The 68th annual Grammy Awards, held on February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, marked a historic turning point for the Recording Academy. According to the New York Times, the event was defined by a high-stakes musical milestone and a notable shift in the political climate during the ceremony period, hosted by Trevor Noah for his sixth and final time. The event served as a Swan song for the show’s long-standing broadcast partnership with CBS before it moves to Disney platforms.
The winners:
The night‘s biggest headlines belong to Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny. According to ABC News, Bad Bunny made history when “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” became the first fully Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year. Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar became the most awarded hip-hop artist in Grammy history, surpassing Jay-Z with five awards during the ceremony.
Major category winners:
Album of the Year: Bad Bunny-“Debí Tirar Más Fotos”
Record of the year: Kendrick Lamar and SZA -“Luther”
Song of the Year: Billie Eilish and Phineas O’Connell- “Wildflower”
Best New Artist: Olivia Dean
Best Pop Vocal Album: Lady Gaga – “Mayhem”
Best Pop Solo Performance: Lola Young –”Messy”
Best Rap Album: Kendrick Lamar- “GNX”
Best Rap Song: Kendrick Lamar featuring Lefty Gunplay- “TV OFF”
Best Rap Performance: Clipse featuring Kendrick, Lamar, Pusha T, Pharrell, Williams, and Malice- “Chains and Whips”
Best Melodic Rap Performance: Kendrick Lamar and SZA- “Luther”
Best Música Urbana Album: Bad Bunny – “Debí Tirar Más Fotos”
Best Contemporary Country Album: Jelly Roll – “Beautifully Broken”
Best Traditional Country Album: Zach top – Ain’t in It for My Health”
Best R&B performance: Kehlani – “Folded”
Best Traditional R&B Performance: Leon Thomas – “Vibes Don’t Lie”
Best Dance/Electric Recording: Tame Impala – “End of Summer”
Best Rock Album: The Cure- “Songs of a Lost World”
Best album cover: Tyler, the Creator -“Chromakopia”
The performances:
The ceremony was packed with a high-energy set and an emotional tribute. Per the official grammar records, and ABC News, the performance included:
Sabrina Carpenter: Opening the show with a theoretical rendition of “Manchild”.
Lady Gaga: A dark, synth-heavy performance of “Abracadabra”.
Tyler, the Creator: An explosive set of “Sugar on My Tongue” and “Thought I Was Dead” ( featuring Regina King), performed a top of red sports car.
Justin Bieber: A soulful performance of “Yukon”.
Rosé and Bruno Mars: A high-energy debut of their hit “APT”.
Best New Artist Medley: A collaborative performance featuring Olivia Dean (“12 to 12”), Katseye, Addison, Rae, Leon Thomas, and Lola Young.
Post Malone and Duff McKagan: A rock heavy tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, performing “War Pigs”.
Rebecca McEntire: A tribute to music legends Bob Weir and Brian Wilson, performing “Trailblazer”.
Lauryn Hill and friends: A sprawling tribute to D’Angelo and Roberta Flack, featuring John Legend, and John Batiste, and SZA.
Beyond the music, the 68th Grammys became a platform for intense political activism. As reported by the New York Times, many celebrities arrived wearing ‘ICE OUT” pins. These pins were a part of the “Be Good-ICE OUT” campaign, a protest against recent immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) actions and violence.
Stars, such as Billie Eilish, Justin and Hailey, Bieber, Kehlani, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Jack Antonoff were among those seen wearing the pins. During her acceptance speech for Song of the Year, Eilish amplified the message, stating that “nobody is illegal and stolen land.” Best new artist winner, Olivia Dean, and Bad Bunny also used their moments on stage to advocate for immigrant rights, turning the industry’s most glamorous night into a powerful display of social solidarity.
