The Recording Academy has unveiled the nominees for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, revealing a star-studded lineup of artists, albums, and songs set to compete for music’s most prestigious honors.
The ceremony will take place on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, recognizing recordings released between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025.
This year’s edition introduces two new categories — Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover — marking a notable expansion in the GRAMMY Awards process.
Leading the nominations is Kendrick Lamar with nine nods, followed closely by Lady Gaga with seven, making her the most-nominated female artist this year. Gaga also scores her fifth Album of the Year nomination for Mayhem.
Sabrina Carpenter earns her second consecutive Album of the Year nod for Man’s Best Friend.
The Best New Artist category features rising stars such as KATSEYE, Olivia Dean, Addison Rae, Leon Thomas, and Sombr, among others.
African acts made a strong impression across both Global and African music categories, with five Nigerian and nine African artists receiving nominations.
Burna Boy leads the African contingent with two nominations:
Best African Music Performance for “Love”, and
Best Global Music Album for “No Sign of Weakness.”
He stands as the most-nominated African artist in the 2025 Grammy cycle.
Other Nigerian nominees include Davido, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr, and Wizkid, alongside continental icons Angélique Kidjo (Benin), Eddy Kenzo (Uganda), Tyla (South Africa), and Youssou N’Dour (Senegal).
In Best African Music Performance, Nigerian artists dominate with:
Burna Boy – “Love”
Davido featuring Omah Lay – “With You”
Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid – “Gimme Dat”
Other nominees include Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin (“Hope & Love”) and Tyla (“PUSH 2 START”).
For Best Global Music Album, Burna Boy competes against Youssou N’Dour (Éclairer le Monde – Light the World), Angélique Kidjo (Jerusalema), and Anoushka Shankar (Chapter III: We Return to Light).
Album of the Year
Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Justin Bieber – Swag
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
Lady Gaga – Mayhem
Kendrick Lamar – GNX
Leon Thomas – Mutt
Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia
Record of the Year
Bad Bunny – “DtMF”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Doechii – “Anxiety”
Billie Eilish – “Wildflower”
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
Kendrick Lamar ft. SZA – “Luther”
Chappell Roan – “The Subway”
Rosé & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
Song of the Year
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
Doechii – “Anxiety”
Rosé & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
Bad Bunny – “DtMF”
Huntr/x – “Golden” (from KPop Demon Hunters)
Kendrick Lamar ft. SZA – “Luther”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Billie Eilish – “Wildflower”
(Full list of nominees continues below.)
Burna Boy, Davido, Ayra Starr, Wizkid, and Omah Lay’s nominations highlight the growing influence of Afrobeats and African pop on the global stage. The inclusion of a dedicated Best African Music Performance category continues to reflect the Grammys’ evolving recognition of African artistry.
The 68th Grammy Awards promise a dynamic mix of established icons and fresh voices, across more than 90 categories celebrating the best in music worldwide.
Stay tuned for updates, performances, and behind-the-scenes coverage as the countdown to music’s biggest night begins.
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