LOS ANGELES – The 68th annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live this Sunday from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on CBS and Paramount+. Here’s what viewers can anticipate.
Executive producers Raj Kapoor, Ben Winston, and Jesse Collins are returning to create a show that differs from last year’s event, which was heavily focused on aiding those affected by the wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Here are some key changes and highlights for the 2026 Grammys:
New Categories Focus on Tradition:
A best album cover category is making a comeback after 53 years. More significantly, the Best Country Album category has been divided, now featuring a “Best Contemporary Country Album” and a brand new “Best Traditional Country Album” category. According to Recording Academy CEO and President Harvey Mason jr., this change reflects the wishes of the academy’s members to better recognize the breadth of talent within the country music genre.
Performances to Showcase Variety:
Viewers can expect a mix of established artists and rising stars. The confirmed performers include Clipse, Pharrell Williams, Sabrina Carpenter, and all the nominees for Best New Artist: Katseye, Olivia Dean, Leon Thomas, Addison Rae, Sombr, Lola Young, The Marías, and Alex Warren. With 18 or 19 performances planned within a 3 1/2-hour timeframe, the show promises to be packed with music.
Potential History-Making Moments:
Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations with nine, including Album of the Year. If he wins for “GNX,” or if Tyler, the Creator’s “Chromakopia” or Clipse’s “Let Got Sort Em Out” wins, it would mark only the third time a rap album has received the top honor.
Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” could become the first all-Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year.
Remembering 2025
Last year’s show was impacted by the wildfires, with resources redirected to providing assistance. This year promises a focus on celebrating music and the artists who create it.
The Recording Academy’s philanthropic arm, MusiCares, directed over $15 million toward fire relief efforts.
