This year’s category does not feature previous contenders such as Asake, Yemi Alade, Lojay, and last year’s winner, Tems.

Davido, Burna Boy and Ayra Starr are leading the 2026 African music nominations.

The Recording Academy has announced the nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards, setting the stage for music’s biggest night.

 

This year’s list, unveiled on Friday, features Nigerian Afrobeats stars Davido, Burna Boy, and Ayra Starr, among those nominated in the Best African Music Performance category.

 

Other nominees in the category include Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin and South African singer Tyla.

 

Best African Music Performance (2026) list includes Love by Burna Boy, With You by Davido featuring Omah Lay, Hope & Love by Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin, Gimme Dat by Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid and PUSH 2 START by South African star, Tyla.

 

This year’s category does not feature previous contenders such as Asake, Yemi Alade, Lojay, and last year’s winner, Tems. In 2025, the Best African Music Performance nominations included Yemi Alade’s “Tomorrow”, Asake’s “MMS” with Wizkid, Chris Brown’s “Sensational” featuring Davido and Lojay, Burna Boy’s “Higher,” and Tems’ “Love Me Jeje.”

 

The category, introduced in 2024, saw South African singer Tyla emerge as its first-ever winner.

 

Beyond his African Music recognition, Burna Boy also earned a spot in the Best Global Music Album category.

 

He is the only Nigerian artiste nominated in that category this year.

 

The nominees for Best Global Music Album (2026) include Sounds Of Kumbha by Siddhant Bhatia, No Sign of Weakness by Burna Boy, Éclairer le Monde (Light the World) by Youssou N’Dour, Mind Explosion (50th Anniversary Tour Live) by Shakti, Chapter III: We Return To Light by Anoushka Shankar featuring Alam Khan and Sarathy Korwar, and Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo by Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia.

 

Last year, Nigerian stars Rema and Tems were nominated in the same category for their albums HEIS and Born in the Wild, respectively.

 

Expanded Categories For 2026

The 2026 Grammys will introduce two new categories, Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover, broadening the Academy’s recognition of diverse music artistry.

 

According to the Recording Academy, the move reflects “a commitment to honouring the evolving ways music is created and experienced.”

 

The nominees were announced during a livestream featuring artists including Chappell Roan, Doechii, KAROL G, Mumford & Sons, Sabrina Carpenter, and Sam Smith.

 

 

Kendrick Lamar, winner of the Record of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, Best Music Video, and Song of the Year Awards for “Not Like Us” poses in the press room during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Recording Academy/AFP

Rapper Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards, music’s highest honours, with nine, the Recording Academy announced Friday, fresh off winning five Golden Grammys at the last gala.

 

Lady Gaga ranked second among performers with seven nods for her “Mayhem” album, followed by a trio of artists tied at six, Bad Bunny, pop princess Sabrina Carpenter and R&B singer-songwriter Leon Thomas.

 

Winners will be decided by the Recording Academy’s voting members, comprising artists, songwriters, producers, and engineers.

 

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, airing live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Full List Of Nominees

Song of the year

 

Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

Doechii – Anxiety

Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT

Bad Bunny – DtMF

Hunter/x – Golden

Kendrick Lamar feat. SZA – Luther

Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

Billie Eilish – Wildflower

Record of the year

 

Bad Bunny – DtMF

Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

Doechii – Anxiety

Billie Eilish – Wildflower

Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

Kendrick Lamar feat. SZA – Luther

Chappell Roan – The Subway

Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT

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

Best new artist

 

Olivia Dean

Katseye

The Marias

Addison Rae

Sombr

Leon Thomas

Alex Warren

Lola Young

Songwriter of the year, Non-Classical

 

Amy Allen

Edgar Barrera

Jessie Jo Dillon

Tobias Jesso Jr.

Laura Veltz

Producer of the year, Non-Classical

 

Dan Auerbach

Cirkut

Dijon

Blake Mills

Sounwave

Best Pop Vocal Album

 

Swag — Justin Bieber

Man’s Best Friend — Sabrina Carpenter

Something Beautiful — Miley Cyrus

Mayhem — Lady Gaga

I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2) — Teddy Swims

Best Pop Solo Performance

 

“Daisies” — Justin Bieber

“Manchild” — Sabrina Carpenter

“Disease” — Lady Gaga

“The Subway” — Chappell Roan

“Messy” — Lola Young

Best Rock Album

 

Private Music — Deftones

I Quit — Haim

From Zero — Linkin Park

Never Enough — Turnstile

Idols — Yungblud

Best Metal Performance

 

“Night Terror” — Dream Theatre

“Lachryma” — Ghost

“Emergence” — Sleep Token

“Soft Spine” — Spiritbox

“Birds” — Turnstile

Best Rap Album

 

Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse, Pusha T & Malice

Glorious — GloRilla

God Does Like Ugly — JID

GNX — Kendrick Lamar

Chromakopia — Tyler, the Creator

Best R&B Album

 

Beloved — Givēon

Why Not More? — Coco Jones

The Crown — Ledisi

Escape Room — Teyana Taylor

Mutt — Leon Thomas

Best African Music Performance

 

Love – Burna Boy

With You – Davido Featuring Omah Lay

Hope & Love – Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin

Gimme Dat – Ayra Starr Featuring Wizkid

PUSH 2 START – Tyla

Best Musical Theatre Album

 

Buena Vista Social Club

Death Becomes Her

Gypsy

Just In Time

Maybe Happy Ending

Best Traditional Country Album

 

Dollar A Day – Charley Crockett

American Romance – Lukas Nelson

Oh What A Beautiful World – Willie Nelson

Hard Headed Woman – Margo Price

Ain’t In It For My Health – Zach Top

Best Contemporary Country Album

 

Patterns – Kelsea Ballerini

Snipe Hunter – Tyler Childers

Evangeline Vs. The Machine – Eric Church

Beautifully Broken – Jelly Roll

Postcards From Texas – Miranda Lambert

Best Global Music Album

 

Sounds Of Kumbha – Siddhant Bhatia

No Sign of Weakness – Burna Boy

Eclairer le monde – Light the World – Youssou N’Dour

Mind Explosion – Shakti

Chapter III: We Return To Light – Anoushka Shankar Featuring Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar

Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo – Caetano Veloso And Maria Bethânia

Best Global Music Performance

 

EoO – Bad Bunny

Cantando en el Camino – Ciro Hurtado

JERUSALEMA – Angélique Kidjo

Inmigrante Y Que? – Yeisy Rojas

Shrini’s Dream – Shakti

Daybreak – Anoushka Shankar Featuring Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar

Best Country Solo Performance

 

Nose On The Grindstone – Tyler Childers

Good News – Shaboozey

Bad As I Used To Be – Chris Stapleton

I Never Lie – Zach Top

Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson

Best Spoken Word Poetry Album

 

A Hurricane in Heels: Healed People Don’t Act Like That (partially recorded live @City Winery & other places) — Queen Sheba

 

Black Shaman — Marc Marcel

 

Pages — Omari Hardwick & Anthony Hamilton

 

Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño & Friends at Treepeople — Saul Williams, Carlos Niño & Friends

 

Words For Days Vol. 1 — Mad Skillz

 

Best Gospel Performance/Song

 

Do It Again – Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter

Church – Tasha Cobbs Leonard, John Legend; Anthony S. Brown, Brunes Charles, Annatoria Chitapa, Kenneth Leonard, Jr., Tasha Cobbs Leonard & Jonas Myrin, songwriters

Still Live – Jonathan McReynolds & Jamal Roberts; Britney Delagraentiss, Jonathan McReynolds, David Lamar Outing III, Orlando Joel Palmer & Terrell Demetrius Wilson, songwriters

Amen – Pastor Mike Jr.; Adia Andrews, Michael McClure Jr., David Lamar Outing II & Terrell Anthony Pettus, songwriters

Come Jesus Come – Cece Winans Featuring Shirley Caesar

Best Gospel Album

 

Sunny Days – Yolanda Adams

Tasha – Tasha Cobbs Leonard

Live Breathe Fight – Tamela Mann

Only On The Road Live – Tye Tribbett

Heart Of Mine – Darrel Walls, PJ Morton

Best Reggae Album

 

Treasure Self Love – Lila Iké

Heart & Soul – Vybz Kartel

BLXXD & FYAH – Keznamdi

From Within – Mortimer

No Place Like Home – Jesse Royal

Best Children’s Music Album

 

Ageless – 100 Years Young, Joanie Leeds & Joya

Buddy’s Magic Tree House – Mega Ran

Harmony – FYÜTCH & Aura V

Herstory – Flor Bromley

The Music Of Tori And The Muses – Tori Amos

Best Comedy Album

 

Drop Dead Years – Bill Burr

PostMortem – Sarah Silverman

Single Lady, Ali Wong

What Had Happened Was – Jamie Foxx

Your Friend – Nate Bargatze, Nate Bargatze

Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording

 

Elvis, Rocky & Me – The Carol Connors Story, Kathy Garver

 

Into The Uncut Grass, Trevor Noah

 

Lovely One: A Memoir, Ketanji Brown Jackson

 

Meditations: The Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Dalai Lama

 

You Know It’s True: The Real Story Of Milli Vanilli, Fab Morvan

 

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

 

A Complete Unknown, Timothée Chalamet

 

F1® The Album, (Various Artists)

 

KPop Demon Hunters, (Various Artists)

 

Sinners, (Various Artists)

 

Wicked, (Various Artists)

 

Best Music Video

 

Young Lion, Sade, Sophie Muller, video director – Sade & Aaron Taylor Dean, video producers

 

Manchild – Sabrina Carpenter, Vania Heymann & Gal Muggia, video directors; Aiden Magarian, Nathan Scherrer & Natan Schottenfels, video producers

 

So Be It – Clipse, Hannan Hussain, video director; Daniel Order, video producer

 

Anxiety, Doechii, James Mackel, video director; Pablo Feldman, Jolene Mendes & Sophia Sabella, video producers

 

Love, OK Go, Aaron Duffy, Miguel Espada & Damian Kulash Jr., video directors; Petra Ahmann, video producer

 

Best Music Film

 

Devo, Devo, Chris Smith, video director; Danny Gabai, Anita Greenspan, Chris Holmes & Chris Smith, video producers

 

Live At The Royal Albert Hall, RAYE, Paul Dugdale, video director; Stefan Demetriou & Amy James, video producers

 

Relentless, Diane Warren, Bess Kargman, video director; Peggy Drexler, Michele Farinola & Kat Nguyen, video producers

 

Music By John Williams, John Williams, Laurent Bouzereau, video director; Sara Bernstein, Laurent Bouzereau, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Meredith Kaulfers, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg & Justin Wilkes, video producers

 

Piece By Piece, Pharrell Williams, Morgan Neville, video director; Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers, Mimi Valdes & Pharrell Williams, video producers

 

Best Album Cover

 

CHROMAKOPIA, Shaun Llewellyn & Luis “Panch” Perez, art directors (Tyler, The Creator)

 

The Crux, William Wesley II, art director (Djo)

 

Debí Tirar Más Fotos, Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, art director (Bad Bunny)

 

Glory, Cody Critcheloe & Andrew J.S., art directors (Perfume Genius)

 

Moisturizer, Hester Chambers, Ellis Durand, Henry Holmes, Matt de Jong, Jamie-James Medina, Joshua Mobaraki & Rhian Teasdale, art directors (Wet Leg)