Kendrick Lamar emerges as the front-runner for the 2026 Grammy Award nominations, with a potential to secure nine accolades. His nominations include the prestigious record, song, and album of the year categories. This marks his third time contending in all three major categories simultaneously and also makes him and SZA the first duo to earn two record of the year nominations.
Lamar boasts an impressive track record with 22 Grammy wins and 66 nominations. His latest album, “GNX,” is his fifth consecutive studio album to vie for album of the year, a feat that places him as the first solo artist in Grammy history to achieve such a milestone. If successful, it would mark his first win in this category and only the third time a rap album secures the top prize, following Lauryn Hill in 1999 and Outkast in 2004.
The album of the year category this year features nominees who have never clinched the award before. Other contenders include Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” Justin Bieber’s “Swag,” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Man’s Best Friend.” Notably, it’s the first time three rap albums and only the second instance of an all-Spanish language album, the latter being Bad Bunny’s 2022 release, “Un Verano Sin Ti,” have been nominated in this category.
In addition to Lamar, Lady Gaga, producer Jack Antonoff, and Canadian producer-songwriter Cirkut also stand out with seven nominations each. Lady Gaga, like Lamar, is up for song, record, and album of the year for the first time simultaneously. Antonoff, recognized for his work with Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter, secures multiple nominations in various categories, including a debut nod for rap song with “tv off.”
Cirkut is in the running for record and song of the year twice, with Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” and Rosé and Bruno Mars’s “APT.,” as well as album of the year and best dance pop recording. Justin Bieber is nominated for several categories, including best pop vocal album and album of the year for “Swag,” best pop solo performance for “Daises,” and best R&B performance for “Yukon,” hinting at a potential comeback year for the artist set to headline Coachella in April 2026.
Drake and Kaytranada receive one and two nods, respectively. Surprisingly, The Weeknd is absent from the nominations this year, despite ending his Grammy boycott at the previous ceremony. The best new artist category showcases a competitive lineup, including acts like Katseye, Olivia Dean, Leon Thomas, and Alex Warren, with Thomas securing six nominations, including one for album of the year.
K-pop garners attention this year with Rosé from Blackpink becoming the first K-pop artist nominated for record of the year. The Netflix film “KPop Demon Hunters” also shines with four nominations, three of which are for the hit song “Golden.” The 2026 Grammy Awards is scheduled to broadcast live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sun, Feb. 1.
For a detailed list of the 2026 Grammy nominees, visit the official Grammy website.