2026 Grammy Nominations Drop: Kendrick Lamar Dominates as Gaga, Bieber, Bad Bunny Pack the Race
The 2026 Grammy nominations just landed,
and the lineup is stacked. The Recording Academy rolled out the full list
during a star-packed announcement featuring Sabrina Carpenter, Sam Smith, Karol
G, Chappell Roan, Lizzo, Jon Batiste, Nicole Scherzinger, and a long list of
other heavy hitters.
The reveal went live Friday morning, covering all 95
categories. And yes, we’re getting two brand-new categories this year: Best
Album Cover and Best Traditional Country Album. The Academy says the
shake-up is part of its effort to better recognize the people who shape the
sound — and now the visuals — of modern music.
So, who’s leading the charge?
Kendrick Lamar walked away with nine nominations, topping everyone. Lady
Gaga, Jack Antonoff, and Cirkut followed close behind with seven each. Bad
Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, Leon Thomas, and Serban Ghenea earned six nods
apiece.
Trevor Noah is set to host the 68th Annual Grammy Awards on
February 1, 2026, live from the Crypto.com Arena. The show will air on CBS and
stream on Paramount+.
Let’s break it down — here’s the key list you’re here for.
Best New Artist
- Olivia
Dean
- KATSEYE
- The
Marias
- Addison
Rae
- sombr
- Leon
Thomas
- Alex
Warren
- Lola
Young
- Abracadabra
— Lady Gaga
- Anxiety
— Doechii
- APT. —
Rosé & Bruno Mars
- DtMF —
Bad Bunny
- Golden
— KPop Demon Hunters
- luther
— Kendrick Lamar & SZA
- Manchild
— Sabrina Carpenter
- Wildflower
— Billie Eilish
Record of the Year
- DtMF —
Bad Bunny
- Manchild
— Sabrina Carpenter
- Anxiety
— Doechii
- Wildflower
— Billie Eilish
- Abracadabra
— Lady Gaga
- luther
— Kendrick Lamar & SZA
- The
Subway — Chappell Roan
- APT. —
Rosé & Bruno Mars
Album of the Year
- Debí
Tirar Más Fotos — Bad Bunny
- SWAG
— Justin Bieber
- Man’s
Best Friend — Sabrina Carpenter
- Let
God Sort Em Out — Clipse, Pusha T & Malice
- Mayhem
— Lady Gaga
- GNX —
Kendrick Lamar
- Mutt
— Leon Thomas
- Chromakopia
— Tyler, the Creator
Pop Vocal Album
- SWAG —
Justin Bieber
- Man’s
Best Friend — Sabrina Carpenter
- Something
Beautiful — Miley Cyrus
- Mayhem
— Lady Gaga
- I’ve
Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2) — Teddy Swims
Pop Solo Performance
- Daisies
— Justin Bieber
- Manchild
— Sabrina Carpenter
- Disease
— Lady Gaga
- The
Subway — Chappell Roan
- Messy
— Lola Young
Pop Duo/Group Performance
- Defying
Gravity — Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande (Wicked)
- Golden
— EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI (KPop Demon Hunters)
- Gabriela
— KATSEYE
- APT. —
Rosé & Bruno Mars
- 30 for
30 — SZA & Kendrick Lamar
Dance Pop Recording
- Bluest
Flame — Selena Gomez & benny blanco
- Abracadabra
— Lady Gaga
- Midnight
Sun — Zara Larsson
- Just
Keep Watching — Tate McRae (F1)
- Illegal
— PinkPantheress
Producer of the Year (Non-Classical)
- Dan
Auerbach
- Cirkut
- Dijon
- Blake
Mills
- Sounwave
Songwriter of the Year (Non-Classical)
- Amy
Allen
- Edgar
Barrera
- Jessie
Jo Dillon
- Tobias
Jesso Jr.
- Laura
Veltz
- U
Should Not Be Doing That — Amyl and the Sniffers
- The
Emptiness Machine — Linkin Park
- Never
Enough — Turnstile
- Mirtazapine
— Hayley Williams
- Changes
(Live From Villa Park) — Yungblud feat. Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello,
Adam Wakeman, II
Best Rock Song
- As
Alive as You Need Me to Be — Nine Inch Nails
- Caramel
— Sleep Token
- Glum
— Hayley Williams
- Never
Enough — Turnstile
If the nomination slate says anything, it’s that 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive Grammy years in recent memory. Powerhouse releases, bold newcomers, and a few surprise entries make this a race worth watching.
If you find my content helpful, consider buying me a coffee to show your appreciation and help me continue creating.
Buy Me a Coffee