Taylor Swift is set to make a special appearance at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, in what is billed as her first awards show appearance this year.
The annual awards show will air live from Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 26 (8-10 p.m. ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX and will also be heard on iHeartRadio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app.
Swift is the most-awarded artist at the iHearts, having received 34 of their prizes. She’s the only artist who has won song of the year twice – for “Shake It Off” in 2015 and “Anti-Hero” in 2023. Swift won the iHeartRadio Innovator Award in 2023 and a special Tour of the Century award in 2025. She is this year’s most-nominated artist with nine nominations.
The iHearts will also honor John Mellencamp with the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award, an award that has previously gone to Bon Jovi, Elton John, Jennifer Lopez, P!nk, Cher and Mariah Carey. Mellencamp will also perform at the event.
Additionally, Kehlani has been added as a performer. Kehlani won her first two Grammys on Feb. 1 – best R&B song and best R&B performance, both for her smash “Folded.” Kehlani joins previously announced performers Alex Warren, Lainey Wilson, Ludacris, RAYE, and performing for the first time together, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue.
Hosted by Ludacris, the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards will feature appearances by Alysa Liu, Ne-Yo, Nicole Scherzinger, Nikki Glaser, sombr, Weezer and more. Sombr won best alternative at the MTV Video Music Awards last September and was nominated for best new artist both at that show and at the 2026 Grammys. Glaser has hosted the Golden Globes the last two years running.
As previously announced, Ludacris will receive the 2026 iHeartRadio Landmark Award, Miley Cyrus will be honored with the 2026 iHeartRadio Innovator Award and Alex Warren will receive the 2026 iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award.
Previous recipients of the Landmark Award are Green Day, TLC and Nelly. Previous recipients of the Innovator Award are Pharrell Williams, Justin Timberlake, U2, Bruno Mars, Chance the Rapper, Alicia Keys, Swift, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.
The 13th annual iHeartRadio Music Awards will celebrate the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2025. Executive producers are Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannaé Rouzan-Clay for Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE); John Sykes, Tom Poleman and Bart Peters for iHeartMedia; and FOX Entertainment Studios.
