Pop superstar Justin Bieber made a highly anticipated and rare red-carpet appearance on Sunday, marking his grand return to the Grammy Awards after a four-year absence. The 2026 ceremony, broadcast live on CBS and available for streaming on Paramount+, saw the singer-songwriter accompanied by his wife, model and cosmetics mogul Hailey Bieber, who coordinated with him in a striking all-black ensemble.
Political Statements on the Red Carpet
Hailey Bieber joined numerous other celebrities in making a political statement by donning an anti-ICE pin on the red carpet. She was not alone in this gesture; several stars displayed similar pins. Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops wore an ICE OUT pin over her sheer black bustier and had a row of pins running up the strap of her banjo, which she carried on the carpet. Margo Price added an ICE OUT pin to the shoulder strap of her sheer beige dress with a shredded train, while songwriter of the year winner Amy Allen also joined in wearing the pins.
Grammy Nominations and New Categories
The 68th annual Grammy Awards, often dubbed "Music's Biggest Night," saw rapper Kendrick Lamar leading the nominations with an impressive nine nods. Lady Gaga followed closely with seven nominations, tied with producer Jack Antonoff and renowned pop producer Cirkut. Sabrina Carpenter, whose 2025 album Man's Best Friend earned six nominations, is set to perform during the three-hour show.
This year, the Recording Academy introduced two new categories: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover. The new country category formally splits the previous Best Country Album into two, distinguishing between "contemporary" and "traditional" country music. This change follows Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter sweep at the 2025 ceremony.
Eligibility and Voting Details
Only recordings commercially released in the United States between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025, were eligible for the 2026 nominations. The final round of voting, which determined the winners, took place from December 12, 2025, to January 5, 2026. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. emphasised that the Academy's top priority is to represent the music community accurately and recognise as many deserving creators as possible.
Album of the Year Contenders
The Album of the Year category is particularly competitive this year, featuring big names like Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, and Sabrina Carpenter. Lamar's latest album, GNX, marks his fifth consecutive studio album nominated for Album of the Year—a record no other artist has achieved. If GNX wins, it will be Lamar's first-ever victory in this category. He is also nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year for his single Luther featuring SZA, marking the third time he has had simultaneous nominations in these "big three" categories.
Other notable albums in the running include Bad Bunny's Debí Tirar Más Fotos, which is only the second all-Spanish language album nominated for the top prize, and Justin Bieber's comeback album SWAG, which earned four nominations. This year also sees three albums—GNX, Clipse, Pusha T & Malice's Let God Sort Em Out, and Tyler, the Creator's Chromakopia—competing for both Best Rap Album and Album of the Year, a first in Grammy history.
Performers and Notable Absences
Justin Bieber is confirmed as a performer at the 2026 Grammys, his first stage appearance at the ceremony since 2022. He is nominated for four awards, including Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for SWAG. Adding intrigue to the night, Bieber's ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez is expected to attend with her husband, producer Benny Blanco, as they are nominated for their track Bluest Flame.
Lady Gaga's album MAYHEM is up for Album of the Year, while her hit Abracadabra is nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year—marking the first time she has had nominations in all three categories simultaneously. Other performers include K-pop sensation Rosé, who will take the stage alongside Gaga and Bieber.
Notably absent from the nominations is Taylor Swift, who won Album of the Year last year. Her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, missed the eligibility cutoff by two months, having been released on October 3, 2025. The Record of the Year category features tracks from Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar and SZA, Chappell Roan, and Rosé and Bruno Mars, while Song of the Year nominees are nearly identical, with Chappell Roan's The Subway replaced by Golden from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack.
First-Time Nominees and Broader Competition
The 2026 Grammys feature several first-time nominees, including Tate McRae, Zara Larsson, and PinkPantheress. In total, artists will compete across 95 categories, with the Best New Artist category including global girl group Katseye, Olivia Dean, The Marias, Addison Rae, Sombr, Thomas, Alex Warren, and Lola Young. Harvey Mason Jr. highlighted that this year's nominees reflect a broad and diverse musical landscape, from emerging talent to influential icons.
