AceShowbiz - Miley Cyrus is set to receive the prestigious Innovator Award at the upcoming 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, scheduled to air live on Thursday, March 26, from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on FOX.

The Innovator Award recognizes an artist who has consistently made significant contributions to both pop culture and the music industry over time. This year, Miley Cyrus joins an esteemed list of past recipients including Pharrell Williams, Justin Timberlake, U2, Bruno Mars, Chance the Rapper, Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga.

Returning as host for the second time in three years is rapper Ludacris, who also has a notable role in this year's event beyond hosting duties. Ludacris will perform during the show and receive the Landmark Award, an honor given to artists whose work has impacted culture over multiple decades. Earlier recipients of this award include Green Day, TLC, and Nelly. Notably, LL Cool J hosted the show last year.

Another highlight of the awards will be the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award, which will be presented to rising star Alex Warren. This accolade celebrates his rapid ascent in the music scene, propelled by his hit "Ordinary," which dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 consecutive weeks. Alex Warren will also perform on the show. He has previously won Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards and earned a Grammy nomination in the same category.

The ceremony will feature performances by a diverse lineup including Lainey Wilson, RAYE, and an exciting first-time joint performance by the iconic groups TLC, Salt-N-Pepa, and En Vogue.

Ludacris expressed enthusiasm about returning as host and participating in the event, stating, "I'm excited to return as host of the iHeartRadio Music Awards to celebrate and perform alongside some of the best in the industry. It's going to be a night with special performances and surprise moments fans are going to love."

The live broadcast will run from 8 to 10 p.m. ET on FOX, with a tape-delayed airing on the West Coast. Additionally, the event will be available on iHeartMedia radio stations across the nation and the iHeartRadio app.

In a move to engage fans, the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards will allow listeners to vote for winners in multiple categories. Voting categories include Favorite Broadway Debut, Favorite TikTok Dance, Favorite Debut Album, Best Lyrics, Best Music Video, Favorite On Screen, Favorite Tour Photographer, Favorite Soundtrack, Favorite Tour Style, Favorite Tour Tradition, and Favorite K-pop Collab. Voting will close on March 19 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Fans can cast their votes by visiting iHeartRadio.com/awards.

Additional awards will recognize Label of the Year as well as Album of the Year across major genres such as pop, country, alternative, rock, dance, hip-hop, R&B, Latin, and regional Mexican music.

The executive producers for the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards include Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannaé Rouzan-Clay representing Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE); alongside John Sykes, Tom Poleman, and Bart Peters from iHeartMedia; and FOX Entertainment Studios.