There are years when all people has a reasonably good thought of who’s prone to win within the marquee classes on the Grammy Awards. The most effective instance is 1984, which became a digital coronation of Michael Jackson as the most well liked pop star on the planet. He received a record-setting eight Grammys that night time, together with album and report of the 12 months. Or 1999, when Santana equaled Jackson’s eight-Grammy sweep, additionally taking album and report of the 12 months. Or 2012, when Adele cemented her superstardom by tying Beyoncé’s report for probably the most Grammy wins by a feminine artist in a single night time (six).
2026 was most positively not a type of years. Every of the so-called Massive 4 Awards — album, report and track of the 12 months plus greatest new artist — was mainly too near name.
Would album of the 12 months go to Kendrick Lamar in the end, or to Unhealthy Bunny?
Would report of the 12 months go to the Kendrick Lamar and SZA collab “Luther,” or to the ROSÉ and Bruno Mars pairing, “APT.”?
Would track of the 12 months go to “Golden,” the worldwide smash from KPop Demon Hunters, or possibly to “Luther” or “APT.”? (I didn’t suppose “Wildflower” would place within the high three.)
Would greatest new artist go to Leon Thomas, this 12 months’s solely greatest new artist nominee who landed one other Massive 4 nod (album of the 12 months for Mutt), or to Olivia Dean or sombr, each of whom leveled up in reputation simply as ballots have been being forged?
By now you recognize the solutions to those questions: Bunny, “Luther,” “Wildflower” and Dean, respectively. Of those 4 classes, solely “Wildflower” may actually be referred to as a shock winner, however there have been loads of surprises among the many 95 awards offered on Feb. 1. Listed below are among the largest snubs and surprises of Grammy night time 2026.
Snub: Sabrina Carpenter
Carpenter went 0-6 on the night time, a disappointment after she went 2-4 final 12 months, profitable greatest pop vocal album and greatest pop solo efficiency. On the plus aspect, Carpenter was the one artist to carry out on each the 2025 and 2026 telecasts, with elaborate productions each instances. Final 12 months, she delivered a medley of “Please Please Please” and “Espresso.” This 12 months, she provided an airport-set efficiency of “Manchild.”
Shock: Lola Younger
Younger’s “Messy” received greatest pop solo efficiency, beating Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” which was nominated for each report and track of the 12 months, and Chappell Roan’s “The Subway,” which was nominated for report of the 12 months, amongst others. “Messy” was not nominated in both of these marquee classes. If it had been, it may need been a contender.
Shock: Billie Eilish and Finneas
The siblings grew to become the primary three-time winners of track of the 12 months in Grammy historical past. They received this 12 months for “Wildflower,” having beforehand received for “Unhealthy Man” and “What Was I Made For?” The track was a giant hit, however wasn’t practically as massive as a number of of the opposite nominees within the class, together with three songs that topped the Scorching 100 (“Golden,” “Luther” and “Manchild.”) Additionally, it was the fourth single from Eilish’s newest album, Hit Me Laborious and Smooth, following “Lunch,” “Birds of a Feather” and “Chihiro.” It’s uncommon for a track launched this deep into an album’s run to make this sturdy an impression.
Shock: Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande
Erivo and Grande received greatest pop duo/group efficiency for “Defying Gravity,” beating 4 songs that have been a lot larger radio hits. It was additionally a shock as a result of there was some backlash to the sequel, Depraved: For Good. It was nonetheless a ginormous hit, however not as massive as the primary Depraved. And there was that slicing (however fairly humorous) jab that host Nikki Glaser made on the Golden Globes, calling the movie Depraved: For Cash. However backlash or no, Erivo and Grande are each very good singers, and this can be a class that focuses on vocal efficiency. Grande received within the class 5 years in the past for “Rain on Me,” a collab with Woman Gaga.
Shock: The Treatment
The Treatment received its first Grammys in a 50-year profession — greatest different music album for Songs of a Misplaced World and greatest different music efficiency for “Alone.” The Treatment’s solely earlier Grammy nods have been for Want and Bloodflowers, each of which have been nominated for greatest different music album.
Shock: Jelly Roll
Jelly’s Superbly Damaged received greatest up to date nation album. The undertaking entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 in late 2024 and was nominated for album of the 12 months on the Academy of Nation Music Awards in early 2025. But it surely was subsequently handed over for a nod in that class on the Nation Music Affiliation Awards, which appeared to dim its Grammy prospects.
Jelly Roll received two different awards on the night time: greatest nation duo/group efficiency for “Amen” with Shaboozey, and greatest up to date Christian music efficiency/track for “Laborious Fought Hallelujah” with Brandon Lake.
Snub: Eric Church
Church’s Evangeline Vs. the Machine misplaced its bid to win greatest up to date nation album. Church’s profession Grammy observe report now stands at 0-11. Church has received album of the 12 months twice on the CMA Awards and as soon as on the ACM Awards. Billboard ranked his album No. 1 on its listing of the ten greatest nation albums of 2025.
Not Actually Snubs, Simply Disappointments: Darren Criss, Trevor Noah
Criss and Noah each did an important job internet hosting the Grammy Premiere Ceremony and the reside telecast, respectively, however that didn’t translate right into a Grammy win for both artist. Criss was nominated for greatest musical theater album for Perhaps Pleased Ending (for which he received a Tony in June), however misplaced to Buena Vista Social Membership. Noah was nominated for greatest audio e-book, narration and storytelling recording for Into the Uncut Grass, however misplaced to The Dalai Lama’s Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.
Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox
Signal Up
