TL;DR
Taylor Swift won Song of the Year, Harry Styles took Male Artist, and the ceremony was as predictable as the algorithm that programs the radio stations behind it.
MSM Perspective
Variety covered the results with a winners list and red carpet gallery.
X Perspective
X's music community yawned — the awards reflect iHeart's playlist decisions, not musical achievement, and everyone knows it.
The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, held Thursday night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, awarded Song of the Year to Taylor Swift, Male Artist of the Year to Harry Styles, and Female Artist of the Year to Sabrina Carpenter. Best New Artist went to Chappell Roan. The ceremony was broadcast on Fox. [1]
The awards reflect iHeartMedia's playlist data — the same company that programs 860 radio stations voted on the artists those stations play most. The circularity is the product.
-- CAMILLE BEAUMONT, Los Angeles