Gather around, that’s that time of year again. The first poll for the 2026 Grammy Awards Sent to recording Academy voting members on Friday, and looked at the various strategies that artists, labels and management take to get the best shot at Grammy Gold for next year’s ceremony.
The time, too many, could not be better. Kendrick Lamar Already predicted as a great challenger for their album “GNX” and its Smash singles “Luther” with SZA, with posts scattered across different categories. Bad Bunny secures his bets with “Debí Tirar Más Photos” just days after it was announced that he will perform on 2026 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show. Lady Gaga Is back with a revenge with its nostalgic yet very fresh “devastation” and its singles “Abracadabra” and “illness”. And there are many, many more artists throwing their hats in the ring for victories next year.
There are not lots of curve balls this year compared to last – do you remember how Beyoncé sent eight different songs to different genre categories? – But there are some surprises that we noted on the road. Before the first round ends the vote on October 15 and nominations will be announced on November 7, Amount Ansir through the first vote to answer your burning questions.
Q: Is full Kendrick dominance on the horizon?
A: Possibly. Last year Lamar won with his volatile Smash “Not Like Us” which acquired this year’s Song, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song and Best Music Video. Now armed with a complete album that dropped within the qualified time frame, Lamar put in “GNX” for this year’s album and best rap album. “Luther”, his hit with SZA, is shown in record and song of the year, as well as best melodic rap performance and best music video. His second “gnx” melody “TV off” is in violation of the best rap performance and best rap song.
Another submission for Lamar is in the category Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with its function on SZA’s “30 for 30.” She herself has a handful of tracks in different categories: “Another Life” in the best R&B performance; “Chill Baby” in the best R&B song; “Crybaby” in traditional R&B performance; “BMF” in the best popsolo performance; and “Drive” in music video.
Q: Who fights Kendrick in the rap categories?
A: Clipse, for one. The duo’s critically acclaimed reunion album “Let God sorts EM out” dropped in July, and they submitted it for best rap album. Their song “Chains and Whips” with Lamar and Pharrell Williams (who submitted for this year’s producer, non-classic) are in the best raprestanda and “The Birds Don’t Sing” is shown in the best RAP song.
ElseWhere in the best rap album category are ll cool j’s “The Force,” Kanye West’s “Donda 2,” Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter VI,” Playboi Carti’s “Music,” Jackboys and Travis Scott’s “Jackboys 2,” Tyler, “Tyler’s” Tyler’s “Tyler’s” Tyler, “Tyler,” Tyler’s “Tyler,” Tyler’s “Tyler,” Tyler, “Tyler,” Tyler, “Tyler’s” Tyler, “Tyler,” Tyler’s “Tyler’s” Atake 2, “Among many other.
Q: Did The Weeknd Really bury Grammy Hatchet?
A: He certainly did. Weeknd previously announced a boycott of Gramm 2021 and claims that there has been corruption with its nomination process. So it came as a shock in previous years when he gave a surprise performance during Grammys in February, which signaled an end to his beef with the institution. This year he does not hold back either. He sent in for this year’s album for “Hurry you tomorrow” and the single “Timeless” for record and song of the year. Elsewhere, he shared the difference with posts over different genres including “Cry For Me” in the best Popsolo performance and “São Paulo” with Anitta in the best pop duo/group performance. “Hurry tomorrow” will be shown in the best Pop Vocal album, while “named in fear” is included in the best R&B performance and best R&B song. He makes a bid for visual categories also with “Open Hearts” sent for best music video.
Q: How about Drake and Morgan Wallen? Didn’t they have a problem with Grammys?
A: Yes, and it seems to hold up, at least for the Wallen. Drake praised his nominations in 2022 when The Weeknd was stumbled for “After Hours” the year before. He has not been completely outside the vote, as he has been submitted for functions on other artists’ songs, and this year it looks like PartyExtdoor’s team may have submitted his collaborative album and songs on his behalf. The Duo’s “$ OME $ Exy $ Ong $ 4 U” appears in this year’s album and progressive R&B album, while “Somebody Loves Me” is in record for the year, best RAP song and melodic rap performance (the latter also includes “something about you”).
As for Wallen, the country musician’s team confirmed Amount In August he would not submit himself or any songs from his latest album “I’m the problem” for Grammys, and it still holds. His name is shown in this year’s producer, non-classical Tally, but only as part of the credits for Charlie Stiliga that list four Wallen songs.
Q: Where did Bieber end with the relatively diverse “swag?”
A: Justin Bieber has previously made it known that he was not satisfied when his album “Changes” landed in the pop categories instead of R&B 2020. So this year it seems that he shares the difference with songs from his surprised album “Swag.” He pushes “Daisies” to record and this year’s song, with “Swag” in this year’s album and best pop -vocal album. But here it is where it is bifurging: “Daisies” is in the best popsolo performance, while “Devotion” with Dijon is up for best pop duo/group performance. He also tries to fight in the R&B categories with “Yukon”, listed in the best R&B performance and best R&B song. The visual for “Yukon” was also submitted in the best music video.
Q: Will Grammys meet the moment with Bad Bunny’s latest album?
A: We can only hope so. AmountS Thania Garcia wrote about whether Or not Grammy voters will assign his highest honor’s album-to his politically charged Spanish-speaking album “Debí Terrar Más Photos”, noting that a nomination seems likely but a win can be a long shot. Either way, he starts for the opportunity with “Debí” which is shown in this year’s album and best Musica urban album. He also fights for this year’s record with “Baile Inolvideble” and “DTMF”, the latter was also submitted for this year’s song. Elsewhere, he aims for a nomination in the best global music performance with “eoo.” With Grammys that took place just before the Super Bowl 2026, when he will heading Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, he will still hit big milestones no matter how Grammy Race shakes out.
Q: The last year was filled with large pop emissions from Ariana GrandeLady Gaga and Miley Cyrus. What happens in the pop categories?
A: A lot, actually. Ariana Grande returned earlier this year with her “Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead” album with six (or five and a half, depending on how you look at it) new songs. She knocks on the “Twilight Zone” to take into account this year’s record and song, as well as best Popsolo performance. As for “Defying Gravity”, her duet from “Wicked?” It is sent into the best pop duo/group performance category, while the “wicked” sound track is in this year’s album and best compilation sound track for visual media. (Its points are shown in the respective best points for soundtrack.)
Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus sent across the line with different songs. “Something Beautiful” is listed in this year’s album and best pop -vocal album, while its accompanying visual film was included in the best music film. She throws different songs to different categories – “End of the World” to record and this year’s song, “More to lose” to Best Popsolo performance, “Walk of Fame” with Brittany Howard to best pop duo/group performance and “Easy Lover” to best music video.
And then there is Gaga. She is clearly strategic about where she places her investments with “Mayhem”, which is sent in this year’s album and best pop -vocal album. “Abracadabra” is the most important challenger in the record and this year’s song, as well as best dance pop recording, best music video and best remixed recording for its Gasablestein tag. “Illness” is shown in the best Popsolo performance, while she tries “perfect celebrity” in the best rock performance and best rock song.
Q: And then there is Chappell Roan. She only posts two singles this year, but where could they end up?
A: Chappell Roan had a fantastic trip at Grammy earlier this year after taking home the best new artist. And while she had held hits since then – “Pink Pony Club” will think about – she lost “The Giver” and “The Subway”, both significantly different in sound. “The Subway” is where she bets bigger, sends the track in records and this year’s song, as well as in the best Popsolo performance. But she branches with “The Giver”, the country goals she debuted on “Saturday Night Live” in March. The vote shows “The Giver” on both Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song, giving her a shot at taking home a Grammy for a category outside her standard pop.
