iHeartRadio Music Awards: Taylor Swift Dominates as Alex Warren Tops Winners List

Taylor Swift was the top winner at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, which took place live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday night. “The Fate of Ophelia” singer went into the Ludacris-hosted ceremony, which aired on Fox and could be heard on iHeartRadio stations nationwide and the iHeartRadio app, with the most nominations, nine, leading the field for the fourth year in a row. And she left the night with the most wins at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, with seven total. She earned the coveted title of artist of the year, and won additional honors including best music video, pop song of the year and lyrics, among others. Related Stories Swift stopped by the awards show, making her first awards show appearance of 2026, where her fiancé Travis Kelce also attended in support. During her acceptance speech for for pop album of the year, tied to her 2025 record The Life of a Showgirl, she sung praise toward her fiancé. “The album The Life of a Showgirl was really inspired by the energy that I felt looking into crowds and seeing you guys and connecting with you every single night. And so the album came out with this energy of just feeling really happy and strong and confident and free, and so I wanna say thank you to the fans for for giving me that feeling,” Swift said. “This album probably also feels very happy and confident and free because that’s the way that I get to feel every single day of my life, because of my fiancé, who’s here tonight.” Other top winners at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards included Alex Warren, with three awards total, including song of the year, best new pop artist and favorite debut album. Best new artists were named in various categories, including Ella Langley (country); Real Boston Richey (hip-hop); Leon Thomas (R&B); sombr (alternative); Sleep Theory (rock); Beéle (Latin Pop/Urban); Los Dos De Tamaulipas (Regional Mexican); and Cortis (K-pop). Sabrina Carpenter was named the pop artist of the year, as Kendrick Lamar earned the same honor in the hip-hop category. Amy Allen won songwriter of the year, as Andrew Watt took home the producer of the year title. Warren, Carpenter and Bad Bunny went into the night with eight nominations each, with Swift, Carpenter and Bad Bunny up for artist of the year alongside Lamar, Benson Boone, Chris Brown, Jelly Roll Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae. The awards show honored John Mellencamp with the iHeartRadio Icon Award along with Ludacris with the iHeartRadio Landmark Award, Miley Cyrus with the iHeartRadio Innovator Award and Warren with the iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award. Ludacris and Warren also performed at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Additional performers included Kehlani, Lainey Wilson, Raye and, performing together for the first time, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue. Alysa Liu, Ne-Yo, Nicole Scherzinger, Nikki Glaser, sombr and Weezer also appeared on the show. The 13th annual iHeartRadio Music Awards celebrate the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2025. This year’s show was executive produced by Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannaé Rouzan-Clay for Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) as well as John Sykes, Tom Poleman and Bart Peters for iHeartMedia and Fox Entertainment Studios. A complete list of this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards winners follows. Song of the Year “Anxiety” – Doechii “Good News” – Shaboozey “Love Somebody” – Morgan Wallen “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter “MUTT” – Leon Thomas “Ordinary” – Alex Warren (WINNER) “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else” – Benson Boone “Stargazing” – Myles Smith “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift Artist of the Year Bad Bunny Benson Boone Chris Brown Jelly Roll Kendrick Lamar Lady Gaga Morgan Wallen Sabrina Carpenter Tate McRae Taylor Swift (WINNER) Album of the Year Taylor Swift, “The Life of a Showgirl” (WINNER) Pop Artist of the Year Alex Warren Benson Boone Sabrina Carpenter (WINNER) Tate McRae Taylor Swift Pop Song of the Year “Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter “Ordinary” – Alex Warren “Pink Pony Club” – Chappell Roan “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift (WINNER) Pop Album of the Year Taylor Swift, “The Life of a Showgirl” (WINNER) Best New Artist (Pop) Alex Warren (WINNER) Jessie Murph Myles Smith Ravyn Lenae sombr Duo/Group of the Year HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI (WINNER) Linkin Park Maroon 5 Shinedown Twenty One Pilots Best Collaboration “All The Way” – BigXthaPlug ft. Bailey Zimmerman “APT.” – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars (WINNER) “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA “Timeless” – The Weeknd ft. Playboi Carti “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red Country Song of the Year “After All The Bars Are Closed” – Thomas Rhett “Good News” – Shaboozey (WINNER) “Liar” – Jelly Roll “Love Somebody” – Morgan Wallen “Whiskey Drink” – Jason Aldean Country Artist of the Year Jason Aldean Jelly Roll Lainey Wilson Luke Combs Morgan Wallen (WINNER) Best New Artist (Country) Chase Matthew Ella Langley (WINNER) Hudson Westbrook Josh Ross Zach Top Country Album of the Year Morgan Wallen “I’m The Problem” (WINNER) Hip-Hop Song of the Year “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA (WINNER) “NOKIA” – Drake “Outside” – Cardi B “The Largest” – BigXthaPlug “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red Hip-Hop Artist of the Year Cardi B GloRilla Kendrick Lamar (WINNER) Playboi Carti Tyler, The Creator Best New Artist (Hip-Hop) MOLIY PLUTO Real Boston Richey (WINNER) YKNIECE ZEDDY WILL R&B Song of the Year “Burning Blue” – Mariah the Scientist “Folded” – Kehlani (WINNER) “MUTT” – Leon Thomas “Residuals” – Chris Brown “SOMEBODY LOVES ME” – PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake R&B Artist of the Year Chris Brown (WINNER) Kehlani Leon Thomas Mariah the Scientist SZA Best New Artist (R&B) Jenevieve Kwn Leon Thomas (WINNER) Mariah the Scientist Sailorr R&B Album of the Year Leon Thomas, “PHOLKS” (WINNER) World Artist of the Year Ayra Starr Jackson Wang JO1 MOLIY (WINNER) Tyla Alternative Song of the Year “Back To Friends” – sombr “Ensenada” – Sublime (WINNER) “One Eyed Bastard” – Green Day “Stargazing” – Myles Smith “The Contract” – Twenty One Pilots Alternative Artist of the Year Cage the Elephant Green Day Linkin Park Sublime Twenty One Pilots (WINNER) Best New Artist (Alternative) almost monday Gigi Perez Lola Young Role Model sombr (WINNER) Alternative Album of the Year sombr, “I Barely Know Her” (WINNER) Rock Song of the Year “Afterlife” – Evanescence “Bad Guy” – Falling In Reverse ft. Saraya “Dance, Kid, Dance” – Shinedown “Even If It Kills Me” – Papa Roach “Heavy Is the Crown” – Linkin Park (WINNER) Rock Artist of the Year Linkin Park Papa Roach Shinedown (WINNER) Sleep Token Three Days Grace Best New Artist (Rock) Architects Poppy Return to Dust Sleep Theory (WINNER) Spiritbox Dance Song of the Year “Blessings” – Calvin Harris feat. Clementine Douglas “In My Arms” – ILLENIUM & HAYLA “No Broke Boys” – Disco Lines & Tinashe (WINNER) “Save My Love” – Marshmello, Ellie Goulding and AVAION “Won’t Be Possible” – Tiësto, Odd Mob & Goodboys Dance Artist of the Year Calvin Harris David Guetta (WINNER) John Summit Martin Garrix Tiësto Dance Album of the Year Lady Gaga, “MAYHEM” (WINNER) Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year “Angel” – Grupo Frontera & Romeo Santos “DEGENERE” – Myke Towers & benny blanco “DtMF” – Bad Bunny (WINNER) “Qué Pasaría…” – Rauw Alejandro and Bad Bunny “Soltera” – Shakira Latin Pop/Urban Artist of the Year Bad Bunny (WINNER) Feid J Balvin Karol G Shakira Latin Pop/Urban Album of the Year Bad Bunny, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” (WINNER) Best New Artist (Latin Pop/Urban) Alleh Mezher Beéle (WINNER) De La Rose Dei V Louis BPM Regional Mexican Song of the Year “Amor Bonito” – Luis Angel “El Flaco” (WINNER) “El Amor De Mi Vida” – Calibre 50 “Flores” – Xavi “Hecha Pa’ Mi” – Grupo Frontera “Lejos Estamos Mejor” – Eden Muñoz Regional Mexican Artist of the Year Alejandro Fernández Carin León Fuerza Regida Grupo Frontera (WINNER) Luis Angel “El Flaco” Best New Artist (Regional Mexican) Clave Especial Edgardo Nuñez Los Dos De Tamaulipas (WINNER) Óscar Maydon Oscar Ortiz Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year Fuerza Regida “111XPANTIA” (WINNER) K-pop Artist of the Year JENNIE j-hope Jin LISA ROSÉ (WINNER) K-pop Group of the Year ATEEZ BLACKPINK ENHYPEN Stray Kids (WINNER) TWICE K-pop Song of the Year “APT.” – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars “Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI (WINNER) “JUMP” – BLACKPINK “Killin’ It Girl” – j-hope feat. GloRilla “like JENNIE” – JENNIE Best New Artist (K-pop) 82Major AllDay Project Cortis (WINNER) Hearts2Hearts Meovv K-pop Album of the Year Jennie, “Ruby” (WINNER) Songwriter of the Year Amy Allen (WINNER) Ashley Gorley Cal Shapiro Charlie Handsome Julia Michaels Producer of the Year Andrew Watt (WINNER) Dijon Jack Antonoff Max Martin & Shellback Sounwave Favorite Broadway Debut Ashley Graham, “Chicago” Cheryl Porter, “& Juliet” Durrell “Tank” Babbs, “Hell’s Kitchen” Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” Jack Wolfe, “Hadestown” Kelsie Watts, “Six! The Musical” Lencia Kebede, “Wicked” Lizzy McAlpine, “Floyd Collins” Meg Donnelly, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” Ne-Yo, “Hell’s Kitchen” Tom Felton, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” (WINNER) Trisha Paytas, “Beetlejuice” Favorite TikTok Dance “Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga “Gnarly” – KATSEYE “GO!” – CORTIS “Happen To Me” – Russell Dickerson “JUMP” – BLACKPINK “like JENNIE” – JENNIE “Midnight Sun” – Zara Larsson “MONA LISA” – j-hope (WINNER) “Revolving Door” – Tate McRae “SPAGHETTI” – LE SSERAFIM, j-hope “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift Favorite Debut Album Addison Rae, “Addison” Alex Warren, “You’ll Be Alright, Kid” (WINNER) Audrey Hobert, “Who’s the Clown?” Calum Hood, “ORDER chaos ORDER” Coco Jones, “Why Not More?” JADE, “THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!” JENNIE, “Ruby” LISA, “Alter Ego” Michael Clifford, “SIDEQUEST” Perrie, “Perrie” sombr, “I Barely Know Her” Tucker Wetmore, “What Not To” Best Lyrics “Anxiety” – Doechii “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Bad Bunny “Camera” – Ed Sheeran “Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley “DAISIES” – Justin Bieber “Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI “Man I Need” – Olivia Dean “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter “Ordinary” – Alex Warren “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift (WINNER) “undressed” – sombr “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – RAYE Best Music Video “Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Bad Bunny “BORN AGAIN” – LISA feat. Doja Cat & RAYE “Gabriela” – KATSEYE “JUMP” – BLACKPINK “like JENNIE” – JENNIE “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter “Ordinary” – Alex Warren “Sapphire” – Ed Sheeran “Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)” – MOLIY, Shenseea, Skillibeng, Silent Addy “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift (WINNER) “toxic till the end” – ROSÉ Favorite On Screen AJ McLean, Nicole Scherzinger, Liam Payne, Kelly Rowland, “Building the Band” Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked: For Good” Bad Bunny, “Happy Gilmore 2” Becky G, “REBBECA” Ed Sheeran, “ONE SHOT with Ed Sheeran: A Musical Experience” Jimin and Jungkook, “Are You Sure?!” (WINNER) Jonas Brothers, “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie” Karol G, “Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful” Lady Gaga, “Wednesday” LISA, “The White Lotus” Taylor Swift, “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The End of an Era” Zara Larsson, “Up Close” Favorite Tour Photographer Abby Waisler for Gracie Abrams Adam DeGross for Post Malone Anna Lee for Coldplay baeth for Tate McRae Chris Cornejo for Shakira Cynthia Parkhurst for Katy Perry Henry Hwu for Billie Eilish Hyghly for The Weeknd Joshua Halling for Oasis Rahul Bhatt for KATSEYE (WINNER) Thomas Falcone for Shawn Mendes Tom Pallant for YUNGBLUD Favorite Soundtrack “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (Original Soundtrack)” “F1 the Album” “Frankenstein (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)” “KPop Demon Hunters” (WINNER) “Nobody Wants This Season 2: The Soundtrack” “Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” “Smurfs Movie Soundtrack (Music From & Inspired By)” “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” “Tron: Ares (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” “Wicked: For Good – The Soundtrack” “Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires (Original Soundtrack)” Favorite Tour Style Bad Bunny, “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOtoS World Tour” Beyoncé, “Cowboy Carter Tour” Billie Eilish, “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour” BLACKPINK, “Deadline World Tour” Dua Lipa, “Radical Optimism Tour” Ella Langley, “Still Hungover Tour” KATSEYE, “Beautiful Chaos Tour” Lady Gaga, “The Mayhem Ball” Sabrina Carpenter, “Short n’ Sweet Tour” Tate McRae, “Miss Possessive Tour” Taylor Swift, “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” (WINNER) Zara Larsson, “Midnight Sun Tour” Favorite Tour Tradition Benson Boone, Cover song Beyoncé, Blue Ivy & Rumi on stage Billie Eilish, “when the party’s over” silent loop Coldplay, Crowd cam (WINNER) Dua Lipa, Surprise guest Jonas Brothers, Surprise guest KATSEYE, “Gnarly” dance break Lainey Wilson, Cowgirl of the night ROLE MODEL, Sally Sabrina Carpenter, Celebrity “Juno” arrest Tate McRae, Fan cam on stage Zara Larsson, “Lush Life” star Favorite K-pop Collab “Blink” – Corbyn Besson & TZUYU of TWICE “BORN AGAIN” – LISA feat. Doja Cat & RAYE “BUCK” – Jackson Wang feat. Diljit Dosanjh “Confessions” – Flo Rida, HEESEUNG & JAKE of ENHYPEN, Paul Russell “Dirty Work” – aespa feat. Flo Milli “ExtraL” – JENNIE, Doechii “EYES CLOSED” – JISOO X ZAYN “Illegal + SEVENTEEN” – PinkPantheress, SEVENTEEN “On My Mind” – Alex Warren & ROSÉ “Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)” – j-hope, Miguel (WINNER) “TOO BAD” – G-DRAGON feat. Anderson .Paak “WE PRAY (TWICE Version)” – Coldplay, TWICE, Burna Boy, Elyanna, TINI, Little Simz THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day