefender logo

    Bitdefender Security Suites

    To combat this new AI-powered villain era, you need a multi-layered security suite. This means looking for features like real-time threat intelligence to block malicious URLs before they load, anti-phishing engines to detect and neutralize deceptive forms and website clones, and AI-assisted validation to analyze suspicious texts and emails before you engage. Each layer addresses a different stage of a scam attempt, and all three are needed to cover the full surface area of modern attacks.

    Bitdefender’s security suites are built around how users work and browse online, including apps, messaging, and accounts. Rather than monitoring a single device for known malware signatures, it positions defenses across the points where contemporary threats actually strike: the browser, the inbox, the phone, and the moments of decision when a user is about to click something they’re uncertain about.

    Bitdefender guards every aspect of your online existence, stopping identity theft, protecting your privacy, and proactively securing your devices before harm occurs. It’s all about anticipation and intervention, because in this scam economy, reacting after the fact is often already too late. 

    The Mobile Threat Many Underestimate

    If social media has become the primary venue for scams, mobile devices are the primary delivery mechanism, making voice calls and text communications more dangerous than most people realize.

    The report’s findings on voice call scams reveal a fully industrialized operation. Robocall infrastructure handles scale, local number spoofing builds credibility, and human operators take over once a potential victim engages. Scripts are optimized, supervisors manage callers, and successful transfers are escalated to trained closers who extract credentials, remote access, or direct payments. The activity peaks during business hours and consistently mimics legitimate brands. Again, this is an entire industry where the objective is to steal your identity and assets.

    SMS-based phishing (smishing) compounds the mobile threat. A text carrying a fake package delivery notification, a tax alert, or a banking verification request carries an implicit urgency. And on encrypted messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Bitdefender’s report found that 60% of risky conversations globally originated from business accounts, often exploiting the trust conferred by a blue verification checkmark.

    Scamio, the AI-assisted scam validation tool included in Bitdefender Premium Security and Bitdefender Ultimate Security plans, is designed for exactly the moment of uncertainty these channels create. Instead of guessing whether a link is safe, you can paste the message, upload a screenshot, or submit the URL directly to Scamio for analysis, getting a verdict without clicking anything or exposing your device. Call Blocking adds a complementary layer that automatically filters known spam and fraudulent numbers before they reach you.

    Take Control of Your Digital Exposure

    Cross-border scam networks keep getting better. Bitdefender’s report makes it clear that no single country, platform, or law enforcement agency can see the whole picture, which means individuals and families need defenses that operate at the same scale and speed as the attacks themselves.

    Bitdefender, the PCMag Editor’s Choice for best security suite, protects your entire digital life—identity, privacy, and devices—using advanced AI to stop scams and threats. Backed by nearly two decades of AI threat intelligence, its security suite runs quietly and continuously across all your devices, requiring no ongoing expertise to operate. The protection works in the background; you’re only alerted when something needs your attention. Bitdefender fits how people actually live and work online, across platforms, devices, and everyday life.

    Ready to close the gaps in your current setup? Explore Bitdefender’s full range of cybersecurity tools to better your overall digital life protection.

    FAQ

    Why are online scams suddenly so hard to detect?

    Modern scams are built with AI-assisted tools that eliminate the classic warning signs such as poor grammar, generic greetings, and obviously spoofed domains. Today’s fraudulent messages are geographically targeted, personalized, and visually nearly indistinguishable from legitimate communications.

    Can cross-border digital fraud affect me locally?

    Yes. According to Bitdefender’s 2026 Global Scam Intelligence Report, global scam networks frequently route operations through international infrastructure while targeting victims with localized content that mimics regional delivery services, utility companies, and financial institutions with convincing accuracy.

    What does an anti-phishing engine actually do?

    An anti-phishing engine analyzes websites and incoming links in real time, cross-referencing them against databases of known malicious domains while also evaluating page characteristics—layout, form behavior, SSL status, domain registration age—to identify deceptive clones. When a suspicious pattern is detected, the page is blocked before it fully loads, so you never see it.

    How does modern digital fraud lead to account takeover and identity theft? 

    Cybercriminals use fake login forms, smishing, and social engineering to harvest credentials and personal data. Once compromised, these credentials are used for account takeovers, unauthorized transactions, or sold on dark web markets, making identity-centric monitoring essential.

    How do I safely check if a text message or email is a scam?

    The key is to evaluate the content without clicking anything. Tools like Scamio from Bitdefender allow you to paste suspicious text, upload a screenshot, or submit a link for AI-assisted analysis, returning a verdict without exposing your device to risk. As a manual backup, always verify unexpected requests by contacting the institution directly through a number or website you look up independently, not one provided in the message.

    Is standard browser security enough for digital fraud prevention?

    Standard browser protections offer a useful baseline against established malicious sites, but they typically lack the depth required to catch sophisticated, real-time threats. They also offer no protection against SMS-based scams, fraudulent phone calls, or malicious ads served through legitimate advertising networks. A dedicated, multi-layered suite covers the gaps that browser security alone cannot.

    About Our Expert

  • Bitcoin Wallet Untouched for 15 Years Suddenly Springs to Life

    Bitcoin Wallet Untouched for 15 Years Suddenly Springs to Life

    In brief

    • A Bitcoin wallet holding 8.54 BTC, first funded on June 13, 2011, moved its coins for the first time in 15 years on Aug. 16.
    • The position is now worth about $538,000 for a roughly 461,981% gain if sold.
    • It follows a trend of ancient Bitcoin wallets suddenly coming to life.

    A Bitcoin stash that had sat frozen since the network’s earliest days has moved for the first time in more than 15 years, the latest in a string of ancient wallets flickering back to life.

    According to Galaxy Research‘s blockchain monitoring, a Bitcoin address beginning in “1Emi” holding 8.54 BTC first received the coins on June 13, 2011, when Bitcoin traded around $14, and then went silent for 15.1 years.

    Myriad: Bitcoin's next move? Click to make your prediction.
    Myriad: Bitcoin’s next move? Click to make your prediction.

    The balance, now worth roughly $538,000, was swept out on Aug. 16 in a single transaction recorded in block 962,770. At an average cost basis near $14, the position represents a gain of about 461,981%.

    Movements like this draw outsized attention because so few holders from Bitcoin’s infancy still control their coins, or their private keys, after this long. In 2011, Bitcoin was a thinly traded curiosity worth pocket change, not a trillion-dollar asset.

    Wallets that have stayed untouched since then are widely presumed lost, so when one stirs, analysts and traders take notice, watching for signs that an early adopter may be preparing to cash in.

    The metric they lean on is Coin Days Destroyed, which tallies the age a coin accumulates for each day it sits unmoved. A single transfer from a 2011 wallet wipes out thousands of those accrued days at once, flagging a long-held balance changing hands even when the owner’s motive stays hidden. A large print can mean profit-taking, but it can just as easily reflect a holder relocating funds for security or custody.

    The reactivation is far from a one-off. Ancient Bitcoin wallets coming back to life has become something of a trend within the last two years.

    Just last week, a Bitcoin address holding millions moved its stash after 12 years. Another wallet dormant since 2011 moved 49.97 BTC earlier this month, a Bitcoin whale shifted $383 million after eight years, and roughly $2 billion in coins untouched since 2013 changed hands in a single 2024 sweep that analysts pinned on a custodian rebalancing. In most such cases, the coins have flowed toward professional trading infrastructure rather than a retail seller dumping on the open market.

    Galaxy noted the awakened address carried no public attribution, leaving the identity and intentions of its owner unknown.

    Daily Debrief Newsletter

    Start every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.

  • Digital Media Veteran Adam Boorstin Joins MrBeast’s WatchTime Studios as General Manager

    Digital Media Veteran Adam Boorstin Joins MrBeast’s WatchTime Studios as General Manager

    Digital media veteran Adam Boorstin has joined Beast Industries‘ WatchTime Studios as general manager overseeing the production of original content in a range of genres for various platforms.

    Boorstin joined the company earlier this month after a 10-year run with Studio71, a cutting-edge digital services provider that helps creators scale their content across disparate platforms. WatchTime Studios is part of the larger effort by creator superstar MrBeast (aka Jimmy Donaldson) to capitalize on his social media muscle to build out businesses with original content. He is based in Los Angeles.

    Boorstin joined Studio71 in December 2015. He climbed the ranks and rose to co-CEO in 2020. The company was acquired in April by Fixated, another leading-edge creator services firm. The two combined create a distribution network of more than 1,000 prominent creators — part of a mushrooming effort across the creator economy for larger players coming in to bring scale to what is a massively decentralized sector of the digital content marketplace.

    But that’s changing thanks to the exponential demand from marketers for the targeted audiences of motivated buyers that influencers and creators can muster. Donaldson emerged one of YouTube’s most popular personalities, and he has since sought to expand his zany MrBeast brand with a game show for Amazon Prime Video, among other ventures.

    Beast Industries also has a busy consumer products division and a philanthropic arm.

    “MrBeast is redefining what’s possible in the industry,” Boorstin wrote on LinkedIn.

  • Madonna Leads VMAs Nominations With 11, Followed by Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande

    Madonna Leads VMAs Nominations With 11, Followed by Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande

    It’s no time warp — Madonna leads all other divas in nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, with 11 nods, it was announced Tuesday morning. She’s followed by Taylor Swift, with nine nominations, and Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter, with seven each.

    Others with multiple shots at a Moon Person (as the awards have been non-gender-specifically known for many years now) include Bruno Mars, Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress with five nominations each. Blackpink’s Lisa with four, and Tate McRae and Shakira, tied with three each.

    The VMAs will take place this year at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, marking the first time the show has been held on the west coast in nine years. The show was last broadcast from L.A. in 2017, when it was hosted by Katy Perry from the pre-Kia Forum.

    The two-hour show will air Sept. 27 on CBS, MTV and Paramount+. It will air live on both coasts at 7:30-9:30 p.m. ET/4:30-6:30 PT. A host has not yet been revealed.

    Fan voting in 13 categories is now open at vote.mtv.com through Sept. 25. One additional category, best new artists, will remain open for fan votes all the way into the live telecast.

    Artist of the year is a contest between Madonna, Swift, Grande, Carpenter, Mars and Morgan Wallen. The six candidates for video of the year are Madonna’s “Confessions II – The Film,” Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia,” Carpenter’s “Tears,” Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” Mars’ “I Just Might” and Gener8ion’s “Storm Starring Yung Lean.”

    The best new artist nominees are SIenna Spiro, Stella Lefty, Malcolmn Todd, Bella Kay, Cortis, Myles Smith and Magnus Ferrell. Scroll down for a full list of 2026 nominees.

    Some of the year’s most prominent superstars were limited to two nominations apiece, including Olivia Rodrigo, BTS, Ella Langley, Harry Styles, Katseye, Charli xcx and Harry Styles. Although Wallen, who has had the biggest selling album of the year, received a nomination in a top category, artist of the year, that represents his sole nomination.

    The 2026 VMAs are being produced by Gunpowder & Sky, with MTV veteran Van Toffler as lead producer. Jesse Ignjatovic of Den of Thieves, Barbara Bialkowski, Bruce Gillmer, Barry Barclay and Floris Bauer are the show’s executive producers. Melanie Block is co-executive producer and Gary Lanvy is co-producer.

    The full list of nominations:

    VIDEO OF THE YEAR
    Ariana Grande – “Hate That I Made You Love Me” – Republic Records
    Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
    GENER8ION – “Storm Starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    Sabrina Carpenter – “Tears”- Island
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    ARTIST OF THE YEAR
    Ariana Grande – Republic Records
    Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
    Madonna – Warner Records
    Morgan Wallen – Big Loud/Mercury Records
    Sabrina Carpenter – Island
    Taylor Swift – Republic Records

    SONG OF THE YEAR
    BTS – “Swim” – BIGHIT MUSIC
    Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
    HUNTR/X: Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden” – Republic Records/Visva Records
    Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
    Olivia Dean – “Man I Need” – Island
    PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
    Raye – “Where Is My Husband!!” – Human Re Sources

    BEST NEW ARTIST
    Bella Kay – Atlantic Records
    Cortis – BIGHIT MUSIC
    Magnus Ferrell -Visva Records/Republic Records
    Malcolm Todd – Columbia Records
    Myles Smith – RCA Records
    Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records
    Stella Lefty – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost

    BEST COLLABORATION
    Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – “Chains & Whips” – Roc Nation Distribution
    French Montana x Max B – “Ever Since U Left Me” – Coke Boys Records
    Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
    PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
    Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin
    Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye – “Hard Part” – Def Jam Recordings

    BEST POP
    Ariana Grande – “Hate That I Made You Love Me” – Republic Records
    Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
    Lisa – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./RCA Records
    Olivia Rodrigo – “Drop Dead” – Geffen Records
    Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
    Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    BEST HIP-HOP
    Cardi B ft. Kehlani – “Safe” – Atlantic Records
    Don Toliver – “E85” – Cactus Jack/ Atlantic Records
    Drake – “Janice STFU” – OVO/Republic Records
    Megan Thee Stallion – “LOVER GIRL” – Hot Girl Productions
    Travis Scott – “DUMBO” – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
    Tyler, the Creator – “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE” – Columbia Records

    BEST R&B
    Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
    Chris Brown – “It Depends/Obvious” – RCA Records
    Dave & Tems – “Raindance” – Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
    Justin Bieber – “YUKON” – Def Jam Recordings
    Kehlani – “Folded” – Atlantic Records
    Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis – “Is It a Crime” – Epic Records

    BEST ALTERNATIVE
    Geese – “Taxes” – Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
    MGK & Fred Durst – “Fix Ur Face” – EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
    Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide” – Mercury Records
    Olivia Rodrigo – “The Cure” – Geffen Records
    Sombr – “Homewrecker” – SMB Music/Warner Records
    Tame Impala – “Dracula” – Columbia Records
    Twenty One Pilots – “Drag Path” – Fueled By Ramen

    BEST DANCE
    Bebe Rexha & Faithless – “New Religion” – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
    Harry Styles – “Aperture” – Columbia Records
    Lady Gaga & Doechii – “Runaway” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
    Slayyyter – “Dance…” – RECORDS/Columbia Records
    Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records

    BEST LATIN
    Anitta with Shakira – “Choka Choka” – Republic Records/UMLE
    Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL” – Rimas Entertainment
    Fuerza Regida – “TU SANCHO” – Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
    Karol G – “Papasito” – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
    Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia – “La Perla” – Columbia Records
    Ryan Castro, Kapo & Gangsta- “LA VILLA” – AWOO Corp./ Sony Music US Latin
    Shakira & Burna Boy – “Dai Dai” – Sony Music US Latin

    BEST K-POP
    Blackpink – “Jump” – YG Entertainment
    BTS – “Swim” – BIGHIT MUSIC
    Cortis – “REDRED” – BIGHIT MUSIC
    Katseye – “Pinky Up” – HYBE x Geffen Records
    LE SSERAFIM (feat. J-Hope of BTS) – “SPAGHETTI” – SOURCE MUSIC
    Lisa- “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records

    BEST COUNTRY
    Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
    Kacey Musgraves – “Dry Spell” – Lost Highway/Interscope Records
    Lainey Wilson – “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Broken Bow Records
    Luke Combs – “Back in the Saddle” – Columbia Nashville
    Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
    Stella Lefty – “Boston” – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
    Tucker Wetmore – “Brunette” – Back Blocks Music/Mercury Records

    BEST DIRECTION
    Ariana Grande – “Hate That I Made You Love Me” – Republic Records
    Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
    GENER8ION – “STORM starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
    Taylor Swift – “Opalite” – Republic Records

    BEST ART DIRECTION
    Charli xcx – “SS26” – Atlantic Records
    Lady Gaga & Doechii – “Runaway” – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
    Sombr – “My Body Isn’t Ready” – SMB Music/Warner Records
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
    A$AP Rocky – “Punk Rocky” – A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records
    Ariana Grande – “Hate That I Made You Love Me” – Republic Records
    Lisa – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    Shaboozey – “Cowgirl” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    BEST EDITING
    Ariana Grande – “Hate That I Made You Love Me” – Republic Records
    Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
    Lisa – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
    GENER8ION – “Storm starring Yung Lean” – Iconoclast Music
    Harry Styles – “Dance No More” – Columbia Records
    Katseye – “PINKY UP” – HYBE x Geffen Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    Tate McRae – “Nobody’s Girl” – RCA Records
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

    BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
    Ariana Grande – “Hate That I Made You Love Me” – Republic Records
    Jisoo X Zayn – “Eyes Closed” – Warner Records
    Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
    PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
    Raye ft. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony.” – Human Re Sources
    Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records

  • Toyota Finance opens tokenized bonds to retail investors via mobile payment app

    Toyota Finance opens tokenized bonds to retail investors via mobile payment app

    Toyota’s finance arm is launching a tokenized bond that retail investors can buy directly through the Japanese carmaker’s mobile payment app, Toyota Wallet.

    Toyota Finance said Tuesday that applications have opened for the one-year bond, with investments starting at 100,000 Japanese yen ($676). The new bond will be distributed directly by Toyota Finance, allowing investors to buy it without opening a securities account.

    The 1 billion yen bond carries a 1.72% annual interest rate and will be managed on blockchain infrastructure provided by Japanese security-token firm BOOSTRY.

    The carmaker said the direct distribution model will allow it to integrate applications, communications with bondholders and investor benefits within the same ecosystem.

    Investors may also receive Toyota Wallet balances and qualify for benefits including Fuji Speedway tickets and test-drive experiences, including in Lexus and selected classic Toyota vehicles.

    The offering is Toyota Finance’s second security token bond following its debut issuance in March 2025, which was sold through securities companies.

  • Nonprofit Production Waterwell Doubles Funding for Unseen Iran Grants to Artists Representing the Diaspora in Film, TV, Theater and More

    Nonprofit Production Waterwell Doubles Funding for Unseen Iran Grants to Artists Representing the Diaspora in Film, TV, Theater and More

    Nonprofit production venture Waterwell, co-founded by “Succession” player Arian Moayed, and nonprofit Nimruz has doubled the funding for their program of Unseen Iran Grants now in its second cycle.

    Funding for the grant program has grown to $100,000 to supporting 10 artists representing the Iranian diaspora with TV, film, theater and creative projects in other disciplines that explore Iranian identity and cultural connectivity. The program has taken on greater urgency since its inaugural edition amid the global strife of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran as well as the fundamentalist state’s internal domestic crackdowns on rights and privileges for women and minority groups.

    Per Waterwell, “the initiative continues to foster dialogue around contemporary Iran while building solidarity across the diaspora.”

    Unseen Iran grantees will receive individual awards ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on the needs of the project. Artists have six to 12 months to produce their finished products and will also receive mentorship throughout the process. Applications will accepted through Sept. 30 through the Nimruz website. The 10 projects selected will be unveiled in December.

    “This past year has been one of profound upheaval for our community, from the crackdowns that followed last January’s protests to the toll of the war between the U.S., Israel and Iran,” said Moayed. “In moments like this, Iranian resilience starts to shine and the stories told by Iranians matter more than ever.”

    Waterwell’s inaugural cycle last year received nearly 500 submissions. The final selections included writer-director Pegah Ahangarani, whose documentary “Rehearsals for a Revolution” went on to win the top doc prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and it was picked up for distribution by prestige specialty label Sony Pictures Classics. Nimruz became an investor in the project.

    “In year one, we saw firsthand how much extraordinary work is out there, far more than $50,000 or even $100,000 could reach,” said Sepanta Mohseni, executive director of Nimruz. “The talent and the need are both undeniable. Doubling the fund is us responding to that. We have a long way to go, but this is a real step toward the kind of infrastructure our community’s artists deserve.”

    Nimruz describes itself as an arts-focused nonprofit devoted to “championing a flourishing Iranian spirit through arts and education programming, building a global Iranian community rooted in solidarity and shared cultural heritage.” It has backed a number of documentary and narrative projects featured at Sundance, SXSW, Toronto and DOC NYC.

    (Pictured: “Rehearsals For a Revolution”)

  • Why Was the SEC’s Big Crypto Meeting Canceled? Big Names Emerge From Behind the Scenes! Here Are the Details

    Why Was the SEC’s Big Crypto Meeting Canceled? Big Names Emerge From Behind the Scenes! Here Are the Details

    New developments continue to emerge regarding planned regulations for the US cryptocurrency market. First, a meeting scheduled for Friday by the SEC, where a new regulatory framework for initial public offerings of crypto assets was to be discussed, was canceled at the last minute. The SEC was expected to initiate the formal rule-making process for this new framework, dubbed “Regulation Crypto Assets,” at that meeting.

    One of the first to announce the cancellation of this meeting was American journalist Eleanor Terrett, who stated in her post that the SEC’s official reason was “an unforeseen programming problem.”

    While speculation continues in the market about why the meeting was canceled, some sources are now pointing the finger at Wall Street.

    Is the SEC Under Pressure from Wall Street?

    According to Decrypt, Wall Street played a role in the cancellation of the SEC’s Friday meeting. Sources say that pressure from the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), a major Wall Street organization, was instrumental in the cancellation.

    According to sources who spoke to Decrypt, SIFMA opposed the SEC’s creation of a framework that could provide crypto companies and tokenization firms with broad exemptions from existing securities regulations.

    The report states that SIFMA’s main objection centers on whether the SEC can create such a broad regulatory framework using its existing statutory powers.

    Sources also reported that SIFMA signaled that it could take legal action if the SEC took such a step. This is said to have influenced the SEC’s decision to postpone the planned meeting.

    At this point, sources indicate that the real debate behind the scenes is the SEC’s regulatory authority over the cryptocurrency market and Wall Street’s objections to that regulation.

    It is noteworthy that these developments come immediately after the US Senate failed to make progress on the CLARITY Act before going on recess in August, and the CLARITY Act was postponed until September.

    According to experts, the SEC’s independent efforts to develop comprehensive regulations for the cryptocurrency market, coupled with Congress’s attempt to create a legal framework through the Clarity Act, make the debate over which institution and under what authority will shape cryptocurrency regulations in the US even more significant.

    It remains unclear when the SEC will reschedule the meeting and whether the “Regulation Crypto Assets” process will continue.

    *This is not investment advice.

  • 3 Battles Japan Is Losing at Once, Will Bitcoin Feel the Yen Shock?

    3 Battles Japan Is Losing at Once, Will Bitcoin Feel the Yen Shock?

  • ABC Files First Amendment Lawsuit Against FCC, Claiming Trump Administration “Retaliatory Campaign” Against Its Free Speech

    ABC Files First Amendment Lawsuit Against FCC, Claiming Trump Administration “Retaliatory Campaign” Against Its Free Speech

    UPDATED: ABC filed an unprecedented First Amendment lawsuit against the FCC on Tuesday, claiming that its investigations and regulatory actions are part of a Trump administration “retaliatory campaign” to curb the network’s free speech.

    The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., also seeks to halt a proceeding in which the agency and its chairman, Brendan Carr, demanded that it put its eight stations up for early license renewal. That followed Donald Trump‘s attacks on the network, including its late night host, Jimmy Kimmel.

    “Acting through the Federal Communications Commission, the Administration has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts,” the lawsuit stated.

    The lawsuit is heavy in references to Trump’s attacks on the network and calls for it to lose its licenses, including his complaints over the way that ABC News moderated the 2024 presidential debate, during an attack on a news reporter who asked about releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files, and in a Truth Social post in which the president complained about late-night shows being “100% negative” to him.

    The lawsuit also cited Carr’s warning to ABC last September, after Kimmel made a joke tied to the investigation into the assassination of Charlie Kirk. On a podcast, Carr said that “we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” adding that companies could take action “or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.” Two major station groups with network affiliates said that they would not air the show, and ABC pulled Kimmel from the air for several days before restoring him to the air.

    In the lawsuit, the network said that it anticipated the FCC taking action soon following a public comment proceeding on whether to renew the stations licenses. Bloomberg reported that the FCC may issue a hearing designation order this month, a regulatory move that would kick off an agency adjudication process to determine the fate of the licenses.

    ABC stated in the lawsuit, “Any FCC adjudication would be a charade. The Commission cannot lawfully grant renewal this early in the license terms—the only outcomes on the table are adverse to Plaintiffs. At one extreme, the Commission may intentionally prolong the adjudicative process, miring ABC in years of costly litigation, with the threat of adverse action ever present and with every editorial judgment shadowed by the prospect of provoking the Administration into further retaliation.”

    The network’s legal team added, “At another extreme, the Commission may use the hearing to deny license renewal or immediately revoke the Stations’ licenses, forcing Plaintiffs off the air entirely, as the President has repeatedly demanded. In either scenario, the Administration accomplishes its goal of eliminating a perceived media critic: either it gets Plaintiffs to fall in line, or it silences them if they refuse.”

    An FCC spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment. In ordering the early renewal of broadcast licenses, the agency and Carr cited an ongoing investigation of The Walt Disney Co.’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The network called the investigation “pretextual,” arguing that it has cooperated but that “simply begat increasingly aggressive demands.”

    ABC also cited more recent comments from Carr, including that the network’s decision not to air a primetime address from Trump last month would be part of the review of the broadcast licenses.

    “The Commission’s true target is not the Stations’ employment practices or their carriage of a single presidential address; it is the content of Plaintiffs’ programming—and thus their speech,” the lawsuit stated.  “Because the Commission cannot regulate that content directly, it has used its review of the Stations’ licenses as an instrument to the same end.”

    The FCC under Carr has launched a series of investigations against the networks, including Comcast and NBCUniversal over its DEI practices, and CBS over the way that 60 Minutes edited an interview with Kamala Harris.

    Up to now, no network had directly challenged the FCC via litigation, amid warnings that the agency under Trump was overstepping its authority by delving into content and editorial choices. The lawsuit cited the recent warning from Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), who told an FCC official that the agency “scares me right now” and is “getting into the foothills of violating the First Amendment.”

    ABC’s legal team wrote that the network was the “the visible target and suffers the most immediate harm, but the message is addressed to every broadcaster in the country, and the ultimate cost is borne by the press as a whole.” The lawsuit warned that “news organizations throughout the country are also watching and waiting to see the extent to which ABC and the Stations will be punished, as promised, for coverage that the Administration has deemed unfavorable—because if it happens to ABC, they could be next.”

    After the suit was filed, Gigi Sohn, former counselor to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, wrote on X, “People need to understand what a big deal this is. Disney is doing what many of us had urged for many months – taking on the FCC’s weaponization of its regulatory power.”

    The lawsuit names the FCC, Carr and its two commissioners, Olivia Trusty and Anna Gomez. The inclusion of Gomez, the sole Democrat, appears to be for litigation reasons, as the complaint also cites her criticisms of the Republican-controlled agency as waging a “sustained, coordinated campaign of censorship and control.”

    The network is seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to halt further action on the early license renewals, as well as an order that the FCC be prohibited from taking actions “to coerce or threaten” the network “with sanctions in an effort to alter their exercise of editorial discretion.”

    Its lead attorney on the complaint is Beth Wilkinson, who is also representing Paramount in its defense against an antitrust lawsuit brought by state attorneys general challenging its proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

    Also cited by the network is a separate FCC investigation into The View. The agency is reviewing whether the show should be exempt from equal time rules, which require that broadcasters who feature presidential candidates provide comparable time to rivals, if requested. The network has argued that the FCC signaled back in 2002 that it fell under an exemption for news programming, only to have Carr threaten to reverse course earlier this year.

    The first of the eight ABC stations were not set to face license renewal until 2028. As Carr opened proceedings in which the public could comment on The View investigation and the station licenses, the network launched an on-air campaign to elicit filings. More than 78,000 have commented so far on The View and more than 153,000 in the license renewal proceeding. The network said an analysis showed that the comments overwhelming supported its side.