Grammy Nominations 2026: Kendrick Lamar Leads as Leon Thomas Crashes Album of the Year — What to Know About the 68th Grammys

The 2026 Grammy nominations are out, and the field is as competitive as it is eclectic. Kendrick Lamar tops the list with nine nods off his blockbuster “GNX,” while Lady Gaga follows with seven. Bad Bunny racks up six, and rising forces Sabrina Carpenter and Leon Thomas each notch multiple nominations — with Thomas landing a headline-making spot in Album of the Year. Hip-hop, Latin pop, and global acts converge across the biggest categories, signaling a year where genre borders matter less than impact.

When are the Grammys 2026?

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will take place Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

• US/Canada (ET): 8:00–11:30 p.m.

• UK (GMT): 1:00–4:30 a.m. (Mon, Feb. 2)

Final-round voting runs mid-December through early January, with winners revealed live on the night.

Grammy nominations 2026: headline takeaways

• Kendrick Lamar leads (9): “GNX” positions him across Album of the Year, Best Rap Album, and the marquee record/song races.

• Lady Gaga resurges (7): “MAYHEM” plants her back in the top-tier contests, including Album and Record of the Year.

• Bad Bunny (6): Continues a historic run in the general field with “DtMF” in the mix for the night’s biggest trophies.

• Leon Thomas breakthrough: The singer, songwriter, and producer scores a coveted Album of the Year nomination for “Mutt,” and shows up elsewhere as a multi-category contender.

• K-pop milestones: Women in K-pop make notable inroads, including major-category recognition for “APT.” (Rosé with Bruno Mars) and a standout animated soundtrack single from KPop Demon Hunters.

• Taylor Swift absent: Her recent release fell outside the eligibility window (Aug. 31, 2024–Aug. 30, 2025), explaining the lack of 2026 nominations.

2026 Grammy nominees: the big races

Album of the Year (highlights)

• Kendrick Lamar — GNX

• Lady Gaga — MAYHEM

• Bad Bunny — Debí Tirar Más Fotos

• Sabrina Carpenter — Man’s Best Friend

• Justin Bieber — Swag

• Leon Thomas — Mutt

• Tyler, the Creator — Chromakopia

Record of the Year (highlights)

• Kendrick Lamar & SZA — “luther”

• Lady Gaga — “Abracadabra”

• Bad Bunny — “DtMF”

• Sabrina Carpenter — “Manchild”

• Billie Eilish — “WILDFLOWER”

• Doechii — “Anxiety”

• Rosé & Bruno Mars — “APT.”

Song of the Year (highlights)

• “luther” (Kendrick Lamar & SZA)

• “Manchild” (Sabrina Carpenter)

• “WILDFLOWER” (Billie Eilish)

• “Anxiety” (Doechii)

• “APT.” (Rosé & Bruno Mars)

Note: Lists above reflect key nominated titles frequently cited across the general field; the full ballot includes additional entries across 95 categories.

Best New Artist and the global wave

Best New Artist is a true toss-up, underscoring how streaming-era momentum can explode into Grammy-night relevance. Among the nominees: Leon Thomas, Olivia Dean, KATSEYE, Addison Rae, and Alex Warren. The mix spans R&B, pop collectives, and viral singer-songwriters — a reminder that discovery now travels as much through short-form video and collabs as through radio.

Beyond pop and hip-hop, regional scenes continue to break wider. Latin urban remains a driver in the general field, Afrobeats stars are prominent in genre categories, and K-pop’s visibility in top contests reaches a new high-water mark. Rock, alternative, electronic, and country categories also feature heavyweight returns and inventive pivots (from Deftones and Bon Iver to Skrillex and Giveon in their respective lanes).

Rules, eligibility and new categories

The 2026 eligibility window ran from Aug. 31, 2024 to Aug. 30, 2025. Notable rule adjustments and category tweaks shaped this year’s board:

• Two new categories: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover.

• Country refresh: Best Country Album retitled Best Contemporary Country Album.

• Packaging update: Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package merges back into Best Recording Package.

• Best New Artist eligibility: Clarified to better account for small contributions to previously nominated albums.

These changes help explain both who’s present — and, in some high-profile cases, who isn’t — across the ballot.

The storylines to watch on Grammy night

1. Can Kendrick complete the sweep? With the year’s most nominations, momentum is real — but Album/Record/Song splits are common when the ballot is this balanced.

2. Gaga vs. the field: AOTY is notoriously elusive; “MAYHEM” gives her another clean shot against a crowded slate.

3. Bad Bunny’s ceiling: After breaking language barriers in the general field, can he convert multiple nominations into a top-category win?

4. Leon Thomas’s breakout: A debut in Album of the Year instantly reframes his trajectory — and the race’s narrative.

5. Global pop’s center of gravity: With K-pop and Latin candidates entrenched in the top races, the Grammys’ “global” banner looks less like outreach and more like the new normal.

The 2026 Grammy nominations tilt decisively toward genre-fluid, globally scaled pop and hip-hop — with room for tactical nostalgia and craft-focused categories. Circle February 1: with leaders as strong as Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and Leon Thomas, the 68th Grammys set up a genuinely unpredictable finish.