Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff & Cirkut Lead 2026 Grammy Nominations/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Kendrick Lamar tops the 2026 Grammy nominations with nine nods, including major categories record, song and album of the year. He is followed by Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff and producer Cirkut, each earning seven nominations. The list highlights both established icons and rising stars in a broad mix of genres and languages.
Grammy 2026 Nominations Quick Looks
- Kendrick Lamar leads with nine, including record, song and album of the year.
- Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff and Cirkut each receive seven nominations.
- Lamar’s album “GNX” is nominated for Album of the Year for the fifth consecutive time.
- Lady Gaga’s nominations mark her first simultaneous nods in the three top categories.
- Spanish‑language album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” by Bad Bunny is nominated for Album of the Year — second ever.
- Best New Artist field features acts such as Leon Thomas and Olivia Dean.
- Final round voting takes place December 12 2025 to January 5 2026; ceremony airs February 1 2026.
Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff & Cirkut Lead 2026 Grammy Nominations
Deep Look
NEW YORK — The 2026 Grammy nominations were unveiled Friday, with Kendrick Lamar emerging as the top nominee with nine nods. The nominations were announced via livestream, setting the stage for a competitive awards race ahead of the 68th Grammy Awards in February.
Kendrick Lamar’s Historic Run
Lamar’s nine nominations span the prestigious “Big Three” — Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Album of the Year — marking the third time he’s achieved that trifecta. His album “GNX” is nominated for Album of the Year for the fifth straight time — a record no other artist holds. With 22 career Grammy wins and 66 nominations, a win in the top category would be his first in that category and only the third time a rap album has claimed Album of the Year — following Lauryn Hill and Outkast.
Lady Gaga, Antonoff, Cirkut Close Behind
Following Lamar, Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff and producer Cirkut each grabbed seven nominations. Gaga secured her first simultaneous nominations in the top three categories and is also considered across multiple pop and vocal categories.
Antonoff is nominated twice in Record, Song and Album of the Year for his work with Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter, and also picked up his first rap‑song nomination for “tv off.” A win for Producer of the Year would tie him with Babyface for the most career wins in that category.
Cirkut earns nods for Record and Song of the Year (twice), Album of the Year and Best Dance Pop Recording, for projects like Gaga’s “Abracadabra” and Rosé & Bruno Mars’ “APT.”
Top Category Highlights & Diversity
Album of the Year nominees include a diverse group:
- “GNX” (Lamar)
- “MAYHEM” (Gaga)
- “Man’s Best Friend” (Sabrina Carpenter)
- “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” (Bad Bunny)
- “Swag” (Justin Bieber)
- “Let God Sort ’Em Out” (Clipse, Pusha T & Malice)
- “Mutt” (Leon Thomas)
- “Chromakopia” (Tyler, the Creator)
Notably, three rap albums are nominated for Album of the Year: Lamar’s “GNX,” Clipse et al.’s “Let God Sort ’Em Out,” and Tyler’s “Chromakopia” — a first. And Bad Bunny’s Spanish‑language album nod makes it only the second such to be recognized in that category.
In the Record and Song of the Year fields, tracks from Gaga, Lamar, Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, Doechii and Rosé & Bruno Mars stand out. Rosé becomes the first K‑pop artist nominated for Record of the Year.
New Faces & Emerging Talent
The Best New Artist category features rising stars such as Olivia Dean, KATSEYE, The Marias, Addison Rae, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren and Lola Young. Leon Thomas notably earns a nomination for both Best New Artist and Album of the Year.
Eligibility & Next Steps
Only recordings commercially released between August 31, 2024 and August 30, 2025 were eligible this year. Final voting runs from December 12, 2025 to January 5, 2026. The ceremony will be held February 1, 2026 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Statement from The Recording Academy
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said the nominees “reflect the incredible talent that is driving music forward … the broad and diverse musical landscape” from icons to emerging artists.
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