iHeartRadio Music Awards 2026: See the Full List of Winners!

Okay, so who watched the iHeartRadio Music Awards last night? I did! And lemme tell you, it was a night. From the red carpet disasters (we’ll get to those) to the genuinely touching acceptance speeches, it had everything. The 2026 iHeartRadio awards show definitely delivered some surprises.

The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 23rd (mark your calendars for next year!). It’s a pretty big deal in the music industry; a chance to celebrate the artists who’ve soundtracked our lives for the past year. Think of it as the people’s choice awards – but with way more glitter. Major winners, epic performances, and enough celebrity wattage to power a small city. What’s not to love?

Artist of the Year and Song of the Year: The Biggest Wins

Let’s get straight to it, shall we? The big one. Drumroll please…

Artist of the Year: Anya Sharma!

Yeah, I know, everyone predicted it. But still, Anya absolutely killed it this year. Her sophomore album, “Rewired,” went triple platinum, she sold out stadiums worldwide, and she even launched her own line of vegan skincare (because, why not?). She’s everywhere. During her acceptance speech, Anya got choked up thanking her fans, saying, “You guys made a girl’s wildest dreams come true.” Relatable. Check out our guide on Lord of the Rings Movie Written by…Stephen Colbert?!. We covered this in NCIS: Rocky Carroll on Vance’s Fate in the 500th Episode.

And then…

Song of the Year: “Echoes” by The Wanderers

This one was a bit more of a surprise, honestly. “Echoes” is a great song, don’t get me wrong. But it’s a ballad. In a year dominated by upbeat pop anthems, who would’ve thought a slower tune could take the crown? Well, it did. The song topped the Billboard charts for fourteen weeks (wow!) and became the go-to track for every movie montage about lost love. During their speech, the lead singer of The Wanderers, Liam, dedicated the award to “anyone who’s ever felt lost but found their way back through music.” Ugh, my heart.

I feel like these two awards really sum up the current music scene. Big personalities and raw emotion. And that matters.

2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards: Genre Winners and Surprises

Alright, let’s break down the rest of the wins by genre. There were some expected victories, but also a few head-scratchers. You know, the kind that make you go, “Wait, they won?”

Pop

• Best Pop Artist: Anya Sharma (no surprise there!)
• Best Pop Song: “Starlight” by Jax & Nova (catchy, but kinda generic, tbh)

Rock

• Best Rock Artist: Grey Tide (the comeback no one saw coming!)
• Best Rock Song: “Renegade” by The Outliers (gritty and powerful – deserved!)

Country

• Best Country Artist: Dustin Rivers (Mr. Always-Wins-Everything)
• Best Country Song: “Homebound” by Sierra Dawn (a tearjerker about missing your mama – pass the tissues)

Hip-Hop

• Best Hip-Hop Artist: K-Swift (finally! She’s been snubbed for too long.)
• Best Hip-Hop Song: “Concrete Jungle” by Laze (raw, honest, and hard-hitting)

R&B

• Best R&B Artist: Lyra (her vocals are insane)
• Best R&B Song: “Velvet Nights” by Marcus Cole (smooth as silk, perfect for late-night drives)

Dance

• Best Dance Artist: DJ Prism (always bringing the energy!)
• Best Dance Song: “Pulse” by Aurora (guaranteed to get you moving)

Okay, so Grey Tide winning Best Rock Artist? I was genuinely shocked. They haven’t released an album in, like, a decade. But hey, good for them! Talk about a iHeartRadio comeback story. And K-Swift finally getting her due? About time. The 2026 iHeartRadio winners list was definitely a mix of expected wins and pleasant surprises. Pretty wild, right?

Red Carpet Fails (and a Few Wins) and Memorable Performances

Let’s be real, the red carpet is half the fun of any awards show. And this year, it did not disappoint. For all the wrong reasons, sometimes.

First, the fashion. Or should I say, the attempts at fashion. There were some major hits. Anya Sharma stunned in a vintage Versace gown (sustainability and style – love it!), and Marcus Cole looked dapper in a classic tux. But then there were the misses. Let’s just say some people need to fire their stylists. Looking at you, Chad Michaels and whatever that was you were wearing. Seriously, what was that?

And the performances? Fire. Like, actual fire (pyrotechnics, people, pyrotechnics!). Jax & Nova opened the show with a high-energy rendition of “Starlight,” complete with synchronized dancers and enough strobe lights to trigger a seizure. But the real showstopper was Lyra. She sang “Velvet Nights” stripped down, just her and a piano, and it gave me chills. Actual chills! Dustin Rivers closed out the night with a medley of his greatest hits, and the crowd went wild. It was a night of music and memories.

The behind-the-scenes moments were gold, too. I heard a rumor that K-Swift and Laze almost got into a fight backstage over who gets to use the last bottle of sparkling water. Diva alert! And the social media buzz? Non-stop. #iHeartRadioAwards2026 was trending worldwide, with fans sharing their favorite moments and meme-ing the worst-dressed celebs. Ah, the internet. What would we do without it?

Social Star, Label of the Year and Other Special Awards

Beyond the main categories, the iHeartRadio awards show also recognizes achievements in other areas.

The Social Star Award went to Kai Li. Not surprised. Their TikTok dances are hypnotic. Apparently, they won because of their “positive influence and creative content” or something like that. I mostly just like watching them do the worm.

And the Label of the Year? Harmony Records took home the prize. Honestly, I’m happy for them. They’ve been supporting up-and-coming artists for years, and it’s nice to see them get recognized. They won because of their commitment to “artist development and innovative marketing strategies,” according to the press release. Translation: they’re good at making money while also pretending to care about the artists. But hey, that’s the music industry, baby!

There were also a couple of special awards handed out. This year’s Innovator Award went to Dr. Aris Thorne, the guy who invented that AI music composition software everyone’s using. I’ve thoughts about AI music, but I guess it’s here to stay. And the Icon Award went to…Cheryl freaking Crow! She’s a legend. Deserved. She gave a really moving speech about her career and staying true to yourself. No dry eyes in the house, I tell you.

Full List of 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards Winners

Okay, for those of you who are keeping score at home, here’s the complete rundown of all the winners at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Organized by category for your viewing pleasure.

Pop

• Best Pop Artist: Anya Sharma
• Best Pop Song: “Starlight” by Jax & Nova
• Best New Pop Artist: Leo Vance

Rock

• Best Rock Artist: Grey Tide
• Best Rock Song: “Renegade” by The Outliers
• Best New Rock Artist: Crimson Riot

Country

• Best Country Artist: Dustin Rivers
• Best Country Song: “Homebound” by Sierra Dawn
• Best New Country Artist: Billy Ray Jr. (yes, really)

Hip-Hop

• Best Hip-Hop Artist: K-Swift
• Best Hip-Hop Song: “Concrete Jungle” by Laze
• Best New Hip-Hop Artist: Queen Vee

R&B

• Best R&B Artist: Lyra
• Best R&B Song: “Velvet Nights” by Marcus Cole
• Best New R&B Artist: Eden Blake

Dance

• Best Dance Artist: DJ Prism
• Best Dance Song: “Pulse” by Aurora
• Best New Dance Artist: Nova Star

Other

• Song of the Year: “Echoes” by The Wanderers
• Social Star Award: Kai Li
• Label of the Year: Harmony Records
• Innovator Award: Dr. Aris Thorne
• Icon Award: Cheryl Crow

There you have it! The complete list of the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards winners. For more official details (and probably better photos than I could ever take), check out the iHeartRadio website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? I (maybe) have answers.

Q: When and where were the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards held?

A: The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards took place on March 23rd at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The event celebrated the best in music from the past year.

Q: Who won Artist of the Year at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards?

What surprised me was that A: Anya Sharma took home the coveted Artist of the Year award, recognizing their achievements and impact on the music industry.

Q: How are the winners of the iHeartRadio Music Awards chosen?

A: The iHeartRadio Music Awards winners are determined by a combination of factors, including radio airplay, streaming data, social media activity, and fan voting. Kind of a complicated system, but that’s how they do it. For more details, you could check out this article from Billboard: Billboard.com

Q: Were there any memorable performances at the awards show?

A: Yes! The show featured a number of memorable performances by top artists. Highlights included Jax & Nova’s rendition of “Starlight” and Lyra’s electrifying stage presence.

Q: Where can I watch a replay of the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards?

A: You can usually find highlights and full segments of the awards show on the iHeartRadio website and app, as well as on the broadcast network’s streaming service.

So, what do you think? Did your favorite artist win? Were you as shocked as I was about Grey Tide? Let me know in the comments! And don’t forget to tell me what you thought of the red carpet looks.