2026 MTV VMAs Introduce Best Afrobeats Category

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) have raised questions among fans as the new nominations disclose that the Best Afrobeats category will not be included in this year’s ceremony.

This category was introduced three years ago to recognize the increasing global presence of African music but has been omitted from the 2026 nominations without an official explanation from MTV.

Since the announcement of this year’s nominees, the network has not issued a statement clarifying the removal of the category.

Best Afrobeats made its debut at the VMAs in 2023 when the genre was gaining significant global popularity. Rema and Selena Gomez won the inaugural award with their hit “Calm Down.”

In the subsequent two editions, South African artist Tyla dominated the category, winning in 2024 with “Water” and again in 2025 for “Push 2 Start.”

The decision to eliminate this category occurs as Afrobeats maintains a strong international presence and influence. Despite the absence of a dedicated Afrobeats award, African artists remain among the 2026 nominees, with Burna Boy receiving a Best Collaboration nomination for his collaboration with Shakira and Tems being recognized in the Best R&B category.

However, the lack of an Afrobeats award has sparked discussions about how the VMAs plan to represent the genre moving forward, especially considering its growing prominence in mainstream global music.

Additionally, the Best Rock category has also been removed from this year’s nominations. MTV has replaced it with a broader Best Alternative classification, which encompasses rock performers.

These changes may indicate MTV’s effort to merge multiple genre-specific awards into wider categories, although the network has not confirmed this as the rationale for the restructuring.

Currently, the absence of the Best Afrobeats category has left fans and observers questioning the decision to discontinue a category established to reflect the genre’s international growth, especially as African music continues to make notable advancements worldwide.