The nominations for the 68th annual Grammy Awards, set to air live on February 1, 2026, from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, have officially been revealed, igniting a flurry of excitement and debate across the music industry. As always, the list is a mix of expected frontrunners and surprising inclusions, along with the inevitable snubs that leave fans questioning the Recording Academy's choices.
This year, Kendrick Lamar leads the pack with an impressive nine nominations, primarily driven by his critically acclaimed album "GNX". Lamar's nominations span across the major categories, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year for his collaboration with SZA on "Luther". Close behind Lamar are Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff, and Cirkut, each securing seven nominations. Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, Serban Ghenea, and Leon Thomas also earned a significant number of nods, with six nominations each.
One of the biggest surprises of this year's nominations is the strong showing for rap music in the Album of the Year category. Four of the eight nominees are rap albums: Kendrick Lamar's "GNX," Clipse's "Let God Sort Em Out," Bad Bunny's "Debí Tirar Más Fotos," and Tyler, the Creator's "Chromakopia". This marks a significant shift from previous years, where hip-hop often received limited recognition in the top categories.
The Best New Artist category also presents some interesting choices, with rising stars like Olivia Dean, Addison Rae, Katseye, and Lola Young in the running. However, the absence of certain artists, such as Ella Langley and Megan Moroney, has raised eyebrows among fans.
Despite the overall positive reception, several notable snubs have sparked considerable discussion. The Weeknd, despite releasing a No. 1 album "Hurry Up Tomorrow" and an accompanying film, was completely shut out of the nominations. This comes as a surprise after the artist seemingly reconciled with the Recording Academy last year. Lorde also failed to secure any nominations for her album "Virgin," a disappointment for many of her fans. Other artists who were surprisingly left out include Ravyn Lenae, Gracie Abrams, Miley Cyrus, and Ariana Grande.
In other surprising turns, Timothée Chalamet received his first-ever Grammy nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media for "A Complete Unknown," in which he portrays Bob Dylan. Additionally, "Defying Gravity" is competing in a pop category, and Swag is up for Album of the Year.
The nominations also reflect some changes within the Recording Academy, including the separation of country albums into Contemporary and Traditional categories following the success of Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter". This change aims to recognize and celebrate the diverse range of music within the country genre.
As the music world gears up for the 68th annual Grammy Awards, the nominations have set the stage for what promises to be an exciting and unpredictable night. With a mix of established stars and rising talents, the competition is fierce, and the winners will undoubtedly shape the sound of music for years to come.
