Grammy 2026 Recap: Rosé Goes Home Empty-Handed as One Superstar Wins 5 Awards

The 2026 Grammy Awards officially took place on February 2, once again serving as the music industry’s most prestigious annual event honoring outstanding global achievements. This year’s ceremony brought together top-tier artists and critically acclaimed releases from across the world, ranging from industry veterans to trend-leading new voices, further reinforcing the Grammy Awards’ influence on the international music landscape.

The event drew particular attention from Asian audiences thanks to the presence of K-pop-related nominees, including Golden by Huntr/X and APT. by Rosé. Their inclusion in one of the world’s most prestigious award seasons sparked high expectations and intense discussion about whether Asian artists could pull off a major surprise on the Grammy stage.
In the four biggest general categories, the winners reflected the strongest forces in global music today. Olivia Dean took home Best New Artist, while Luther by Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA won Record of the Year. Song of the Year went to Wildflower by Billie Eilish, and the most coveted award, Album of the Year, was claimed by Bad Bunny for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS .

With this result, Luther not only helped Kendrick Lamar secure Record of the Year for the second consecutive year, but also solidified his dominance at the 2026 Grammys. Kendrick Lamar ended the night with an impressive total of five wins, reaffirming his enduring influence and authority within both the hip-hop genre and the wider music industry.

Billie Eilish also made history by winning Song of the Year with Wildflower . This victory officially made her the artist with the most Song of the Year wins in Grammy history, following her previous triumphs with Bad Guy (2020), What Was I Made For? (2024), and now Wildflower (2026). At just 25 years old and a decade into her career, Billie Eilish has established herself as one of the defining artists of her generation.

Another highlight of the night was the recognition of a K-pop representative, as Golden by Huntr/X won Best Song Written for Visual Media. The track, part of a film soundtrack, had already achieved notable success throughout the year and garnered international acclaim. Its Grammy win was widely seen as a testament to the growing global impact and artistic recognition of K-pop.

On the other hand, APT. , the highly anticipated collaboration between Rosé and Bruno Mars, ended the night without any wins, despite strong pre-ceremony expectations. Notably, this outcome also marked the end of Bruno Mars’ uninterrupted Grammy-winning streak that had lasted since 2018.

Sabrina Carpenter was another artist who left fans disappointed. Despite strong critical praise for her album Man’s Best Friend , she failed to secure a Grammy win amid fierce competition from heavyweight contenders this year. As a result, the beloved Man’s Best Friend era has yet to be crowned with a Grammy trophy.

Overall, Grammy 2026 delivered record-breaking achievements, unexpected outcomes, and meaningful milestones, reflecting both the evolving global music scene and the increasingly prominent presence of diverse voices on the world’s biggest musical stage.

Album of the Year: DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – Bad Bunny

Record of the Year: Luther – Kendrick Lamar & SZA

Song of the Year: Billie Eilish – Wildflower

Best New Artist: Olivia DeanProducer of the Year: Cirkut

Songwriter of the Year: Amy Allen

Best Music Video: Doechii – Anxiety

Pop & Dance/Electronic

Best Pop Solo Performance: Lola Young – Messy

Best Pop Vocal Album: Lady Gaga – Mayhem

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande – Defying Gravity

Best Dance-Pop Recording: Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

Best Dance/Electronic Album: FKA Twigs – Eusexua

Best Dance/Electronic Recording: Tame Impala – End of Summer

Rock, Metal & Alternative

Best Rock Album: Turnstile – Never EnoughBest Rock Performance: Yungblud – Changes (Live from Villa Park, Back to the Beginning)

Best Rock Song: Nine Inch Nails – As Alive as You Need Me to Be

Best Metal Performance: Turnstile – Birds

Best Alternative Music Album: The Cure – Songs of a Lost World

Best Alternative Music Performance: The Cure – Alone

R&B, Rap & Urban

Best Latin Pop Album: Natalia Lafourcade – Cancionera

Best R&B Album: Leon Thomas – Mutt

Best R&B Performance: Kehlani – Folded

Best Traditional R&B Performance: Leon Thomas – Vibes Don’t Lie

Best R&B Song: Kehlani – FoldedBest Rap Album: Kendrick Lamar – GNX

Best Rap Performance: Clipse – Chains & Whips (ft. Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams)

Best Rap Song: Kendrick Lamar ft. Lefty Gunplay – TV Off

Best Melodic Rap Performance: Kendrick Lamar with SZA – Luther

Best Música Urbana Album: Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos

Country & Folk

Best Contemporary Country Album: Jelly Roll – Beautifully Broken

Best Traditional Country Album: Zach Top – Ain’t In It for My Health

Best Country Solo Performance: Chris Stapleton – Bad As I Used to Be

Best Country Song: Tyler Childers – Bitin’ List

Best Folk Album: I’m With Her – Wild and Clear and Blue

Global, Jazz & Classical

Best Global Music Performance: Bad Bunny – EoO

Best African Music Performance: Tyla – Push 2 Start

Best Jazz Performance: Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade – Windows (Live)

Best Orchestral Performance: Andris Nelsons (Boston Symphony Orchestra) – Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: Sinners

Best Song Written for Visual Media: Huntr/x – Golden ( KPop: Demon Hunters )

Best Comedy Album: Nate Bargatze – Your Friend, Nate Bargatze

Sources: Netizenbuzz