2026 Grammys: Historic Wins, Political Statements & Record-Breaking Moments

The 2026 Grammy Awards: A Night of Historic Firsts and Powerful Statements

The 2026 Grammy Awards unfolded as a spectacular evening filled with groundbreaking achievements, poignant political commentary, and unforgettable performances. This year's ceremony witnessed some of music's biggest stars taking the stage to deliver electrifying renditions of their hit tracks, while the awards themselves highlighted significant milestones across various genres.

Record-Breaking Triumphs and Historic Achievements

Kendrick Lamar solidified his legendary status in hip-hop history by becoming the most-awarded rapper of all time at the Grammys. The acclaimed artist secured four trophies during the evening: Best Rap Song, Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Album for "GNX." This remarkable achievement elevated his career Grammy total to an impressive 26 wins, surpassing the previous record held by Jay-Z.

During his acceptance speech, Lamar expressed profound gratitude, stating, "It's an honour to be here. Hip-hop is always going to be right here... We're gonna be having the culture with us." Entering the night with nine nominations, Lamar also shared one of the ceremony's top honors with longtime collaborator SZA, as their collaborative track "Luther" earned the Record of the Year award.

SZA captivated audiences with her heartfelt message during her acceptance speech, saying, "Please don't fall into despair. I know that right now is a scary time... the algorithms tell us that it's so scary and all is lost."

Groundbreaking Wins Across Genres

Bad Bunny created Grammys history by winning Album of the Year for "Debí Tirar Más Fotos," marking the first time an entirely Spanish-language album has claimed the ceremony's highest honor. This represented only the second nomination ever for a fully Spanish album in this prestigious category. Harry Styles, who had previously won Album of the Year, presented the award and was seen embracing an emotional Bad Bunny onstage.

Billie Eilish claimed Song of the Year for "Wildflower," triumphing over strong competition from K-Pop hits "APT" and "Golden." The artist used her platform to deliver a powerful political statement during her acceptance speech, declaring, "As grateful as I feel, I honestly don't feel like I need to say anything but that no one is illegal on stolen land."

Notable Category Winners and Industry Trends

The pop categories saw Lady Gaga secure Best Pop Vocal Album for "Mayhem," while country singer Jelly Roll earned Best Contemporary Country Album for "Beautifully Broken." In the Best New Artist category, Olivia Dean emerged victorious among a talented field of nominees.

Despite generating billions of streams worldwide and achieving historic nominations in top categories, K-Pop acts including Rose and the team behind 'KPop Demon Hunters' once again failed to secure wins, continuing a trend that has sparked significant discussion and disappointment among international music fans.

Complete Winners List: Major Categories

Album of the Year:

"Debí Tirar Más Fotos" - Bad Bunny - WINNER
"Swag" - Justin Bieber
"Man's Best Friend" - Sabrina Carpenter
"Let God Sort Em Out" - Clipse (Pusha T & Malice)
"Mayhem" - Lady Gaga
"GNX" - Kendrick Lamar
"Mutt" - Leon Thomas

Record of the Year:

"DtMF" - Bad Bunny - WINNER
"Manchild" - Sabrina Carpenter
"Anxiety" - Doechii
"Wildflower" - Billie Eilish
"Abracadabra" - Lady Gaga
"Luther" - Kendrick Lamar with SZA - WINNER
"The Subway" - Chappell Roan
"APT." - Rose and Bruno Mars

Song of the Year:

"Wildflower" – Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish) - WINNER
"Abracadabra" - Lady Gaga, Henry Walter & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
"Anxiety" - Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii)
"APT." - Amy Allen, Christopher Brody Brown, Roget Chahayed, Omer Fedi, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Chae Young Park, Theron Thomas & Henry Walter, songwriters (Rose, Bruno Mars)
"DtMF" - Marco Daniel Borrero, Scott Dittrich, Benjamin Falik, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Hugo Rene Sencion Sanabria, Tyler Thomas Spry & Roberto Jose Rosado Torres, songwriters (Bad Bunny)
"Golden [From 'KPop Demon Hunters']" - EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)
"Luther" - Jack Antonoff, Roshwita Larisha Bacha, Matthew Bernard, Scott Bridgeway, Sam Dew, Ink, Kendrick Lamar, Solana Rowe, Mark Anthony Spears & Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar with SZA)
"Manchild" - Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter, songwriters (Sabrina Carpenter)

Best Rap Album: