The MTV Video Music Awards have dropped the Best Afrobeats category from their 2026 lineup. This ends its three-year presence at one of the world’s biggest music award ceremonies.
According to Premium Times, the category was missing from the nominations announced for the 2026 VMAs. It was introduced in 2023 to recognise the growing global influence of Afrobeats and African music.
Best Afrobeats disappears after three years
The Best Afrobeats category made its VMA debut in 2023. This came as African artistes continued to gain greater recognition across the international music industry.
Nigerian singer Rema and American star Selena Gomez became the first winners of the category for their global hit “Calm Down.”
South African singer Tyla subsequently dominated the category, winning in 2024 with “Water.” She then retained the award in 2025 with “Push 2 Start.”
Her back-to-back victories made her the most successful artiste in the category before its disappearance from the 2026 nominations.
MTV has not publicly explained why Best Afrobeats was left out of this year’s awards. Moreover, it has not indicated whether the category could return in future editions.
Burna Boy, Tems remain in VMA race
Despite the absence of a dedicated Afrobeats category, Nigerian stars Burna Boy and Tems have secured nominations in other sections of the 2026 awards.
Burna Boy earned two nominations through his collaboration with Colombian superstar Shakira on “Dai Dai.”
The song is competing for Best Collaboration and Best Latin. This gives the Grammy-winning Nigerian artiste two opportunities to claim a VMA this year.
Tems also received a nomination in the Best R&B category for “Raindance,” her collaboration with British rapper Dave.
Their inclusion means Nigerian music will still have representation at the awards. This holds true despite the removal of the category specifically created for Afrobeats.
Removal raises questions over Afrobeats recognition
The decision has attracted attention because it comes at a time when Afrobeats continues to enjoy significant international success.
Artistes including Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tems, Rema and Ayra Starr have helped push African music further into major global markets. Meanwhile, Afrobeats records increasingly appear on international charts and award lists.
The creation of Best Afrobeats in 2023 was widely viewed as another indication of the genre’s expanding global influence.
Its disappearance only three years later has therefore raised questions among fans. They wonder how major international award organisations intend to recognise African music as its artistes increasingly compete across mainstream categories.
2026 VMAs set for September
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are scheduled to take place on September 27 in Los Angeles.
Madonna leads this year’s nominations with 11 nods, while Taylor Swift follows with nine. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter received seven nominations each.
For African music fans, however, attention will also be on Burna Boy and Tems as they compete outside the now-absent Best Afrobeats category.
While the dedicated award may be gone from the 2026 ceremony, the nominations for both Nigerian stars show that African artistes remain part of the wider VMA race.
