2026 Grammy Nominations: Kendrick Lamar Leads with 9 Nods, Full List Revealed
The 68th Annual Grammy Awards nominations were announced on November 7, 2025, via a star-studded livestream hosted by artists including Chappell Roan, Doechii, Karol G, Lizzo, Mumford & Sons, Sabrina Carpenter, and Sam Smith. Covering music released from August 31, 2024, to August 30, 2025, the list spans 95 categories—up from 94 with the addition of Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover. The ceremony airs live on February 1, 2026, from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on CBS and Paramount+.
Kendrick Lamar dominates with 9 nominations, including Album of the Year for GNX and nods for his SZA collab “Luther” in Record and Song of the Year. Lady Gaga follows with 7 (led by Mayhem), while producers Jack Antonoff and Cirkut tie at 7. Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and Leon Thomas each score 6. Highlights include Bad Bunny’s historic all-Spanish Album of the Year nod (his second), a low representation of female-led albums in AOTY (only 2/8), and surprises like Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nod for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling.
Notable snubs: Taylor Swift (The Life of a Showgirl released post-eligibility), The Weeknd, Morgan Wallen, and Elton John. African artists like Burna Boy and Tyla shine in genre categories.
General Field Categories (The “Big Four”)
These are the most prestigious, voted on by the entire Recording Academy membership.
Album of the Year (Recognizes the best overall album; 8 nominees this year)
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – Bad Bunny
Man’s Best Friend – Sabrina Carpenter
GNX – Kendrick Lamar
Mayhem – Lady Gaga
Chromakopia – Tyler, The Creator
Glory – Perfume Genius
Moisturizer – Wet Leg
The Crux – Djo
Record of the Year (Best overall single recording, emphasizing technical production)
“Luther” – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Disease” – Lady Gaga
“The Subway” – Chappell Roan
“Not Like Us (Remix)” – Kendrick Lamar feat. Drake
“Ordinary” – Alex Warren
“TV Off” – Kendrick Lamar feat. Lefty Gunplay
“Golden” – Kpop Demon Hunters
Song of the Year (Best overall song, honoring songwriters)
Coleridge-Taylor: 3 Selections from ‘24 Negro Melodies’ – Curtis Stewart
Best Country Album(Split into Contemporary and Traditional this year)
Best Contemporary Country Album: Lukas Nelson & Family – Lukas Nelson
Best Traditional Country Album: The Border – Willie Nelson
Best Música Urbana Album
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – Bad Bunny
With You – Davido feat. Omah Lay
Best African Music Performance
“Love” – Burna Boy
“With You” – Davido feat. Omah Lay
“Hope & Love” – Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin
“Gimme Dat” – Ayra Starr feat. Wizkid
“Push 2 Start” – Tyla
Best Classical Album
Standard Stoppages – Third Coast Percussion
An American Soldier – American Composers Orchestra
Adoration – Mary Kouyoumdjian
La Mer – Neave Trio
Best Album Cover(New category)
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – Bad Bunny
Harlequin – Lady Gaga
GNX – Kendrick Lamar
Moisturizer – Wet Leg
For the complete list across all 95 categories (including Producer of the Year: Non-Classical with Jack Antonoff, Cirkut, etc.), visit GRAMMY.com. 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 27 34 35 6 8 10
Key Insights and Surprises
Diversity Boost: More global nods, like Bad Bunny’s AOTY push and African category expansions. K-pop’s “Golden” by Kpop Demon Hunters sneaks into Record of the Year despite avatar debates.
Producer Power: Jack Antonoff makes history with AOTY, SOTY, and ROTY nods for two different artists (Lamar and Carpenter).
Gender Gap?: Only two female-led AOTY albums (Gaga, Carpenter)—the lowest since expansion. 8
Snubs Galore: No Taylor Swift (late release), Weeknd boycott continues, and Wallen’s country dominance bypassed.
Final voting runs December 12, 2025–January 5, 2026. Expect Lamar to sweep rap categories again, but Gaga’s pop resurgence and Bad Bunny’s cultural milestone could steal the show. Who’s your pick for AOTY?