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Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar have emerged as the leading contenders for the 2026 Grammy Awards, marking a year of genre breakthroughs and historic firsts including K-pop’s debut in the Song of the Year category. For the second consecutive year, Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar tops the list with nine nominations, including Album of the Year for his sleek and politically charged GNX. Gaga follows close behind with seven nods, earning recognition for Mayhem, an album that revisits her electro-pop roots while drawing inspiration from her own journey. In a major milestone for K-pop, two songs have earned nominations for Song of the Year: Rosé and Bruno Mars’ upbeat pop collaboration APT, and Golden by Hunter/x, the viral hit from Netflix’s animated feature K-Pop Demon Hunters. Both Gaga and Lamar are five-time contenders for Album of the Year, but neither has yet clinched the coveted gramophone. Lamar, however, enters the race as the early favourite after his acclaimed diss track Not Like Us swept multiple categories at the 2025 Grammys. If GNX wins, it would become the first rap album to capture the top honour since Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2004. The competition in the Album of the Year category is particularly fierce this year, featuring fellow rap innovator Tyler, The Creator with Chromakopia and the reunited hip-hop duo Clipse for Let God Sort ’Em Out marking the first time three rap albums have appeared in the category’s history. Rounding out the list is Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, who also headlines next year’s Super Bowl halftime show. His album Debí Tirar Más Fotos stands out for blending live instrumentation with reggaeton rhythms and traditional Puerto Rican genres like plena. Full list of nominees Album of the Year Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos Clipse, Pusha T & Malice – Let God Sort Em Out Justin Bieber – Swag Kendrick Lamar – GNX Lady Gaga – Mayhem Leon Thomas – Mutt Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia Song of the Year Bad Bunny – DTMF Billie Eilish – Wildflower Doechii – Anxiety Huntr/x – Golden Kendrick Lamar & SZA – Luther Lady Gaga – Abracadabra Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt. Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild Record of the Year Bad Bunny – DTMF Billie Eilish – Wildflower Chappell Roan – The Subway Doechii – Anxiety Kendrick Lamar & SZA – Luther Lady Gaga – Abracadabra Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt. Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild Best New Artist Addison Rae Alex Warren Leon Thomas Olivia Dean Producer of the Year, Non-Classical Blake Mills Dan Auerbach Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical Edgar Barrera Jessie Jo Dillon Laura Veltz Tobias Jesso Jr. Best Pop Solo Performance Chappell Roan – The Subway Justin Bieber – Daisies Lady Gaga – Disease Lola Young – Messy Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild Best Pop/Duo Group Performance Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande – Defying Gravity Huntr/x – Golden Katseye – Gabriela Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt. SZA With Kendrick Lamar – 30 for 30 Best Pop Vocal Album Justin Bieber – Swag Lady Gaga – Mayhem Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend Teddy Swims – I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2) Best Dance/Electronic Recording Disclosure & Anderson .Paak – No Cap Fred Again.., Skepta & PlaqueBoyMax – Victory Lap Kaytranada – Space Invader Skrillex – Voltage Tame Impala – End of Summer Best Dance Pop Recording Lady Gaga – Abracadabra PinkPantheress – Illegal Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – Bluest Flame Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching (From F1® the Movie) Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun Best Dance/Electronic Album FKA twigs – Eusexua Fred Again.. – Ten Days PinkPantheress – Fancy That Rüfüs Du Sol – Inhale / Exhale Skrillex – F*ck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol but Ur Not!! Best Remixed Recording The Chemical Brothers & Chris Lake – Galvanize (Chris Lake Remix) Huntr/x & David Guetta – Golden (David Guetta Rem/x) Lady Gaga & Gesaffelstein – Abracadabra (Gesaffelstein Remix) Mariah Carey & Kaytranada – Don’t Forget About Us (Kaytranada Remix) Soul II Soul – A Dreams a Dream (Ron Trent Refix) Best Rock Performance Amyl and the Sniffers – U Should Not Be Doing That Hayley Williams – Mirtazapine Linkin Park – The Emptiness Machine Turnstile – Never Enough Yungblud, Nuno Bettencourt & Frank Bello Featuring Adam Wakeman & II – Changes (Live From Villa Park / Back to the Beginning) Best Metal Performance Dream Theater – Night Terror Ghost – Lachryma Sleep Token – Emergence Spiritbox – Soft Spine Turnstile – Birds Best Rock Song Hayley Williams – Glum Nine Inch Nails – As Alive as You Need Me to Be Sleep Token – Caramel Turnstile – Never Enough Yungblud – Zombie Best Rock Album Deftones – Private Music Haim – I Quit Linkin Park – From Zero Turnstile – Never Enough Yungblud – Idols Best Alternative Music Performance Bon Iver – Everything Is Peaceful Love The Cure – Alone Hayley Williams – Parachute Turnstile – Seein’ Stars Wet Leg – Mangetout Best Alternative Music Album Bon Iver – SABLE, fABLE The Cure – Songs of a Lost World Hayley Williams – Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party Tyler, the Creator – Don’t Tap the Glass Wet Leg – Moisturizer Best R&B Performance Chris Brown Featuring Bryson Tiller – It Depends Justin Bieber – Yukon Kehlani – Folded Leon Thomas – Mutt (Live from NPR’s Tiny Desk) Summer Walker – Heart of a Woman Best Traditional R&B Performance Durand Bernarr – Here We Are Lalah Hathaway – Uptown Ledisi – Love You Too Leon Thomas – Vibes Don’t Lie SZA – Crybaby Best R&B Song Chris Brown Featuring Bryson Tiller – It Depends Durand Bernarr – Overqualified Kehlani – Folded Leon Thomas – Yes It Is Summer Walker – Heart of a Woman Best Progressive R&B Album Bilal – Adjust Brightness Destin Conrad – Love on Digital Durand Bernarr – Bloom Flo – Access All Areas Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon – Come as You Are Best R&B Album Coco Jones – Why Not More? Giveon – Beloved Ledisi – The Crown Leon Thomas – Mutt Teyana Taylor – Escape Room Best Rap Performance Cardi B – Outside Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T & Malice – Chains & Whips Doechii – Anxiety Kendrick Lamar Featuring Lefty Gunplay – TV Off Tyler, the Creator Featuring Teezo Touchdown – Darling, I Best Melodic Rap Performance Fridayy & Meek Mill – Proud of Me JID, Ty Dolla $ign & 6lack – Wholeheartedly Kendrick Lamar & SZA – Luther PartyNextDoor & Drake – Somebody Loves Me Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon Featuring Rapsody – WeMaj Best Rap Song Clipse, John Legend, Voices of Fire, Pusha T & Malice – The Birds Don’t Sing Doechii – Anxiety Glorilla – TGIF Kendrick Lamar Featuring Lefty Gunplay – TV Off Tyler, the Creator Featuring Glorilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne – Sticky Best Rap Album Clipse, Pusha T & Malice – Let God Sort Em Out Glorilla – Glorious JID – God Does Like Ugly Kendick Lamar – GNX Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia Best Spoken Word Poetry Album Marc Marcel – Black Shaman Omari Hardwick & Anthony Hamilton – Pages Queen Sheba – A Hurricane in Heels: Healed People Don’t Act Like That (Partially Recorded Live @City Winery & Other Places) Saul Williams & Carlos Niño & Friends – Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño & Friends at Treepeople (Live) Skillz – Words for Days, Vol. 1 Best Jazz Performance Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade – Windows (Live) Lakecia Benjamin Featuring Immanuel Wilkins & Mark Whitfield – Noble Rise Michael Mayo – Four Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach & Tom Scott Featuring Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold, Rachel Eckroth & Sam Weber – All Stars Lead to You (Live) Samara Joy – Peace of Mind / Dreams Come True Best Jazz Vocal Album Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap – Elemental Michael Mayo – Fly Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach & Tom Scott Featuring Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold, Rachel Eckroth & Sam Weber – Live at Vic’s Las Vegas Samara Joy – Portrait Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell – We Insist 2025! Best Jazz Instrumental Album Branford Marsalis Quartet – Belonging Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade – Trilogy 3 (Live) John Patitucci Featuring Chris Potter & Brian Blade – Spirit Fall Sullivan Fortner – Southern Nights Yellowjackets – Fasten Up Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album Christian McBride – Without Further Ado, Vol 1 Danilo Pérez & Bohuslän Big Band – Lumen Deborah Silver & The Count Basie Orchestra – Basie Rocks! Kenny Wheeler Legacy Featuring The Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra & Frost Jazz Orchestra – Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores Sun Ra Arkestra – Lights on a Satellite The 8-Bit Big Band – Orchestrator Emulator Best Latin Jazz Album Arturo O’Farrill – The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico (Live at Town Hall) Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra – Mundoagua – Celebrating Carla Bley Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yainer Horta & Joey Calveiro – A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole Miguel Zenón Quartet – Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at the Village Vanguard Paquito D’Rivera – Madrid-New York Connection Band – La Fleur de Cayenne Best Alternative Jazz Album Ambrose Akinmusire – Honey From a Winter Stone Brad Mehldau – Ride into the Sun Immanuel Wilkins – Blues Blood Nate Smith – Live-Action Robert Glasper – Keys to the City Volume One Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Barbra Streisand – The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume 2 Elton John & Brandi Carlile – Who Believes in Angels? Jennifer Hudson – The Gift of Love Lady Gaga – Harlequin Laila Biali – Wintersongs Laufey – A Matter of Time Best Contemporary Instrumental Album Arkai – Brightside Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda & Antonio Sánchez – BEATrio Bob James & Dave Koz – Just Us Charu Suri – Shayan Gerald Clayton – Ones & Twos Best Musical Theater Album Buena Vista Social Club Death Becomes Her Just in Time Maybe Happy Ending Best Country Solo Performance Chris Stapleton – Bad as I Used to Be (From F1® the Movie) Lainey Wilson – Somewhere Over Laredo Shaboozey – Good News Tyler Childers – Nose on the Grindstone Zach Top – I Never Lie Best Country Duo/Group Performance George Strait Featuring Chris Stapleton – Honky Tonk Hall of Fame Margo Price Featuring Tyler Childers – Love Me Like You Used to Do Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton – A Song to Sing Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert & Lainey Wilson – Trailblazer Shaboozey & Jelly Roll – Amen Best Country Song Lainey Wilson – Somewhere Over Laredo Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton – A Song to Sing Shaboozey – Good News Tyler Childers – Bitin’ List Zach Top – I Never Lie Best Traditional Country Album Charley Crockett – Dollar a Day Lukas Nelson – American Romance Margo Price – Hard Headed Woman Willie Nelson – Oh What a Beautiful World Zach Top – Ain’t in It for My Health Best Contemporary Country Album Eric Church – Evangeline vs. the Machine Jelly Roll – Beautifully Broken Kelsea Ballerini – Patterns Miranda Lambert – Postcards From Texas Tyler Childers – Snipe Hunter Best American Roots Performance Alison Krauss & Union Station – Richmond on the James I’m With Her – Ancient Light Jason Isbell – Crimson and Clay Jon Batiste Featuring Randy Newman – Lonely Avenue Mavis Staples – Beautiful Strangers Best Americana Performance Jesse Welles – Horses Maggie Rose & Grace Potter – Poison in My Well Mavis Staples – Godspeed Molly Tuttle – That’s Gonna Leave a Mark Sierra Hull – Boom Best American Roots Song I’m With Her – Ancient Light Jason Isbell – Foxes in the Snow Jesse Welles – Middle Jon Batiste – Big Money Sierra Hull – Spitfire Best Americana Album Jesse Welles – Middle Jon Batiste – Big Money Larkin Poe – Bloom Molly Tuttle – So Long Little Miss Sunshine Willie Nelson – Last Leaf on the Tree Best Bluegrass Album Alison Krauss & Union Station – Arcadia Billy Strings – Highway Prayers Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter – Carter & Cleveland Sierra Hull – A Tip Toe High Wire The Steeldrivers – Outrun
