The 2026 Grammy Awards: Things To Know Ahead Of The Ceremony

The 2026 Grammy Awards takes place tomorrow, February 1, and there has been a lot of speculation on probable turnouts of the award ceremony

The 2026 Grammy Awards

The 2026 Grammy Awards takes place tomorrow, February 1, and there has been a lot of speculation on probable turnouts of the award ceremony. Organised by the Recording Academy—the world’s leading organisation of music professionals—the Grammy Awards remains the industry benchmark for recognising creative achievement and excellence.

Amid the notable arrangements and customary surprises, there are a few key highlights to know before the curtains draw back for the ceremony’s opening.

Also Read: What Is An Artist Residency Program, and Why Should You Apply for One?

A Premiere Ceremony Will Be Held Prior To The Main Show

Prior to the main show, a premiere ceremony will be held to present the majority of the Grammy awards. Artists announced to perform at the ceremony include Darren Criss and Helen J Shen, Spiritbox, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and Zara Larsson, while the show will be hosted by Darren Criss—a first-time Grammy nominee.

Trevor Noah is the Official Host for the 2026 Grammy Awards

The show will be hosted by Trevor Noah, making it his sixth consecutive time hosting the show and the last.

What’s New at the 2026 Grammy Awards?

A “Best Album Cover” category was newly introduced for the first time in 53 years to recognise the contributions of album covers to music culture. A "Best Traditional Country Album" category was also added, while "Best Country Album" was renamed "Contemporary Country Album".

Who Are The Leading Nominees at the 2026 Grammys?

Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations with nine total, including Record, Song and Album of the year. Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff, and Cirkut follow with seven nominations each. Leon Thomas, Bad Bunny and Serban Ghenea have six nominations each, while Andrew Watt, Clipse, Doechii, Sounwave, SZA, Turnstile, and Tyler, the Creator follow with five each.

How Many Nigerians Are Nominated for the 2026 Grammys?

Burna Boy leads with two nominations: Best African Music Performance (for "Love") and Best Global Music Album (for No Sign of Weakness). Other nominated Nigerian artists include Davido and Omah Lay for their collaboration "With You," as well as Ayra Starr and Wizkid for their hit "Gimme Dat."

Who Is Likely To Make History at the 2026 Grammys?

There is a lot of speculation surrounding the artist which is more likely to make history. If Kendrick Lamar or Tyler, the Creator, wins the album of the year, it will be only the third time a rap album has taken home the Grammy’s top prize. However, if Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” wins the award for the same category, it will be the first all-Spanish-language album to do so.

Also, if Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” and the KPop Demon Hunters’ track “Golden” are both nominated for the song of the year, it will be the first time a K-pop artist will receive a Grammy Award. Notably, BTS was the first K-pop act to receive a Grammy nomination with “Dynamite” for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance in 2021 but did not take home the win.

The Artist Performing at the 2026 Grammy Awards

One of the things to look forward to is the performance. This time, the list appears even more promising, with many top artists taking to the stage. These include Bruno Mars, Addison Rae, Alex Warren, Andrew Watt, Brandy Clark, Chad Smith, Clipse, Duff McKagan, Justin Bieber, KATSEYE, Lady Gaga, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, Lukas Nelson, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Olivia Dean, Pharrell Williams, Post Malone, Reba McEntire, ROSÉ, Sabrina Carpenter, Slash, SOMBR, The Marías, and Tyler, The Creator.

The Academy is Giving Lifetime Achievement Awards

Fela Kuti, Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, Cher, Paul Simon, and Whitney Houston are honoured with the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, while Bernie Taupin, Eddie Palmieri, and Sylvia Rhone are the Trustees Award honourees, and John Chowning will be honoured with the Technical Grammy Award for outstanding contributions to the recording field a day prior to the main show.

How Do I Watch The Grammys?

The Grammys will be aired live on CBS and Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET. It can also be watched through live streaming services, including Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and FuboTV.