Written By: Wanjiru Waweru
2026 Grammy Awards Nominees Announced
The Recording Academy has revealed the nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards. Leading the field is Kendrick Lamar with nine nominations. He is aiming to repeat success across multiple major categories.
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff, and Mayhem producer Cirkut each earned seven nominations individually. Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter follow closely with six nominations. In addition, SZA, Turnstile, and Tyler, The Creator each received five nominations.
Kendrick Lamar Leads the Pack
Kendrick Lamar continues his strong Grammy run after his 2025 performance cycle. Notably, Not Like Us was previously recognized, and he returns with several major nominations this year.
He is nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Rap Performance for Luther. In addition, Lamar is competing for Album of the Year, a category he has been nominated for seven times but has never won.
For Album of the Year, Lamar joins Bad Bunny, Clipse, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Leon Thomas, Sabrina Carpenter, and Tyler, the Creator. Interestingly, none of these nominees have previously won in this category.
Record of the Year Nominees
The Record of the Year category features several major hits and cross-genre collaborations:
- Bad Bunny – DTMF
- Billie Eilish – Wildflower
- Chappell Roan – The Subway
- Doechii – Anxiety
- Kendrick Lamar & SZA – Luther
- Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
- Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
- Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Album of the Year Nominees
This year’s Album of the Year field is especially competitive. It includes:
- Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos
- Clipse, Pusha T & Malice – Let God Sort Em Out
- Justin Bieber – Swag
- Kendrick Lamar – GNX
- Lady Gaga – Mayhem
- Leon Thomas – Mutt
- Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
- Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia
Song of the Year
The Song of the Year nominees mirror many of the Record of the Year selections. However, they also highlight songwriting strength across genres:
- Bad Bunny – DTMF
- Billie Eilish – Wildflower
- Doechii – Anxiety
- Huntr/x – Golden
- Kendrick Lamar & SZA – Luther
- Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
- Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
- Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Best New Artist
This year’s Best New Artist category includes a diverse lineup of rising talent:
- Addison Rae
- Alex Warren
- Katseye
- Leon Thomas
- Lola Young
- The Marías
- Olivia Dean
- Sombr
Producer and Songwriter Categories
The Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) nominees are Blake Mills, Cirkut, Dan Auerbach, Dijon, and Sounwave.
Meanwhile, the Songwriter of the Year (Non-Classical) nominees include Amy Allen, Edgar Barrera, Jessie Jo Dillon, Laura Veltz, and Tobias Jesso Jr.
Selected Genre Highlights
Pop Categories
In pop music, competition is strong across solo, duo, and album fields. Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Miley Cyrus appear across multiple nominations.
Rock and Alternative
Turnstile, Hayley Williams, Linkin Park, and The Cure lead key rock and alternative categories. Notably, Tyler, the Creator also appears in Alternative Music Album.
Rap and R&B
Kendrick Lamar, Doechii, Tyler, the Creator, and Clipse dominate rap categories. In R&B, Leon Thomas, SZA, Kehlani, and Summer Walker stand out across performance and album fields.
Ceremony Details
The 2026 Grammy Awards will take place on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The show will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
Full Category Listings
Best Pop Solo Performance
Chappell Roan – The Subway
Justin Bieber – Daisies
Lady Gaga – Disease
Lola Young – Messy
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Best Pop/Duo Group Performance
Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande – Defying Gravity
Huntr/x – Golden
Katseye – Gabriela
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
SZA With Kendrick Lamar – 30 for 30
Best Pop Vocal Album
Justin Bieber – Swag
Lady Gaga – Mayhem
Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Teddy Swims – I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2)
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
Disclosure & Anderson .Paak – No Cap
Fred Again.., Skepta & PlaqueBoyMax – Victory Lap
Kaytranada – Space Invader
Skrillex – Voltage
Tame Impala – End of Summer
Best Dance/Electronic Album
FKA twigs – Eusexua
Fred Again.. – Ten Days
PinkPantheress – Fancy That
Rüfüs Du Sol – Inhale / Exhale
Skrillex – Fck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol but Ur Not!! <3*
Rock Categories
Best Rock Performance includes Amyl and the Sniffers, Linkin Park, Turnstile, and others.
Best Rock Album features Deftones, Haim, Linkin Park, and Yungblud.
Additionally, Turnstile and Sleep Token appear across multiple rock and metal categories.
R&B Highlights
Leon Thomas appears across several R&B categories, including Performance, Song, and Album. Meanwhile, SZA, Chris Brown, Kehlani, and Summer Walker also receive multiple nominations.
Rap Highlights
Kendrick Lamar leads rap categories once again. Doechii, Tyler, the Creator, Clipse, and Cardi B also feature prominently across performance and album fields.
Closing Note
Overall, the 2026 Grammy nominations reflect a wide mix of mainstream hits, emerging artists, and genre-crossing collaborations. Additionally, the list highlights both established superstars and rising talent shaping the current music landscape.
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