MTV Video Music Awards 2026

The MTV Video Music Awards have dropped the Best Afrobeats category from their 2026 nominations, bringing an end, at least for now, to a category that was introduced only three years ago to recognize the growing global influence of African music.

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The omission became noticeable after MTV unveiled its full list of nominees on August 18, 2026. While the 2026 MTV VMAs feature categories covering genres including R&B, Hip Hop, Pop, Country, Latin, K Pop and Dance, Best Afrobeats is absent from this year’s list.

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For an awards show that once created a dedicated category for Afrobeats during the genre’s rapid expansion across the global music industry, its disappearance raises an obvious question:

What does the removal of Best Afrobeats mean for African music at the MTV VMAs?

When Did the MTV VMAs Introduce Best Afrobeats?

The Best Afrobeats category was introduced at the MTV VMAs in 2023, at a time when Afrobeats was becoming one of the most influential sounds in global popular music.

The inaugural award went to Rema and Selena Gomez for “Calm Down.” South African singer Tyla subsequently won the category in 2024 for “Water” and again in 2025 for “Push 2 Start.”

Tyla’s back to back victories generated considerable debate among African music fans, particularly in Nigeria, over how the VMAs were defining Afrobeats and which artists and sounds should qualify for the category.

However, while that controversy provides important context, there is currently no official statement from MTV confirming that it was the reason the category was removed in 2026.

That distinction matters. The category has disappeared, but the reason for its disappearance has not been publicly established.

Burna Boy and Tems Still Fly the Nigerian Flag

Despite the removal of the dedicated Afrobeats category, Nigerian music has not disappeared from the 2026 MTV VMAs.

In fact, Burna Boy and Tems both received nominations, giving Nigeria three nominations across two artists.

Burna Boy earned two nominations for his collaboration with Colombian superstar Shakira on “Dai Dai.”

The song is nominated for: Best Collaboration, Best Latin

Tems, meanwhile, received a nomination in the Best R&B category for her collaboration with British rapper Dave on “Raindance.” That creates an interesting situation.

The MTV VMAs no longer have a Best Afrobeats category, yet Nigerian artists are still being recognized in broader international categories.

And that could mean two very different things.

Has Afrobeats Outgrown Its Own VMA Category?

There is an argument that it has. Afrobeats is no longer simply a regional genre trying to introduce itself to the world. Artists from Nigeria and across Africa now collaborate with major international stars, appear on global charts and participate in music that crosses traditional genre boundaries.

Burna Boy’s “Dai Dai,” for example, is competing in Best Collaboration alongside major international releases rather than being placed inside a specifically African category.

Tems is competing in Best R&B rather than Best Afrobeats. That could be interpreted as progress.

Instead of saying, this is the African category, the VMAs may increasingly be recognizing African artists within the same categories as artists from other parts of the world.

But there is another side to the argument.

Or Has African Music Lost a Dedicated Global Platform?

For many African music fans, the disappearance of Best Afrobeats will still feel significant. The category gave Afrobeats a specific place on one of the world’s most recognizable music award stages. Its creation in 2023 was itself a reflection of how far African music had travelled. Removing it after only three years naturally raises questions about whether the genre is being given enough dedicated recognition at the VMAs.

There is also the question of representation. Afrobeats is a broad and increasingly global sound, but its international success has largely been driven by artists from Nigeria and other African countries. A dedicated category gave those artists a guaranteed space in the nominations. Without it, African artists must compete directly across broader categories.

For some, that is an exciting sign of equality. For others, it could mean African music becomes easier to overlook.

The Tyla Question Is Still Part of the Conversation

It would be impossible to discuss the history of the Best Afrobeats category without mentioning Tyla. Her consecutive victories created intense debate, particularly among Nigerian listeners who questioned whether her music should have been recognised under an Afrobeats category.

Those conversations became part of a much larger debate about the meaning of Afrobeats itself. Is Afrobeats defined by geography Production? Rhythm? Cultural identity? Or has the genre become broad enough to include artists from outside Nigeria and West Africa who are influenced by its sound?

Those questions have never really gone away. But it is important not to turn speculation into fact.

MTV has not said that Tyla’s wins or the criticism surrounding them caused the Best Afrobeats category to be discontinued.

For now, the only confirmed fact is that the category is not part of the 2026 nominations.

What the 2026 Nominations Say About African Music

Perhaps the most interesting part of this year’s nominations is not simply what is missing. It is what remains. Burna Boy is competing for Best Collaboration and Best Latin with Shakira. Tems is competing for Best R&B with Dave.

That suggests that African artists can now enter the MTV VMAs conversation through multiple musical identities rather than being restricted to an Afrobeats category. And that is potentially a much bigger development than it first appears. African music is becoming increasingly difficult to place inside one box.

Tems can make R&B. Burna Boy can collaborate with a Latin superstar. Wizkid can move between Afrobeats, R&B and global pop. Ayra Starr can move between Afropop, R&B and contemporary pop.

The music itself is becoming increasingly fluid. Perhaps the awards categories are struggling to catch up.

The Bigger Picture

The removal of Best Afrobeats may look like a setback on the surface. But it could also mark another stage in Afrobeats’ evolution.

Three years ago, the genre needed its own category to make its presence felt at one of the world’s biggest music video awards. Today, Nigerian artists are competing in categories such as Best R&B, Best Collaboration and Best Latin.

That is not necessarily a downgrade. But it does raise an important question about representation.

Does global recognition mean African music should compete without special categories, or does true representation require dedicated spaces for African genres?

The answer will probably depend on who you ask. What is certain is that Afrobeats has become too important to ignore. And whether the MTV VMAs bring the category back or continue without it, African artists are already forcing the world’s biggest music institutions to rethink where African music belongs.

For now, the Best Afrobeats trophy is gone from the 2026 MTV VMAs. But the conversation around Afrobeats is far from over.

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