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Subscribe to Popcast! Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Can the Grammys ever fully adapt itself to the rapid changes happening in music, or are they destined to repeat old patterns with new faces? The list of nominees for the 2026 Grammys, which will take place on Feb. 1, suggests a mindfulness of the former while capitulating to the latter. The most nominations went to a pair of longtime favorites, Kendrick Lamar (nine) and Lady Gaga (seven), both of whom have become contemporary institutionalists. Bad Bunny received six nominations as well, an acknowledgment of his power and reach. But the Grammys also are paying more attention to rap than ever before, bestowing multiple nomination on Clipse, Doechii, and Tyler, the Creator. And best new artist nods for artists like Addison Rae and Katseye show that the organization is acknowledging the widening pool of talent arriving from unconventional pathways. On this week’s Popcast, a conversation between the critic Jon Caramanica and the reporter Joe Coscarelli about whether the Grammys have absorbed any lessons from the pushback of the past few cycles, or whether the show will always prefer to retreat to the mean. Connect With Popcast. Become a part of the Popcast community: Join the show’s Facebook group and Discord channel. We want to hear from you! Tune in, and tell us what you think at popcast@nytimes.com. Follow our host, Jon Caramanica, on Twitter: @joncaramanica. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
