Kendrick Lamar Dominates 2026 Grammy Nominations: Nine Nods, History on the Line
Written by b87fm on 11/07/2025
NEW YORK (AP) — The Grammys just crowned their frontrunner, and it’s not even February yet. Kendrick Lamar leads the pack at the 2026 Grammy Awards with a staggering nine nominations, cementing his status as one of music’s most enduring powerhouses.
The Compton rapper scored nods in all the major categories — record, song, and album of the year — marking the third time he’s pulled off that triple feat. His critically acclaimed album “GNX” continues to define this era of hip-hop, earning Lamar a shot at making Grammy history. If “GNX” wins Album of the Year, it would be only the third rap album ever to take the top prize, joining Outkast’s “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” (2004) and Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” (1999).
With 22 Grammys and 66 nominations already under his belt, Lamar’s fifth consecutive Album of the Year nod breaks new ground — no other artist has achieved that streak.
Gaga, Antonoff, and Cirkut Close Behind
Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff, and Canadian producer Cirkut each landed seven nominations. Gaga, returning with her smash “Mayhem,” earned simultaneous nods for record, song, and album of the year for the first time in her career, alongside additional nominations in the pop and dance categories.
Antonoff continues his hot streak, racking up double nominations in the top categories for his work with both Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter, and earning his first-ever rap nomination for “tv off” with Lamar and Lefty Gunplay. Meanwhile, Cirkut is up for record and song of the year twice — for Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” and Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “APT.”
Antonoff and Cirkut also face off in the Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) category, with Antonoff eyeing a chance to tie Babyface’s career record of four wins.
Album of the Year: A Diverse, Genre-Blurring Field
The Album of the Year race is stacked: “GNX” (Kendrick Lamar), “Mayhem” (Lady Gaga), “Man’s Best Friend” (Sabrina Carpenter), “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” (Bad Bunny), “Swag” (Justin Bieber), “Let God Sort Em Out” (Clipse, Pusha T & Malice), “Mutt” (Leon Thomas), and “Chromakopia” (Tyler, The Creator).
For the first time, three rap albums — “GNX,” “Let God Sort Em Out,” and “Chromakopia” — are competing for Album of the Year. Bad Bunny also makes history again, as “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” becomes only the second all-Spanish album ever nominated for the top prize.
Reggae Heavyweights Battle for 2026 Grammy Glory
The 2026 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album is shaping up to be one of the most competitive races in recent memory. The list of nominees celebrates a powerful cross-section of modern reggae — from roots purists to global hitmakers.
Vybz Kartel – Heart & Soul, Lila Iké – Treasure Self Love, Keznamdi – Blxxd & Fyah,
Mortimer – From Within, and Jesse Royal – No Place Like Home
These five albums capture the diversity and strength of contemporary reggae, reflecting the genre’s global influence and its enduring roots in Jamaican identity. With such a strong lineup, the Best Reggae Album category is one to watch — and to feel.
Other Notable Nominees
Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Leon Thomas, and Serban Ghenea each scored six nominations, while Andrew Watt, Clipse, Doechii, Sounwave, SZA, Turnstile, and Tyler, The Creator all grabbed five.
The Best New Artist category brings a global mix: Katseye, Olivia Dean, The Marias, Addison Rae, sombr, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren, and Lola Young.
In the Record of the Year field, Rosé becomes the first-ever K-pop artist nominated, for her collaboration with Bruno Mars on “APT.” The full list includes Bad Bunny’s “DtMF”, Carpenter’s “Manchild”, Doechii’s “Anxiety”, Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower”, Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra”, Lamar & SZA’s “luther”, Chappell Roan’s “The Subway”, and Rosé & Bruno Mars’ “APT.”
Eilish’s “Wildflower” entry raised eyebrows — but it qualifies under Academy rules allowing reentry of unsubmitted material from the prior year.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. praised the class, saying, “This year’s nominees reflect the incredible diversity and creativity driving music forward.”
When and Where to Watch
The 2026 Grammy Awards air Feb. 1 live on CBS and Paramount+ from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Final voting runs from Dec. 12 through Jan. 5.
Music’s biggest night is shaping up to be Kendrick Lamar’s to lose. Check out list of nominees and read the full 2026 GRAMMYS nominations at grammy.com.
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