US rapper Kendrick Lamar tops the field for the 2026 Grammy Awards with nine nods, including for his album “GNX” and collaboration “luther” with SZA, as the music industry’s top honors gear up for Sunday’s gala in Los Angeles, where global stars like Lady Gaga and Bad Bunny also vie for major prizes.
Lamar’s haul edges out Gaga’s seven nominations, while Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and Leon Thomas each secure six, reflecting a diverse slate blending hip-hop, pop, and Latin influences.
In Album of the Year, contenders span Gaga’s “Mayhem,” Lamar’s “GNX,” Tyler, The Creator’s “Chromakopia,” and Bad Bunny’s “Debi Tirar Mas Fotos,” alongside entries from Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Clipse, and Leon Thomas.
Record of the Year pits Bad Bunny’s “DtMF” against Carpenter’s “Manchild,” Doechii’s “Anxiety,” Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower,” Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” Lamar and SZA’s “luther,” Chappell Roan’s “The Subway,” and Rose with Bruno Mars’ “APT.”
Song of the Year nominees include Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” Doechii’s “Anxiety,” the collaborative “APT.,” Bad Bunny’s “DtMF,” “Golden [From ‘KPop Demon Hunters’]” by HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI, Lamar and SZA’s “luther,” Carpenter’s “Manchild,” and Eilish’s “Wildflower.”
Best New Artist features Olivia Dean, KATSEYE, The Marias, Addison Rae, sombr, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren, and Lola Young.
African talent shines in Best African Music Performance, with Nigeria’s Burna Boy nominated for “Love,” Davido featuring Omah Lay on “With You,” Ayra Starr and Wizkid’s “Gimme Dat,” alongside Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin’s “Hope & Love,” and South Africa’s Tyla for “PUSH 2 START.”
Burna Boy also competes in Best Global Music Album for “No Sign of Weakness,” underscoring the growing international footprint of Afrobeats and African sounds at the Grammys.
The 68th edition promises a celebration of musical innovation, with the Recording Academy highlighting cross-cultural collaborations amid a year of chart-topping diversity.
