Grammy nominations 2026: Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter dominate

Now that the nominees have been revealed, the countdown to music's biggest night has officially begun.

Awards will be handed out on Feb. 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. Viewers can watch from home on CBS or Paramount+.

It's still TBD who will land the leading role as host, but stay tuned for more music fun.

Hollywood heartthrob Timothée Chalamet is among the first-time Grammy nominees. The actor was nominated in the best compilation soundtrack for visual media category for the Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown."

Director Steven Spielberg, a 23-time Oscar nominee and three-time winner, also was nominated for the first time in the best music film category for “Music By John Williams.”

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is now a Grammy nominee for best audiobook. Competing against her in the same category is the Dalai Lama, another first-time nominee.

Yes, I'll take Pepsi. As long as Addison Rae is singing about it. The TikTok star and dancer turned actor turned singer is nominated in the best new artist category after her single "Diet Pepsi" became a permanent fixture in the 2025 zeitgeist.

Rae became a household name in 2020 after her dancing videos on TikTok started to gain traction at the end of the prior year. At the time, she dropped out of Louisiana State University to move her family to Los Angeles and pursue a life in the spotlight — and millions of dollars in TikTok content.

She responded to this morning's news with a post to her Instagram story that showed four selfies of her reacting to the news, with the Recording Academy tagged.

Her social media exposure converted to a place in the music scene, in Hollywood and in modeling jobs, furthering her young career as a multi-hyphenate.

Now, please join me in praying for a "Diet Pepsi" duet at the Grammy Awards in February, featuring Rae and Ben Platt, who performed an emotional ballad-style cover of the song at the "Las Culturistas Culture Awards" over the summer.

While Mother Monster is no stranger to Grammy wins, without fellow pop music titans Beyoncé and Taylor Swift nominated this year, Lady Gaga has a nearly clear path to bring home some more statuettes.

Her latest album, "Mayhem," absolutely exploded this year, with fans and casual listeners likening her hit single "Abracadabra" to the music that made her famous years ago.

Gaga's resulting tour, The Mayhem Ball, drew thousands and prompted a tour expansion so more can see the production she's concocted — while also reinvigorating a fan base that was hungry for new hits. The artist won four VMAs earlier this year, accepting the award for artist of the year at the top of the show before trekking to Madison Square Garden for one of her shows.

Grammy viewers can only hope she'll bring a song or two to the broadcast in February.

While it's not his first go at the Grammys, Leon Thomas is making waves this year, snagging six nominations including best new artist.

But Thomas, 32, a former child star, is not new to the music scene, despite what the category might suggest. He’s worked with and written songs for Ariana Grande, Drake, Post Malone and others, and snagged a win for best R&B song last year.

This year, his breakthrough sophomore album, “Mutt,” picked up two nominations. Three of his other songs were nominated in three R&B categories, too.

“I’m just putting my neck out there and daring to be different,” Thomas told the Recording Academy last year.

Lamar is one of the most decorated rap artists in history, boasting 22 Grammy Awards and 29 BET Awards. In 2018, he won a Pulitzer Prize for music, making him the first musician to earn the title outside the classical or jazz genres.

The rapper is continuing to soar through some of music’s highest highs.

After dominating at the 2025 Grammys, he took one of music's biggest stages for the Super Bowl halftime show. His single "Not Like Us" has continued to make headlines.

Kendrick Lamar on Super Bowl show: 'Everything I've worked for'

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After today, Lamar can boast a total of 66 Grammy nominations over the course of his music career, proving he is definitely not like us.

The rap superstar is sure to add wins to his tally in February, and if we're so lucky, another diss track to his discography.

The global girl group, made up of Sophia, Megan, Daniela, Lara Raj, Yoonchae and Manon, got their start on reality competition show "Dream Academy."

They went on to blow everyone away at this year's Video Music Awards, likely paving the way for their Grammy nomination.

The group was recognized in one of the biggest categories: best new artist. They could take home some pop awards, too.

In an era of girly pop, the group's star is sure to continue to rise.

With every list of nominations comes a new list of those who were snubbed.

The Weeknd's latest album, Hurry Up Tomorrow," didn't get any nods. The lack of recognition comes after the artist ended his four-year boycott against the show, performing "Timeless" at the 2025 awards.

Onstage gymnast Benson Boone, whose buzzy performances have gained viral buzz over the last year, was also shut out.

Recording Academy sweetheart Miley Cyrus walked away with only one nomination — and not in a major category — for her latest "Something Beautiful."

Other big names who weren't given any attention today: Lorde, Reneé Rapp, Shawn Mendes. There's always next year.

The "KPop Demon Hunters" are coming to the Grammys.

"Golden," a single from the Netflix animated film, was nominated for song of the year — one of the most coveted spots of the night.

That means HUNTR/X became the first KPop group to score a nomination in the song of the year category.

Kendrick Lamar — 9

Lady Gaga — 7

Sabrina Carpenter — 6

Leon Thomas — 6

Bad Bunny — 6

Clipse — 5

Doechii — 5

SZA — 5

Turnstile — 5

Tyler the Creator — 5

"Patterns" — Kelsea Ballerini

"Snipe Hunter" — Tyler Childers

"Evangeline vs. the Machine" — Eric Church

"Beautifully Broken" — Jelly Roll

"Postcards From Texas" — Miranda Lambert

"Dollar a Day" — Charley Crockett

"American Romance" — Lukas Nelson

"Oh What a Beautiful World" — Willie Nelson

"Hard Headed Woman" — Margo Price

"Ain’t in It for My Health" — Zach Top

Ahead of announcing one of the biggest categories of the night, Lizzo celebrated her past win in the record of the year category, while also celebrating individuality.

"I've always talked about the power of believing in yourself and staying true to who you are," Lizzo said. "It's such an otherworldly feeling when you realize that you are seen and celebrated by thousands of your peers who believe in you, too."

"A Hurricane in Heels: healed people don’t act like that (partially recorded live @City Winery & other places)" — Queen Sheba

"Black Shaman" — Marc Marcel

"Pages" — Omari Hardwick & Anthony Hamilton

"Saul Williams meets Carlos Niño & Friends at Treepeople" — Saul Williams, Carlos Niño & Friends

"Words for Days Vol. 1" — Mad Skillz

"Buena Vista Social Club"

"Death Becomes Her"

"Gypsy"

"Just In Time"

"Maybe Happy Ending"

"Beloved" — Giveon

"Why Not More?" — Coco Jones

"The Crown" — Ledisi

"Escape Room" — Teyana Taylor

"Mutt" — Leon Thomas

"Let God Sort Em Out" — Clipse, Pusha T & Malice

"Glorious" — GloRilla

"God Does Like Ugly" — JID

"GNX" — Kendrick Lamar

"Chromakopia" — Tyler, the Creator

“Night Terror” — Dream Theater

“Lachryma” — Ghost

“Emergence” — Sleep Token

“Soft Spine” — Spiritbox

“Birds” — Turnstile

"Private Music" — Deftones

"I Quit" — Haim

"From Zero" — Linkin Park

"Never Enough" — Turnstile

"Idols" — Yungblud

“Abracadabra,” Henry Walter, Lady Gaga and Andrew Watt, songwriters (Lady Gaga)

“Anxiety,” Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii)

“Apt.,” Amy Allen, Christopher Brody Brown, Rogét Chahayed, Henry Walter, Omer Fedi, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Chae Young Park and Theron Thomas, songwriters (Rosé, Bruno Mars)

“DtMF,” Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Scott Dittrich, Benjamin Falik, Roberto José Rosado Torres, Marco Daniel Borrero, Hugo René Sención Sanabria and Tyler Thomas Spry, songwriters (Bad Bunny)

“Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters,” Ejae and Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (Hunter/x, Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami)

“Luther,” Jack Antonoff, Roshwita Larisha Bacha, Matthew Bernard, Ink, Scott Bridgeway, Sam Dew, Kendrick Lamar, Mark Anthony Spears, Solána Rowe and Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar with SZA)

“Manchild,” Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff and Sabrina Carpenter, songwriters (Sabrina Carpenter)

“Wildflower,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)

Olivia Dean

Katseye

The Marías

Addison Rae

Sombr

Leon Thomas

Alex Warren

Lola Young

Grammy winner Doechii came on the stream to announce the nominees for R&B, rap and spoken-word poetry.

Her three nominations last year "proved to me that anything is possible," she said.

“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

Roan, who took the coveted award last year, offered advice for this year's slate of best new artist nominees: "Do what feels right," she said. "Good art always rises."

Pop princess Sabrina Carpenter popped up to announce two major categories today — both of which she is nominated in.

“Manchild,” Carpenter

“Daisies,” Justin Bieber

“Disease,” Lady Gaga

“The Subway,” Chappell Roan

“Messy,” Lola Young

Amy Allen

Edgar Barrera

Jessie Jo Dillon

Tobias Jesso Jr.

Laura Veltz

Dan Auerbach

Cirkut

Dijon

Blake Mills

Sounwave

The CEO of the Recording Academy kicked off today's Grammy nominations, shouting out the members of the academy who voted on the 20,000 entries submitted, all trying to make it to the show today.

“For 68 years, the Grammy Awards have celebrated music’s very, very best. People all around the world recognize the gold gramophone as a symbol of musical excellence,” Mason began. “What you may not know is behind the Grammy Awards are our 26,000 members ... who move, inspire and unite us through their work.”

He also called that group “the people who power the Grammy Awards.”

Grammy nomination announcements have begun. Follow along on YouTube to see if your favorite artists made the cut for the 2026 awards show.

What makes winning a Grammy so special is that the final decision is up to the voters — real people who decide what music spoke to them most in the last year.

After artists submit their work for eligibility and are verified, they are screened during a three-week process in which experts determine if everything is in the most appropriate genre category.

Then, the voters select who they think is the best in each category.

HUNTR/X, the lead fictional group from Netflix's animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” became global superstars after the film's release over the summer.

Now, some in the music industry speculate they could also make history. The group's song "Golden," which has topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for weeks, could become the first K-Pop hit to receive a record of the year nomination.

Zoey, Rumi and Mira from Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters."  Netflix

According to Billboard, the fictional group could also "become only the second animated act to land a nod in that marquee category." The Chipmunks were first to achieve the feat in 1959.

Gold Derby, a website that tracks and predicts winners for major awards shows, projected that “Ordinary” singer Alex Warren is the most likely contender to secure a nod in the best new artist category.

But female artists like Lola Young, Addison Rae, Olivia Dean, PinkPantheress, Ravyn Lenae and Megan Moroney are also strong possible nominees this year.

Morgan Wallen has decided his Billboard 200 No. 1 album won’t be in the running for a 2026 Grammy Award, joining a list of artists who have boycotted the potential accolade.

Representatives for Wallen confirmed to TODAY.com in August that the country music artist will not submit his latest album, “I’m the Problem,” for consideration at the 68th Grammys.

Morgan Wallen removes album from Grammy consideration

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The country star hasn’t spoken publicly about the decision. Wallen’s controversial history and legal complications, however, have also led to some fraught relationships with award shows and his record label.

Beyoncé may have been the last to be bestowed the best country album award with "Cowboy Carter." For the 2026 awards show, the Recording Academy has made some changes when it comes to country.

First, there's a new category: best traditional country album, which "recognizes excellence in albums of traditional country music, both vocal and instrumental," the Recording Academy wrote on its website. "Traditional country includes country recordings that adhere to the more traditional sound structures of the country genre, including rhythm and singing style, lyrical content, as well as traditional country instrumentation such as acoustic guitar, steel guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, piano, electric guitar, and live drums. It also includes sub-genres such as western, western Swing and outlaw country."

The best country album category got a name change: It'll now be known as the best contemporary country album, which the Recording Academy said "recognizes contemporary country music recordings, both vocal and instrumental, which utilize a stylistic intention, song structure, lyrical content and/or musical presentation to create a sensibility that reflects the broad spectrum of contemporary country style and culture."

"The intent is to recognize country music that remains reminiscent and relevant to the legacy of country music’s culture, while also engaging in more contemporary music forms," the Recording Academy wrote.

The window for eligibility for artists was Aug. 31, 2024, through Aug. 30, 2025.

That means you shouldn't expect to hear Taylor Swift's name today among the 2026 nominees, as her "The Life of a Showgirl" album (though stuck in many of our heads) dropped last month.

Swift's pal Sabrina Carpenter, however, could get a few nods this year with "Man's Best Friend," which was released on Aug. 29.

The Recording Academy has enlisted a lot of talent, including past Grammy winners, to help announce nominees today. Among those expected to make appearances on the livestream:

• Doechii
• Karol G
• Lizzo
• Mumford & Sons
• Nicole Scherzinger
• Sabrina Carpenter
• Sam Smith
• Angélique Kidjo
• Brandi Carlile
• CeCe Winans
• Gayle King
• David Foster
• Jon Batiste
• Little Big Town
• Masaki Koike
• Chappell Roan

The Super Bowl halftime show, which has become one of the biggest pop culture events of the year, always taps the hottest talent to help get football fans hyped. These artists are also often recognized for their achievements at the Grammy Awards, which usually take place during the same month as the big game.

Kendrick Lamar dominated the 2025 Grammy Awards, taking home five statuettes for "Not Like Us." He became the first solo rapper to headline the event, where he was joined by SZA and DJ Mustard for some of the numbers. This year, he's a likely contender for nominations once again for "GNX.”

Lady Gaga, who wowed audiences at the 2017 halftime show, is also expected to snag several nominations in the biggest categories this year for her latest studio album, "Mayhem."

And Bad Bunny, who is headlining next year’s halftime show, is also likely going to find himself in the running for several categories at the Grammys for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos."

The Recording Academy celebrated the addition of almost 3,600 music creators and professionals who are actively working in the music industry who joined its new member class this year.

"For the first time ever, invitations were also extended to all Latin Recording Academy Voting Members, helping to build a more globally representative voting body," the Recording Academy said in its news release.

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement that “this year’s class reflects the vibrancy of today’s diverse music landscape."

The Recording Academy is kicking off today with an 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET livestream event.

Music fans can tune in by watching on live.GRAMMY.com or the Recording Academy's YouTube page.