Rapper Kendrick Lamar has topped the list of contenders for the 2026 Grammy Awards, securing nine nominations for the second consecutive year. Close behind is pop superstar Lady Gaga, who received seven nods, as both artists prepare to compete for the Album of the Year honour at next February’s ceremony.
Lamar’s acclaimed album GNX and Gaga’s MAYHEM will go head-to-head for the prestigious award — a category neither artist has yet managed to win, despite multiple past nominations.
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Strong Competition Across Genres
Other nominees for Album of the Year include Bad Bunny for his Spanish-language album Debí Tirar Más Fotos, Justin Bieber for Swag, and Sabrina Carpenter for Man’s Best Friend.
Three rap albums made the cut this year: Lamar’s GNX, Tyler, the Creator’s Chromakopia, and Let God Sort ’Em Out by Clipse.
Notably, Taylor Swift — who holds a record four wins in the Album of the Year category — was absent from the list, as her latest release, The Life of a Showgirl, fell outside the current Grammy eligibility period.
Bad Bunny Makes History
Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, who is set to headline next year’s Super Bowl halftime show, earned six nominations, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year. His inclusion makes him the first Latin artist ever nominated in all three major categories in the same year.
Music industry analyst Paul Grein of Billboard believes the race for Album of the Year is likely to come down to Lamar and Gaga.
“I think it’s between Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar,” Grein said. “I’d give the edge to Kendrick — he could become the first solo male rap artist to win the award. But you can never count out Gaga; she’s universally admired.”
K-Pop’s Breakthrough Moment
Two K-pop hits earned nods for Song of the Year, an award that recognises songwriters: the global smash “Golden” from the Netflix animated blockbuster KPop Demon Hunters — now the most-watched film in the platform’s history — and “APT.” by Rosé and Bruno Mars.
“Golden” received three nominations in total.
“Never did I imagine this level of success,” said Rei Ami, one of the voices behind HUNTR/X, the fictional group featured in Demon Hunters. “It’s really hard for all of us to process.”
“APT.” also landed nominations for Record of the Year — awarded to performers and producers — and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Other nominees in these categories include Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” Lamar and SZA’s “Luther,” and Bad Bunny’s “DtMF.”
Emerging Artists in the Spotlight
The Best New Artist category will see Olivia Dean and KATSEYE competing against Leon Thomas, Alex Warren, and several others. Thomas, an R&B and soul musician, also earned an Album of the Year nomination for his project Mutt.
Winners will be determined by approximately 15,000 voting members of the Recording Academy and announced at a red-carpet ceremony in Los Angeles on 1 February 2026.
The 2026 Grammy Awards promise to be a landmark event, spotlighting a diverse range of global talent and potentially marking a historic breakthrough for both Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga.