Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga are leading the charge for the 2026 Grammy Awards, while K-Pop has made a historic debut in the coveted Song of the Year category.
For the second consecutive year, Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar tops the nominations with nine nods, including the prestigious Album of the Year for his fiery and innovative GNX.
Lady Gaga follows closely with seven nominations, also earning an Album of the Year nod for Mayhem, a record that revisits her electro-pop roots while reflecting on her musical journey.
This year marks a milestone for K-Pop fans: two tracks have entered the Song of the Year shortlist. Rosé teams up with Bruno Mars on the effervescent APT, while Hunter/x’s Golden from Netflix’s animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters joins the category for the first time.
Despite their multiple nominations, neither Gaga nor Lamar has yet taken home the Album of the Year trophy. Should Lamar win next February, GNX would become the first rap album to earn the night’s top honor since Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2004.
Lamar faces strong competition from Tyler, The Creator, whose genre-defying Chromakopia has drawn critical acclaim, and the reunited hip-hop duo Clipse, releasing Let God Sort Em Out, their first album since 2009. This marks the first time in Grammy history that three rap albums have been shortlisted for Album of the Year.
Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, slated to headline next year’s Super Bowl halftime show, is also nominated for his ambitious reggaeton-infused album Debí Tirar Más Fotos, blending live instrumentation with infectious rhythms.
In the Best New Artist category, British talents Olivia Dean and Lola Young join the competition alongside pop sensation Addison Rae and global girl group Katseye, both making their Grammy debuts.
The full slate of nominees was announced in a star-studded livestream, featuring 2025 winners Chappell Roan, Doechii, and Sabrina Carpenter, alongside British artists Sam Smith and Marcus Mumford.
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