ISLAMABAD: Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar lead the 2026 Grammy Awards nominations, dominating the top categories with critically acclaimed projects.
Gaga earned multiple nominations across pop, dance and general fields, while Lamar continued his run as one of hip-hop’s most respected and experimental voices. Both artists are frontrunners as the Recording Academy prepares to celebrate music’s biggest night.
Grammy Awards set for February
The 2026 Grammy Awards will take place in February 2026 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, United States.
The ceremony will recognize recordings released between October 2024 and September 2025. The Recording Academy announced its full list of nominees in November 2025, spanning more than 95 categories across pop, rap, R&B, country, classical, and global music.
Pop dominates major fields
Lady Gaga’s resurgence has made her one of this year’s most-nominated artists. She received recognition for Record of the Year (“Abracadabra”), Song of the Year (“Abracadabra”), Album of the Year (“MAYHEM”), Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Dance Pop Recording, and Best Remixed Recording (for Gesaffelstein’s remix of “Abracadabra”).
Kendrick Lamar stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Gaga in the top fields. His album “GNX” and single “luther,” featuring SZA, earned him major nominations including Record of the Year and Album of the Year. The works showcase Lamar’s signature blend of self-examination, political commentary and genre innovation.
Other major nominees include Bad Bunny, who continues his global dominance with “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS”; Sabrina Carpenter, whose “Man’s Best Friend” and hit single “Manchild” earned nods in several categories; and Lisa, who expanded K-pop’s global footprint with a string of hit releases.
The architect of modern pop
Behind many of the year’s most celebrated recordings stands Jack Antonoff, one of the most prolific producers of his generation. The Grammy-winning songwriter and producer appears throughout this year’s nomination list, credited on Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” and “Man’s Best Friend” as well as Kendrick Lamar’s “GNX” and “luther.”
Antonoff’s production style has defined much of 2020s pop music. His ability to shape personal narratives into chart-topping anthems has made him an indispensable collaborator for a wide range of artists.
Over the past decade, Antonoff has worked with Taylor Swift (including hits “Cruel Summer,” “Anti-Hero” and “The 1”), Lana Del Rey, The 1975 and Lorde, helping to redefine the emotional scope of mainstream pop.
Other standouts across categories
Several other artists earned multiple nominations across different genres and categories.
1. Leon Thomas was recognized for his R&B album “MUTT,” live performance “MUTT — Live From NPR’s Tiny Desk,” and the song “YES IT IS.”
2. Producers Sounwave and Cirkut (Henry Walter) — frequent collaborators with Lamar and Gaga, respectively — were among the most frequently credited names on this year’s ballots.
3. In classical categories, Gustavo Dudamel and Gabriela Ortiz each received multiple nominations
A year of crossovers
Cross-genre collabs and international partnerships defined the 2026 Grammy nominations. Tracks such as Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower,” Bruno Mars and ROSÉ’s “APT.” and SZA and Kendrick Lamar’s “30 for 30” saw pop, R&B and hip-hop intersect.
Lisa’s work in the global categories, Bad Bunny’s Latin-trap releases, and Jungkook’s cross-market singles with Western producers also point to a mainstream industry increasingly shaped by international voices.
Several major categories include collaborations that bridge multiple genres and audiences. Doja Cat’s duet with Post Malone, The Weeknd’s partnership with Giorgio Moroder, and Tate McRae’s soundtrack single co-produced by Ryan Tedder all appear on this year’s ballots.
Across R&B and electronic categories, acts like Leon Thomas, KAYTRANADA and Fred again.. brought dance-floor energy to traditionally vocal-driven formats.
