Hold on tight, music lovers! The moment we've all been waiting for is here: the nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards are about to be unveiled! Get ready to see if your favorite artists made the cut.
Today, Friday, November 7th, starting at 11:00 a.m. ET / 8:00 a.m. PT, the official list of nominees for the 68th annual Grammy Awards will be revealed. We'll be updating this page live with the nominees as they're announced, so refresh often to stay in the loop. You can also follow along on Consequence (https://consequence.net/live-coverage/2026-grammys-coverage/) for comprehensive coverage.
The Grammys, of course, celebrate the very best in music from the past year. This year, the eligibility period spans from August 31st, 2024, to August 30th, 2025. So, if you were holding your breath for Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl to snag a nomination, prepare for disappointment. Sadly, it missed the eligibility window (https://consequence.net/2025/10/taylor-swift-no-grammy-nominations/). Better luck next year, Swifties!
Mark your calendars! The 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony will be held on February 1st, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Tune in to CBS and Paramount+ to watch the biggest names in music battle it out for those coveted golden gramophones.
But before the glitz and glamour, there's always behind-the-scenes changes at the Recording Academy. This year is no different. They've tweaked a few rules and even introduced some brand-new categories. Most notably, the Academy has changed eligibility for the Best New Artist award. Artists who made minor contributions (20% or less) to an Album of the Year-nominated record are now eligible. This could open doors for background vocalists, session musicians, and featured artists who previously wouldn't have been considered. But here's where it gets controversial... will this change lead to established artists gaming the system, or will it truly spotlight deserving new talent? What do you think?
And there's more! Two fresh categories have been added to the mix: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover. This brings the total number of Grammy categories up to a whopping 95! Plus, Best Country Album has been renamed Best Contemporary Country Album to better reflect the evolving landscape of the genre. Also, Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package has been merged back into the Best Recording Package category, streamlining the awards process.
Also of note, for the first time ever, the 2026 Grammy ballots will be presented in a randomized order, ditching the traditional alphabetical listing. According to Recording Academy Chief Awards and Global Industry Officer Ruby Marchand, this update “brings our process in line with standard voting best practices … and further ensures the process is fair and equitable for all entries.” And this is the part most people miss... Randomizing the ballot is designed to combat voter fatigue and prevent voters from simply selecting the first few names they recognize. The hope is that it will encourage them to explore the entire ballot and give lesser-known artists a fairer shot. This move is widely seen as a way to level the playing field across all contenders.
Here's a sneak peek at some of the major categories we'll be covering live:
- Album of the Year:
- Song of the Year:
- Record of the Year:
- Best New Artist:
- Best Alternative Music Album:
- Best Alternative Music Performance:
- Best Rock Performance:
- Best Rock Song:
- Best Rock Album:
- Best Metal Performance:
- Best Solo Pop Performance:
- Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
- Best Pop Vocal Album:
- Best Dance/Electronic Recording:
- Best Dance/Electronic Album:
- Best Rap Album:
- Best Rap Song:
- Best Rap Performance:
- Best Melodic Rap Performance:
- Best Música Urbana Album:
- Best Americana Album:
- Best Folk Album:
- Best Comedy Album:
- Best Music Video:
- Best Music Film:
- Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media:
- Producer of the Year:
- Songwriter of the Year:
Who are you hoping to see nominated? Are you excited about the new Grammy categories and rule changes? Or do you think some of these changes are unnecessary or even detrimental? Sound off in the comments below! We want to hear your thoughts!
