Charli xcx Leads 2026 UK Music Video Awards Nominations

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Charli xcx is the artist to beat at this year's UK Music Video Awards. The 2026 shortlists are out across 39 categories, and Charli leads with nine nominations spread over six different videos. The nominated Charli videos are "Camera", "Rock Music", "SS26", "Wink Wink", "House" featuring John Cale, and "Residue" with AG Cook. The winners will be revealed on November 4 at The Roundhouse in London. Kneecap and GENER8ION close behind Irish rap trio Kneecap are next in the overall count. Their "Irish Goodbye", featuring Kae Tempest and directed by Thomas James, has five nominations. "Sayōnara", featuring Paul Hartnoll and directed by Finn Keenan, adds three more. The most-nominated single video is "Storm" by GENER8ION, directed by Romain Gavras and starring Yung Lean, with six nominations. Povoa & Madge's "Beat Bunny", directed by Tanner K Williams, has four. Leading the field Charli xcx: 9 nominations across 6 videos Kneecap: 8 across "Irish Goodbye" (5) and "Sayōnara" (3) GENER8ION, "Storm": 6, the most for a single video Povoa & Madge, "Beat Bunny": 4 Madonna, "CONFESSIONS II": 3 Key category shortlists Best Pop Video UK puts Harry Styles ("Aperture") against Charli xcx ("Camera" and "Wink Wink"), MEEK, FLO and PinkPantheress with Zara Larsson. The international pop category is all female: ROSALÍA, Madonna, Theodora, Tove Lo, Sabrina Carpenter and Angèle. The UK hip hop, grime and rap category includes two videos from Dave : "Chapter 16" with Kano and "The Boy Who Played The Harp". They compete with AntsLive, Wesley Joseph featuring Danny Brown, kwn, and 21 Savage featuring Young Nudy. Ayra Starr flies the flag for Afrobeats Ayra Starr 's "Tornado" is nominated for Best R&B / Soul / Jazz Video – International, up against Amber Mark, Baby Keem, Laufey, Ibeyi and Kelsey Lu. In the UK version of that category, Ezra Collective's "Only Love" featuring Pa Salieu is nominated alongside Olivia Dean, Joy Crookes, Tom Misch, Alewya, and Wesley Joseph with Jorja Smith. Rock, live and craft awards Best Rock Video UK features The Rolling Stones' "Jealous Lover", Wolf Alice, The Last Dinner Party, Makeshift Art Bar, Beabadoobee with The Marías, and Charli's "Rock Music". Best Live Video includes RAYE's "Nightingale Lane – Live from Abbey Road Studios" and James Blake's "Death of Love". The Best Director shortlist features Charli's regular collaborator Aidan Zamiri, alongside five first-time nominees in the category: Folkert Verdoorn and Simon Becks, Jake Erland, South Korean director Lee Suho, Olivia de Camps, and French duo Torso. Other names to watch Last year's Video of the Year winner, A$AP Rocky, has two videos with two nominations each, "Helicopter" and "Punk Rocky". Madonna's "CONFESSIONS II", directed by Torso, has three, including Best Pop International and Best Cinematography. The organisers also list multiple nominations for UK artists Beabadoobee, Fred again.., Harry Styles, James Blake, Joy Crookes, PinkPantheress, Tom Misch and Wesley Joseph. About the UKMVAs This is the 19th edition of the awards, which began in 2008. They honour directors, production companies and artists, as well as craft areas such as casting, choreography, cinematography, editing, animation and visual effects. This year marks the first time the ceremony returns to The Roundhouse in Camden since 2021. Directors and companies in the running The Best New Director category pits British directors Ben Harris and Billy King against Canadian director Alex Acy, French talents Léa Esmaili and Melchior Leroux, and US director Tanner K Williams. Best Production Company is another international race, with Anonymous Content, CANADA, DIVISION, Iconoclast, Magna Studios and Object & Animal all nominated. Among the first-time Best Director nominees, Jake Erland is recognised for videos for Olivia Dean, Beabadoobee and Foo Fighters, while Olivia de Camps is nominated for her films for FLO, Becky G and Maria Isabel. What's next Tickets for the November 4 ceremony are on sale through the UKMVA website. Ezra Collective are also worth watching: they are mentioned for "Only Love", for the film Here Because of Hope , and for "Beto's Horns" in Best Live Video. For more on music video culture, browse our Videos section. Sources: Record of the Day (UKMVA press release) | Music Week