The 2026 Grammy Awards, held on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, featured historic wins across genres, with Bad Bunny becoming the first artist to win album of the year for a Spanish-language project. Kendrick Lamar and SZA took record of the year for their collaboration "Luther," while Billie Eilish claimed song of the year for "Wildflower." Olivia Dean won best new artist, capping a night of tributes, bold outfits, and standout performances.
The 2026 Grammy Awards unfolded with a sense of egalitarianism, as four different artists claimed the Big Four categories: album of the year, record of the year, song of the year, and best new artist. Bad Bunny made history by winning album of the year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, the first entirely Spanish-language album to take the prize. Tearfully accepting from presenter Harry Styles, he began in Spanish: “Puerto Rico... There’s nothing we can’t achieve. Thank you to God, thank you to the Academy... I want to dedicate this award to all the people that had to leave their homeland... to follow their dreams.” The Puerto Rican star beat nominees including Kendrick Lamar's GNX, Lady Gaga's Mayhem, and Tyler, the Creator's Chromakopia, marking his sixth Grammy and first in a Big Four category.
Kendrick Lamar and SZA won record of the year for “Luther,” a ballad sampling Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn's 1982 rendition of “If This World Were Mine.” Presenter Cher briefly misnamed the winner as Luther Vandross, prompting an apology, but SZA defended her: “We share the frequency of the song... She probably really knew Luther Vandross.” Lamar honored the late singer: “Luther Vandross is one of my favorite artists of all time... They granted us the privilege... No cursing though.” The track held the Billboard Hot 100's top spot for 13 weeks. Billie Eilish's “Wildflower,” re-released from her 2024 album Hit Me Hard and Soft, won song of the year; she used her speech to say, “No one is illegal on stolen land... fuck ICE.” Olivia Dean claimed best new artist, stating, “I’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant... We’re nothing without each other.”
Other highlights included Lady Gaga's wins for best pop vocal album (Mayhem) and best dance pop recording (“Abracadabra”), Lola Young's best pop solo performance (“Messy”), and Clipse's best rap performance (“Chains & Whips”). Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande took best pop duo/group for “Defying Gravity,” while “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters won best song written for visual media. Performances ranged from Post Malone, Slash, and Duff McKagan's tribute to Ozzy Osbourne with Black Sabbath's “War Pigs” to Lauryn Hill's medley honoring D’Angelo and Roberta Flack, joined by Wyclef Jean, John Legend, and others. Clipse reunited with Pharrell Williams for “So Far Ahead,” ending in faux snow. Cher accepted a lifetime achievement award, advising, “Never give up on your dream.” Chappell Roan's sheer Mugler gown sparked buzz, which she captioned as “awesome and weird.” Jelly Roll won the new best contemporary country album for Beautifully Broken. The ceremony reflected broad representation, following Beyoncé's 2025 album of the year win for Cowboy Carter.
