The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards had taken over every media platform on Thursday night. Atlanta native, Ludacris, hosted the event live in Hollywood, California.
The world has managed to make a variety of radio experiences enjoyable in the past year, whether that’s Alternative, R&B, Rap, Country, or Pop. Fanbases from every genre clashed on social media during the awards to explain which artist has the most influence over mainstream music.
Fans either adore Taylor Swift or roll their eyes as she continues to dominate the iHeartRadio Music Awards year after year.
Swift completely took over the night, leading with nine nominations. Other artists who gave her competition included Sabrina Carpenter, who had a successful year of touring and released her album Man’s Best Friend.
Bad Bunny is at the peak of his career, coming off an iconic Super Bowl performance and earning eight nominations. Indie pop newcomer Alex Warren also earned eight nominations.
Everyone had their eyes on Artist of the Year, the most important category to those watching the event. Swift has owned this category for the last two years at the awards; this year had some serious contenders to win, with competition from artists like Kendrick Lamar, Chris Brown, and Lady Gaga.
Beyond Artist of the Year, several major categories will grab attention throughout the night.
Song of the Year and Pop Song of the Year feature some of the biggest hits that dominated streaming platforms and radio airplay, showcasing the evolving sound of mainstream music.
Inside the 2026 iHeartRadio Awards
Out of her nine nominations, Taylor Swift took home seven awards, including Artist of the Year and Best Pop Album. Sports and music fans went crazy over Alyssa Liu, the Olympic gold medalist figure skater, who made an appearance at the show.
Liu also joined Swift on stage to present her with the Best Artist of the Year Award.
“She is the G.O.A.T. of music,” the Olympian said of Swift while announcing the award. Fans instantly went to social media to question Liu’s credibility on music after she claimed Swift is the “G.O.A.T.” of music.
Swift continues to dominate the iHeartRadio Awards for the third year in a row, extending her influence across both radio and the rest of the music industry.
Outside of the awards, Swift’s presence also took the spotlight on the red carpet. She attended the event with Travis Kelce, who skipped the carpet, and the engagement ring added another level of attention to an already publicized night.
The awards also recognized John Mellencamp, who was honored with the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award for his longtime impact on the rock music and songwriting genres.
Ludacris, the host of the event, received the 2026 iHeartRadio Landmark Award for his longtime contributions to music and his major influence on creativity in music videos.
Miley Cyrus won the Innovator Award for her ongoing evolution as an artist and entertainment icon. In her speech, she reflected on how far she’s come, and the crowd roared as she celebrated the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana.
Performances of The Night
The most exciting part, the thing that really kept us engaged, was the high-energy performances, including British singer RAYE performing her hit single “Where Is My Husband” for a hyped-up crowd.
TLC brought a nostalgic feel to the stage with songs like “No Scrubs,” “Creep,” and “Waterfalls.” Salt, from Salt-N-Pepa, joined in during “Waterfalls,” covering the late Lisa Lopes’s iconic rap verse. En Vogue and Salt-N-Pepa also shared the stage with TLC, serving up classic ’90s hits and reminding everyone how timeless that era of music truly is.
Kehlani took over the stage with her performance of “Folded,” winning R&B Song of the Year. Fans marveled at her vocals and the creative, laundry-themed stage setup that nodded to one of the most overplayed songs on the radio right now.
SOMBR was a big winner, taking home Best New Alternative Artist and Alternative Album of the Year, a big night for this new artist in the alternative category.
The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards concluded as a celebration of the past year in music, where achievements, influences, and fanbases collide on one stage.
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