Grace Vaccaro, Contributing Writer
The Grammys are the biggest celebration of music, handing out awards to the most outstanding musical achievements. The Grammys are known for being one of the most prestigious awards in the music industry; every artist is vying to get their hands on one. With the Grammys taking place on February 1st, 2026, the nominations were recently released, inspiring praise and critique.
The Grammys have four categories that are considered the “Big Four” — the most sought-after, usually being the major moments of the broadcast. The four are: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.
Two artists were notably left out of any nominations, Lorde and The Weeknd, revealing the delicate balance of power between artists and the Grammys. Both of these artists spoke against the Grammys and now have seemingly been blacklisted for future nominations. Lorde was nominated for Album of the Year back in 2017, for Melodrama; however, the academy did not offer her a solo performance, while other nominees (seemingly all of which were male) did. This resulted in her criticizing the academy’s sexism publicly. Ever since, no nomination has come her way, despite her 2025 album Virgin’s critical acclaim.
The Weeknd boycotted submitting his work to the Grammys for four years after his smash hit album After Hours was nott nominated. The Grammys and The Weeknd did reconcile, but still, this year, the Grammys shut him out of nominations.
The most nominated artist was Kendrick Lamar with 9 nominations. Last year, he took home two of the Big Four awards, Record and Song. These awards further cement him as a powerful figure in the music industry who continues to make waves. Overall, this year has been good for rap artists, with three out of the eight Album of the Year nominees being rap.
This year, the Best Country Album category has been split into two sections: Contemporary and Traditional. This decision followed Beyoncé’s win in the category the year prior. Many people wondered what true “country” music was, since it was now being intertwined with pop and rap. This decision allows experimental country music to be awarded, without overshadowing the sound of traditional country.
The most interesting and surprising nominations would have to go to K-pop Demon Hunters. They were nominated for three awards: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Song Written for Visual Media — and the biggest: Song of the Year. These songs came from the Netflix film, which became an immediate, catchy hit. If they win in their categories, they will be the first K-pop artists to do so.
Overall, the Grammy nominations are an exciting event, building anticipation to see who will take home the win, whether it’s your favorite artist or a newcomer. Each year, the Grammys reflect the ever-changing music industry and remind us how powerful music is.
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