At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, and Kendrick Lamar are the artists to beat.
Going into nominations for the Grammys, the field seemed less certain than in years past, if only because the Recording Academy’s usual favorites weren’t eligible. Though Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl will likely get a handful of nods in 2027, its October release date placed it outside of this year’s window; Beyoncé and Billie Eilish, who were both feted at the awards this past February, didn’t have eligible albums either. (Nevertheless, Eilish did take home two nominations for “WILDFLOWER,” a single from her 2024 album, Hit Me Hard and Soft.)
But Lady Gaga’s Mayhem and Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, both considered career high points, were eligible—and as expected, both were included on the list for album of the year, as was Justin Bieber’s surprise album Swag. Lamar and Gaga are perennial nominees and industry favorites, but neither has ever pulled off an album of the year win. (Kendrick’s 2018 album Damn ultimately earned the rapper a Pulitzer Prize—but on Grammy night, it was edged out by Bruno Mars’s 24K Magic for the top prize.)
For years, the Grammy Awards has had an uneasy relationship with major pop stars. Perhaps the conflict is be best summed up by Ariana Grande’s classic quip to a longtime producer of the Grammys: “It was when my creativity and self expression was stifled by you, that I decided not to attend,” she wrote on social media after she backed out of a performance at the 2019 awards. Other major stars, like Drake and The Weeknd, eventually announced that they would not submit their albums for consideration at all.
As of Billie Eilish’s record-breaking sweep of the major categories in 2020, however, the pop charts and the Grammy award honorees have started to see much more overlap. In 2025, the show featured performances from every single artist nominated for the best new artist, including Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, and Chappell Roan, who took home the prize. This year’s category includes breakout artist Sombr, pop newcomer Addison Rae, and TikToker-turned-chart dominator Alex Warren, making for a great showcase of talent come February 1. Perhaps whoever wins will get to see Gaga or Kendrick take home the night’s most sought-after trophy as well.
