Rapper Kendrick Lamar leads the pack for the 2026 Grammy Awards with nine nominations, the Recording Academy announced yesterday — just months after sweeping five trophies at the previous ceremony celebrating the best in global music.
Lady Gaga follows closely with seven nominations for her chart-topping album Mayhem, while Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and Leon Thomas each earned six nods.
Lamar, 38, will compete in major categories including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year at the 68th Grammy Awards, set to take place on February 1 in Los Angeles.
Joining him in the race for Album of the Year are Gaga, Bad Bunny, Carpenter, Thomas, Tyler, the Creator, hip-hop duo Clipse (Pusha T and Malice), and Justin Bieber, who returns with his first studio album in four years.
Earlier this year, Lamar dominated the Grammys with his viral diss track Not Like Us—aimed at rival rapper Drake—and later delivered a powerhouse Super Bowl halftime performance, solidifying his status as one of hip-hop’s most influential voices. Interestingly, Not Like Us does not appear on GNX, the album that earned Lamar his latest nominations.
Meanwhile, Gaga, 39, made a triumphant return to the spotlight with Mayhem—a theatrical, high-energy pop album that has positioned her in the running for Album, Record, and Song of the Year.
Bad Bunny, 31, continues his global takeover with nominations in top categories, a string of Latin Grammy nods, and his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show in February. He recently wrapped a residency in Puerto Rico and will soon kick off a world tour supporting his new album Debí Tirar Más Fotos (I Should Have Taken More Photos).
Other top contenders include Doechii and SZA, who earned five nominations each, while Golden—the breakout hit from Netflix’s animated blockbuster KPop Demon Hunters—secured three nods, including Song of the Year.
The Best New Artist category features Alex Warren, Katseye, Olivia Dean, Addison Rae, The Marias, sombr, Lola Young, and Leon Thomas, who previously won a Grammy as a producer for SZA.
Producers Jack Antonoff and Cirkut each received seven nominations.
The 2026 ceremony will also introduce two new categories: Best Album Cover and Best Traditional Country Album. The previous “Best Country Album” has been renamed Best Contemporary Country Album.
In a bid to make the awards more inclusive, the Recording Academy revealed that 3,800 new members have joined its ranks this year — with 58% identifying as people of color and half under the age of 39. Invitations were also extended to members of the Latin Recording Academy.
“This year’s class reflects the vibrancy of today’s diverse music landscape,” said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.
One noticeable omission from this year’s lineup is Taylor Swift. Despite the success of her latest album The Life of a Showgirl, it missed eligibility for the 2026 Grammys, as the cutoff date was August 30. Fans can expect her to dominate the 2027 awards season instead.
— AFP
