The 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards: Full Nominees and Major Highlights

The Recording Academy has announced the nominees for the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards, which recognize music released between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025. The ceremony will be broadcast live from the Crypto.com Arena on February 1, 2026, highlighting another year of innovative artistry and notable debuts.

The 2026 nominations reflect the ongoing evolution of pop, hip-hop, and global music, with significant recognition for Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Bieber, and Tyler, the Creator.

GENERAL FIELD

The year’s most coveted awards showcase an intense lineup of global heavyweights. Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, and Kendrick Lamar dominate the top categories, each landing multiple nominations across the general field. Record of the Year features hits like “DtMF,” “Manchild,” “Abracadabra,” and “Luther,” while Album of the Year nods go to DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Mayhem, Man’s Best Friend, and GNX. Song of the Year celebrates songwriting excellence from Amy Allen, FINNEAS, and Andrew Watt, while the Best New Artist category highlights breakout names like Olivia Dean, Katseye, and Lola Young, signaling a generational shift in popular music.

POP & DANCE/ELECTRONIC FIELD

The Pop field remains the commercial heartbeat of the GRAMMYs, dominated by Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Miley Cyrus. Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend marks her first major album nomination, while Gaga’s Mayhem and Bieber’s SWAG reaffirm both artists’ global reach. Best Pop Duo/Group Performance introduces cross-genre collaborations like “APT.” by Rosé and Bruno Mars and “Defying Gravity” by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. In the Dance/Electronic categories, experimental pop blends with club innovation Fred again.., Tame Impala, Skrillex, and KAYTRANADA lead the charge. Gaga’s “Abracadabra” competes in Best Dance Pop Recording, while Best Dance/Electronic Album sees nominees such as FKA twigs, RÜFÜS DU SOL, and PinkPantheress continuing to bridge underground and mainstream.

ROCK, METAL & ALTERNATIVE FIELD

Rock makes a fiery return with albums from Turnstile, Linkin Park, Yungblud, and Haim, while Deftones’ Private Music secures their first nomination in over a decade. Best Rock Song features politically charged and emotional anthems like “Zombie” by Yungblud and “Glum” by Hayley Williams.In Metal, acts like Ghost, Spiritbox, and Sleep Token bring theatrical power and genre fusion to the spotlight. The Alternative field celebrates innovation with Bon Iver, Tyler, the Creator, The Cure, and Wet Leg, proving that introspection and experimentation remain at the core of contemporary alt music.

R&B, RAP & SPOKEN WORD FIELD

This year’s R&B and rap nominations blend introspection and swagger, with Leon Thomas, Coco Jones, and Givēon shining in Best R&B Album. Justin Bieber’s “Yukon” and Summer Walker’s “Heart of a Woman” headline the Best R&B Performance category, merging pop precision with soulful depth. In rap, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator, Clipse, GloRilla, and JID lead the pack. Lamar’s GNX and Tyler’s Chromakopia dominate the Best Rap Album field, while Best Rap Song and Best Melodic Rap Performance spotlight the genre’s range from Doechii’s “Anxiety” to Kendrick & SZA’s “Luther.” Spoken word poetry continues its resurgence, with Queen Sheba, Saul Williams, and Omari Hardwick nominated for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.

JAZZ, TRADITIONAL POP, CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL & MUSICAL THEATER FIELD

The jazz and theater categories honor musical mastery and live performance. Samara Joy, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Terri Lyne Carrington earn nods for jazz vocal and performance excellence, while Chick Corea, Christian McBride, and Brian Blade feature prominently in instrumental categories .The Best Traditional Pop Album lineup blends legacy and modernity, with nominations for Elton John & Brandi Carlile, Lady Gaga, and Barbra Streisand. On Broadway, Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, and Maybe Happy Ending lead the Best Musical Theater Album category, showcasing a strong year for original cast recordings.

COUNTRY & AMERICAN ROOTS FIELD

Country music’s most dynamic voices are split across traditional and contemporary boundaries following the introduction of the new Best Traditional Country Album category. Veterans Willie Nelson, Lukas Nelson, and Margo Price face off against newcomer Zach Top, while Best Contemporary Country Album celebrates Patterns by Kelsea Ballerini and Postcards From Texas by Miranda Lambert. The Americana and Roots categories continue to elevate storytelling with Jon Batiste, Molly Tuttle, and Jesse Welles nominated for Best Americana Album, while Jason Isbell, Sierra Hull, and Mavis Staples dominate in songwriting and performance categories.

GOSPEL & CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD

The gospel and Christian fields uplift powerful messages of faith and resilience. Kirk Franklin, CeCe Winans, Jonathan McReynolds, and Pastor Mike Jr. headline Best Gospel Performance/Song. Best Contemporary Christian Music Album nominees include Brandon Lake, Lecrae, and Forrest Frank, while Best Roots Gospel Album features The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and Gaither Vocal Band. This year’s nominees reflect a growing blend of gospel, pop, and country sounds in the spiritual space.

LATIN, GLOBAL, REGGAE & WORLD FIELD

Latin and global categories spotlight worldwide influence and crossover success. Bad Bunny, Feid, and Nicki Nicole lead Best Música Urbana Album, while Karol G, Rauw Alejandro, and Natalia Lafourcade headline Best Latin Pop Album. In global music, Best African Music Performance features Tyla, Burna Boy, and Ayra Starr, reflecting the continued global rise of Afrobeats. Anoushka Shankar, Burna Boy, and Youssou N'Dour are recognized in Best Global Music Album, underscoring the genre’s expansion beyond regional boundaries.

CHILDREN’S, COMEDY, AUDIOBOOK & VISUAL MEDIA FIELD

Outside traditional genres, the GRAMMYs recognize storytelling and visual excellence. Best Song Written for Visual Media includes Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s “Never Too Late,” Ludwig Göransson’s “I Lied to You,” and Nine Inch Nails’ “As Alive As You Need Me to Be.”Best Music Film nominees, including Piece by Piece (Pharrell Williams), Devo, and Live at the Royal Albert Hall (RAYE), reflect the artistry of live and documentary filmmaking. Best Comedy Album brings laughter from Sarah Silverman, Bill Burr, and Jamie Foxx, while Best Audiobook honors voices like Trevor Noah and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

PACKAGE, NOTES & HISTORICAL FIELD

For design, packaging, and archival excellence, Best Album Cover debuts as a new category, honoring Tyler, the Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA and Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS among others. Archival projects from Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake dominate Best Historical Album, while visual design innovation in Best Recording Package includes works by OK Go and Mac Miller’s posthumous releases.

PRODUCTION, ENGINEERING, COMPOSITION & ARRANGEMENT FIELD

Behind the music, the production field spotlights engineering and compositional brilliance. Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical recognizes meticulous studio work from Cam, Alison Krauss, and Japanese Breakfast, while Producer of the Year (Classical) nominees such as Blanton Alspaugh and Morten Lindberg maintain technical excellence. In composition, Best Instrumental Composition features Ludwig Göransson, Sierra Hull, and John Powell, while Best Immersive Audio Album highlights innovation in 3D sound production with Duckwrth and Justin Gray leading the field.

Final voting for the 68th GRAMMY Awards will take place from December 12, 2025, to January 5, 2026, preceding the February broadcast. With Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, and Bad Bunny leading in major categories, and emerging artists such as Chappell Roan and Katseye gaining recognition, the 2026 ceremony is anticipated to feature one of the most dynamic lineups in recent GRAMMY history.