Grammys 2026 Nominations: Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny & Sabrina Carpenter Score Big

The nominations for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards 2026 were announced today, and it’s a landmark moment for music — with heavyweights and fresh faces alike making their mark.

The record-books for the 2026 Grammys have opened, and the field is wide, deep and packed with surprises. Leading the charge is Kendrick Lamar, who tops the list with a staggering nine nominations. Close behind is Lady Gaga with seven thrusting her back into the spotlight. Also scoring big: Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter, each grabbing six nods.

Major Category Highlights

Record of the Year contenders include Bad Bunny’s “DtMF,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” Doechii’s “Anxiety,” Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” Kendrick Lamar with SZA’s “Luther,” plus entries from Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Rosé/Bruno Mars.

Album of the Year is stacked: Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos, Lady Gaga’s MAYHEM, Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend, Justin Bieber’s SWAG, Leon Thomas’s MUTT, Tyler, the Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA, and Clipse/Pusha T & Malice’s Let God Sort Em Out.

Song of the Year features “Abracadabra” (Gaga), “Manchild” (Carpenter), “DtMF” (Bad Bunny), “Luther” (Lamar/SZA), “Anxiety” (Doechii) and more.

Best New Artist includes Olivia Dean, KATSEYE, The Marias, Leon Thomas among others — signalling a new wave of talent entering the Grammy conversation.

Why This Year Feels Different
Several elements make this year stand out:

A greater genre spanning: rap, pop, Latin, K-pop and global sounds all figure prominently.

Two new category additions: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover. The Best Country Album category has also been renamed Best Contemporary Country Album.

A visibly global inclusivity: African and Latin artists are earning nominations across major categories, not just regional or genre-specific ones.

Standout Artists to Watch

Kendrick Lamar: With nine nominations, he leads the pack and is a strong contender for Album of the Year.

Lady Gaga: Known for reinvention, her latest work has brought her back into key nomination territory.

Bad Bunny: Making history as the first Spanish-language artist ever nominated in the “big three” (Album, Record, Song of the Year).

Sabrina Carpenter: Emerging strong in both major and advanced categories, showing her growth as an artist.

Global/Regional Stars: Names like Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Tyla, Davido and Omah Lay reflect the international reach of this year’s nominations.

What It Means for the Ceremony
The ceremony will take place on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. With this diverse nomination slate, expect a show that reflects not only pop dominance but also hip-hop, Latin, global sounds and serious artistry across the board.

Final Thoughts
This year’s nominations tell a story of evolution: the mainstream and the underground converging; language barriers breaking; genre walls softening. Whether legacy artists like Gaga reclaim their throne or new faces rise, one thing is clear — music’s biggest night will be one to watch.
The contenders are more varied, more global, and more competitive than ever.

Will Kendrick take home the top prize? Can Bad Bunny make history? Will Sabrina Carpenter step into a higher tier? The stage is set.