The 2026 Grammy Awards were held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, honoring music released between Aug 31, 2024, and Aug 30, 2025. Trevor Noah hosted the show, broadcast on CBS and Paramount+.
Major Winners
Here are some of the night’s top honors:
- Album of the Year: Debí Tirar Más Fotos — Bad Bunny (first Spanish-language album to win this category)
- Record of the Year: “Luther” — Kendrick Lamar with SZA
- Song of the Year: “Wildflower” — Billie Eilish & Finneas
- Best New Artist: Olivia Dean
Overall, artists from across genres — from Bad Bunny and Kendrick Lamar to Lady Gaga and Billy Eilish — took home major Grammy wins.
Black/Brown Queer Artists & Big Moments
Durand Bernarr
- At the Grammy Premiere Ceremony (the earlier, non-televised portion of the Grammys), Durand Bernarr won Best Progressive R&B Album for Bloom — a significant win for the Black queer R&B artist.
- In his acceptance speech, Bernarr dedicated the award to independent creators and queer visibility, saying authenticity and community care matter.
Doechii
- Doechii’s song “Anxiety” was nominated in major categories such as Record of the Year (it did not win) — highlighting queer representation in broader award fields.
Other queer artists like Sabrina Carpenter (who has publicly discussed being queer) were nominated and had visibility across categories (e.g., Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Solo Performance) — though they did not win in all those categories.
Important nuance: While the biggest headline winners (Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year) were not queer artists themselves, Black and Brown queer artists like Durand Bernarr did notch historic and meaningful Grammy wins and nominations this year — representing progress in categories beyond the spotlight telecast.
Other Noteworthy Moments
- Several artists made cultural and political statements during their speeches and appearances (e.g., criticizing immigration enforcement), showing that the night also doubled as a platform for advocacy.
- The full ceremony highlighted music creators across identities and genres, including globally influential artists and performers from diverse backgrounds.
