Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, and Lady Gaga are in the race for the most coveted Album of the Year award as the music industry prepares to celebrate its highest honors at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
It is worth noting that none of these artists has previously won the top Grammy Award, which was claimed last year by Beyoncé for Cowboy Carter.
If Kendrick Lamar wins for GNX, he would make history as the first solo male rapper to receive the award. To date, only two hip-hop acts have won Album of the Year: Lauryn Hill and the duo Outkast.
Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican rapper scheduled to headline next month’s Super Bowl halftime show, is nominated for Debí Tirar Más Fotos. If successful, it would become the first Spanish-language album to win the category since the Grammys began 68 years ago.
(Photograph: Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation)
For pop star Lady Gaga, a win would mark the first Album of the Year award of her acclaimed career. Despite more than two decades in the music industry, she has never captured any of the top four Grammy prizes. This year, she is competing with her album Mayhem.
How to watch Grammys 2026
Trevor Noah is returning to host for the Grammys for a sixth time.
The 2026 Grammy Awards will broadcast live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ (premium plan) on Sunday, February 1, 2026, starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The ceremony, held at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, is also available via live TV streaming services like YouTube TV, FuboTV, and Hulu + Live TV.
