The MTV Video Music Awards have removed the Best Afrobeats category from the 2026 nominations, ending the category’s three-edition run and sparking fresh conversations about how African music is represented on major international award stages.
The category was absent when MTV announced its 2026 nominees in August. MTV has not publicly given a specific reason for removing it.
The decision is also part of a broader reshaping of this year’s VMAs, with several other categories from previous ceremonies also missing.
A Short but Significant History
The Best Afrobeats category was introduced at the VMAs in 2023, at a time when African music was rapidly expanding its global reach.
Nigerian star Rema and Selena Gomez became the inaugural winners for their global hit “Calm Down.
”South African singer Tyla then won the award in both 2024 and 2025, with “Water” and “PUSH 2 START,” respectively.
That means Rema and Tyla are the only artists to have won the award during its three-year existence.
Burna Boy and Tems Still Represent Africa
Although the dedicated Afrobeats category is missing from the 2026 lineup, African music has not disappeared from the nominations.
Burna Boy received two nominations for his collaboration with Shakira, “Dai Dai,” including Best Collaboration and Best Latin.
Tems also earned a nomination in the Best R&B category for her collaboration with Dave on “Raindance.”Their nominations show that African artists are continuing to appear in broader international categories rather than only competing within a dedicated African music category.
What Does the Change Mean for Afrobeats?
The removal of Best Afrobeats raises an interesting question: Is African music better served by having its own category, or by competing directly in major international categories?
A dedicated category gives African artists a specific platform and makes their achievements easier for global audiences to recognise.
At the same time, placing African artists directly into categories such as Best Collaboration, Best R&B or Best Latin can be viewed as a sign that African artists are increasingly being treated as part of the wider global music industry.There is also an ongoing conversation about the word “Afrobeats” itself. African music contains many different sounds and traditions, including Afrobeats, Amapiano, Highlife, Afropop and other regional styles. Grouping such a broad range of music under one label can sometimes oversimplify the continent’s musical diversity.MTV Has Not Confirmed Whether the Category Is Gone PermanentlyFor now, it is important not to assume that Best Afrobeats has been permanently discontinued.MTV has not publicly explained the omission, and the 2026 VMAs have undergone several category changes beyond Afrobeats. Other categories that appeared in previous years have also been removed, while Best Dance has returned after a long absence.Therefore, it remains unclear whether Best Afrobeats will return in a future edition.The Bigger Picture for African MusicWhatever happens to the category, the global growth of African music continues.Burna Boy’s nominations alongside international stars such as Shakira and Tems’ recognition in the Best R&B field demonstrate that African artists are increasingly appearing in broader areas of major international award shows.The 2026 VMAs will take place on September 27, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.For Afrobeats fans, the bigger question may no longer be whether African music deserves a place at the VMAs, but how that place should look in the next era of global music.What do you think? Should the MTV VMAs bring back Best Afrobeats, or should African artists compete directly in the main categories?
