2026 Grammy Predictions

Over the past week, I have been releasing my Grammy predictions on my podcast, Groupie and Harmony.  I also included a summary of all my predictions.  For more in depth analysis for each award and for another nominee that I find interesting, please check out the respective episode.

General

Record of the Year (ROTY)

1. “APT.”, Rose & Bruno Mars
2. “Abracadabra”, Lady Gaga
3. “Manchild”, Sabrina Carpenter
4. “Luther”, Kendrick Lamar & SZA
5. “DTMF”, Bad Bunny
6. “The Subway”, Chappell Roan
7. “Wildflower”, Billie Eilish
8. “Anxiety”, Doechii

Album of the Year (AOTY)

1. Mayhem, Lady Gaga
2. Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter
3. Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, Bad Bunny
4. GNX, Kendrick Lamar
5. Chromakopia, Tyler, the Creator
6. Mutt, Leon Thomas
7. Swag, Justin Bieber
8. Let God Sort Em Out, Clipse

Song of the Year (SOTY)

1. “Abracadabra”, Lady Gaga
2. “Manchild”, Sabrina Carpenter
3. “Golden” (from KPop Demon Hunters), Huntrix
4. “Luther”, Kendrick Lamar & SZA
5. “Wildflower”, Billie Eilish
6. “APT.”, Rose & Bruno Mars
7. “DTMF”, Bad Bunny
8. “Anxiety”, Doechii

Best New Artist

1. Leon Thomas
2. Olivia Dean
3. Alex Warren
4. Lola Young
5. Katseye
6. The Marias
7. Addison Rae
8. Sombr

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical (POTY)

1. Cirkut
2. Dan Auerbach
3. Dijon
4. Sounwave
5. Blake Mills

Songwriter of the Year (SWOTY)

1. Amy Allen
2. Tobias Jesso Jr.
3. Laura Veltz
4. Edgar Barrera
5. Jessie Jo Dillon

 

Pop & Dance/Electronic

Best Pop Solo Performance

1. “Manchild”, Sabrina Carpenter
2. “The Subway”, Chappell Roan
3. “Messy”, Lola Young
4. “Disease”, Lady Gaga
5. “Daisies”, Justin Bieber

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

1. “APT.”, Rose & Bruno Mars
2. “Golden” (from KPop Demon Hunters), Huntrix
3. “Defying Gravity”, Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande
4. “30 for 30”, SZA feat. Kendrick Lamar
5. “Gabriela”, Katseye

Best Pop Vocal Album

1. Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter
2. Mayhem, Lady Gaga
3. Swag, Justin Bieber
4. I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2), Teddy Swims
5. Something Beautiful, Miley Cyrus

Best Dance/Electronic Album

1. Eusexua, FKA Twigs
2. Ten Days, Fred Again…
3. Fuck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol But Ur Not!! <3, Skrillex
4. Inhale/Exhale, Rüfüs Du Sol
5. Fancy That, PinkPantheress

Best Dance Pop Recording

1. “Abracadabra”, Lady Gaga
2. “Just Keep Watching” (from F1 the Movie), Tate McRae
3. “Bluest Flame”, Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco
4. “Midnight Sun”, Zara Larsson
5. “Illegal”, PinkPantheress

Best Dance/Electronic Recording

1. “Voltage”, Skrillex
2. “End of Summer”, Tame Impala
3. “Space Invader”, Kaytranada
4. “Victory Lap”, Fred Again, Skepta, & PlaqueBoyMax
5. “No Cap”, Disclosure & Anderson .Paak

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical

1. “Abracadabra” (Gesaffelstein Remix), Lady Gaga & Gesaffelstein
2. “Golden” (David Guetta Rem/x), Huntrix
3. “Don’t Forget About Us”, Mariah Carey & Kaytranada
4. “Galvanize”, The Chemical Brothers & Chris Lake
5. “A Dreams a Dream” (Ron Trent Remix), Soul II Soul

 

Rock, Metal & Alternative

Best Rock Performance

1. “The Emptiness Machine”, Linkin Park
2. “Mirtazapine”, Hayley Williams
3. “Never Enough”, Turnstile
4. “U Should Not Be Doing That”, Amyl and the Sniffers
5. “Changes (Live from Villa Park) Back to the Beginning”, Yungblud feat. Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello, Adam Wakeman and II of Sleep Token

Best Metal Performance

1. “Night Terror”, Dream Theater
2. “Lachryma”, Ghost
3. “Soft Spine”, Spiritbox
4. “Emergence”, Sleep Token
5. “Birds”, Turnstile

Best Rock Song

1. “As Alive as You Need Me to Be”, Nine Inch Nails
2. “Glum”, Hayley Williams
3. “Never Enough”, Turnstile
4. “Caramel”, Sleep Token
5. “Zombie”, Yungblud

Best Rock Album

1. Private Music, Deftones
2. From Zero, Linkin Park
3. Never Enough, Turnstile
4. I Quit, Haim
5. Idols, Yungblud

Best Alternative Music Performance

1. “Everything Is Peaceful Love”, Bon Iver
2. “Parachute”, Hayley Williams
3. “Mangetout”, Wet Leg
4. “Alone”, The Cure
5. “Seein’ Stars”, Turnstile

Best Alternative Music Album

1. Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, Hayley Williams
2. Moisturizer, Wet Leg
3. Sable, Fable, Bon Iver
4. Songs of a Lost World, The Cure
5. Don’t Tap the Glass, Tyler, the Creator

 

R&B, Rap & Spoken Word Poetry

Best R&B Performance

1. “Mutt (Live from NRP’s Tiny Desk)”, Leon Thomas
2. “Folded”, Kehlani
3. “Heart of a Woman”, Summer Walker
4. “Yukon”, Justin Bieber
5. “It Depends”, Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller

Best Traditional R&B Performance

1. “Crybaby”, SZA
2. “Vibes Don’t Lie”, Leon Thomas
3. “Uptown”, Lalah Hathaway
4. “Here We Are”, Durand Bernarr
5. “Love You Too”, Ledisi

Best R&B Song

1. “Folded”, Kehlani
2. “Heart of a Woman”, Summer Walker
3. “It Depends”, Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller
4. “Yes It Is”, Leon Thomas
5. “Overqualified”, Durand Bernarr

Best Progressive R&B Album

1. Access All Areas, FLO
2. Come As You Are, Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon
3. Bloom, Durand Bernarr
4. Adjust Brightness, Bilal
5. Love on Digital, Destin Conrad

Best R&B Album

1. Mutt, Leon Thomas
2. Beloved, Giveon
3. Why Not More?, Coco Jones
4. The Crown, Ledisi
5. Escape Room, Teyana Taylor

Best Rap Performance

1. “TV Off”, Kendrick Lamar feat. Lefty Gunplay
2. “Anxiety”, Doechii
3. “Darling, I”, Tyler, the Creator feat. Teezo Touchdown
4. “Chains & Whips”, Clipse feat. Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams
5. “Outside”, Cardi B

Best Melodic Rap Performance

1. “Luther”, Kendrick Lamar & SZA
2. “Proud of Me”, Fridayy feat. Meek Mill
3. “Somebody Loves Me”, PartyNextDoor & Drake
4. “Wholeheartedly”, JID feat. Ty Dolla $ign & 6lack
5. “WeMaj”, Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon feat. Rapsody

Best Rap Song

1. “TV Off”, Kendrick Lamar feat. Lefty Gunplay
2. “Anxiety”, Doechii
3. “Sticky”, Tyler, the Creator feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne
4. “The Birds Don’t Sing”, Clipse feat. John Legend & Voices of Fire
5. “TGIF”, GloRilla

Best Rap Album

1. GNX, Kendrick Lamar
2. Chromakopia, Tyler, the Creator
3. Let God Sort Em Out, Clipse
4. Glorious, GloRilla
5. God Does Like Ugly, JID

Best Spoken Word Poetry Album

1. Pages, Omari Hardwick & Anthony Hamilton
2. Words for Days Vol. 1, Mad Skillz
3. Saul Williams Meets Carlos Nino & Friends at Treepeople, Saul Williams, Carlos Nino & Friends
4. A Hurricane in Heels: healed people don’t act like that – partially recorded live @City Winery & other places, Queen Sheba
5. Black Shaman, Marc Marcel

 

Jazz, Traditional Pop, Contemporary Instrumental & Musical Theater

Best Alternative Jazz Album

1. Ride into the Sun, Brad Mehldau
2. Keys to the City Volume One, Robert Glasper
3. Honey from a Winter Stone, Ambrose Akinmusire
4. Live-Action, Nate Smith
5. Blues Blood, Immanuel Wilkins

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

1. A Matter of Time, Laufey
2. Who Believes in Angels?, Elton John & Brandi Carlile
3. Harlequin, Lady Gaga
4. The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume 2, Barbara Streisand
5. The Gift of Love, Jennifer Hudson
6. Wintersongs, Laila Biali

 

Country & American Roots

Best Country Solo Performance

1. “Bad as I Used to Be” (from F1 the Movie), Chris Stapleton
2. “Somewhere Over Laredo”, Lainey Wilson
3. “Nose on the Grindstone”, Tyler Childers
4. “Good News”, Shaboozey
5. “I Never Lie”, Zach Top

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

1. “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame”, George Strait & Chris Stapleton
2. “Amen”, Shaboozey & Jelly Roll
3. “A Song to Sing”, Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
4. “Love Me Like You Used to Do”, Margo Price & Tyler Childers
5. “Trailblazer”, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert & Lainey Wilson

Best Contemporary Country Album

1. Patterns, Kelsea Ballerini
2. Beautifully Broken, Jelly Roll
3. Postcards from Texas, Miranda Lambert
4. Snipe Hunter, Tyler Childers
5. Evangeline vs. the Machine, Eric Church

Best Traditional Country Album

1. Oh What a Beautiful World, Willie Nelson
2. Hard Headed Woman, Margo Price
3. Dollar a Day, Charley Crockett
4. American Romance, Lukas Nelson
5. Ain’t in It for My Health, Zach Top

Best Country Song

1. “Somewhere Over Laredo”, Lainey Wilson
2. “A Song to Sing”, Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
3. “Bitin’ List”, Tyler Childers
4. “Good News”, Shaboozey
5. “I Never Lie”, Zach Top

Best American Roots Song

1. “Foxes in the Snow”, Jason Isbell
2. “Ancient Light”, I’m With Her
3. “Big Money”, Jon Batiste
4. “Spitfire”, Sierra Hull
5. “Middle”, Jesse Welles

Best American Roots Performance

1. “Richmond on the James”, Alison Krauss & Union Station
2. “Crimson and Clay”, Jason Isbell
3. “Ancient Light”, I’m With Her
4. “Lonely Avenue”, Jon Batiste feat. Randy Newman
5. “Beautiful Strangers”, Mavis Staples

Best Americana Performance

1. “Horses”, Jesse Welles
2. “That’s Gonna Leave a Mark”, Molly Tuttle
3. “Godspeed”, Mavis Staples
4. “Boom”, Sierra Hull
5. “Poison in My Well”, Maggie Rose & Grace Potter

Best Americana Album

1. So Long Little Miss Sunshine, Molly Tuttle
2. Last Leaf on the Tree, Willie Nelson
3. Big Money, Jon Batiste
4. Middle, Jesse Welles
5. Bloom, Larkin Poe

Best Bluegrass Album

1. Highway Prayers, Billy Strings
2. Arcadia, Alison Krauss & Union Station
3. Carter & Cleveland, Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter
4. Outrun, The SteelDrivers
5. A Tip Toe High Wire, Sierra Hull

Best Folk Album

1. Foxes in the Snow, Jason Isbell
2. Wild and Clear and Blue, I’m With Her
3. What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow, Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson
4. Crown of Roses, Patty Griffin
5. Under the Powerlines April 24 – September 24, Jesse Welles

 

Gospel & Contemporary Christian

Best Gospel Performance/Song

1. “Do It Again”, Kirk Franklin
2. “Church”, Tasha Cobbs Leonard & John Legend
3. “Come Jesus Come”, CeCe Winans feat. Shirley Caesar
4. “Still Live”, Jonathan McReynolds & Jamal Roberts
5. “Amen”, Pastor Mike Jr.

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

1. “Your Way’s Better”, Forrest Frank
2. “Hard Fought Hallelujah”, Brandon Lake with Jelly Roll
3. “Headphones”, Lecrae, Killer Mike & T.I.
4. “I Know a Name”, Elevation Worship, Chris Brown & Brandon Lake
5. “Amazing”, Darrel Walls & PJ Morton

Best Gospel Album

1. Only On the Road Live, Tye Tribbett
2. Live Breathe Fight, Tamela Mann
3. Heart of Mine, Darrel Walls & PJ Morton
4. Tasha, Tasha Cobbs Leonard
5. Sunny Days, Yolanda Adams

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

1. King of Hearts, Brandon Lake
2. Child of God II, Forrest Frank
3. Reconstruction, Lecrae
4. Coritos Vol. 1, Israel & New Breed
5. Let the Church Sing, Tauren Wells

Best Roots Gospel Album

1. Then Came the Morning, Gaither Vocal Band
2. Back to My Roots, Candi Station
3. Good Answers, Karen Peck and New River
4. Praise & Worship: More Than a Hollow Hallelujah, The Isaacs
5. I Will Not Be Moved – Live, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

 

Latin, Global, African, Reggae & New Age, Ambient or Chant

Best Latin Pop Album

1. Tropicoqueta, Karol G
2. Cosa Nuestra, Rauw Alejandro
3. Y Ahora Que?, Alejandro Sanz
4. Cancionera, Natalia Lafourcade
5. Bogota Deluxe, Andres Cepeda

Best Musica Urbana Album

1. Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, Bad Bunny
2. Mixteip, J Balvin
3. Ferxxo Vol X: Sagrado, Feid
4. Sinfonico – En Vivo, Yandel
5. Naiki, Nicki Nicole
6. EUB Deluxe, Trueno

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

1. Papota, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso
2. Astropical, Bomba Estereo & Rawayana (Astropical)
3. Genes Rebeldes, Aterciopelados
4. Novela, Fito Paez
5. Algorythm, Los Wizzards

Best Musica Mexicana Album (including Tejano)

1. Palabra de To’s (Seca), Carin Leon
2. Mala Mia, Fuerza Regida & Grupo Frontera
3. Y Lo Que Viene, Grupo Frontera
4. Sin Rodeos, Paola Jara
5. Bobby Pulido & Friends una Tuya y una Mia – Por la Puerta Grande (En Vivo), Bobby Pulido

Best Tropical Latin Album

1. Fotografias, Ruben Blades and Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
2. Raices, Gloria Estefan
3. Clasicos 1.0, Grupo Niche
4. Debut y Segunda Tanda, Vol. 2, Gilberto Santa Rosa
5. Bingo, Alain Perez

Best Reggae Album

1. Heart & Soul, Vybz Kartel
2. No Place Like Home, Jesse Royal
3. Treasure Self Love, Lila Ike
4. Blxxd & Fyah, Keznamdi
5. From Within, Mortimer

Best Global Music Performance

1. “Eoo”, Bad Bunny
2. “Shrini’s Dream (Live)”, Shakti
3. “Daybreak”, Anoushka Shankar feat. Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar
4. “Jerusalema”, Angelique Kidjo
5. “Cantando en el Camino”, Ciro Hurtado
6. “Inmigrante y Que?”, Yeisy Rojas

Best Global Music Album

1. Mind Explosion (50^th Anniversary Tour Live), Shakti
2. No Signs of Weakness, Burna Boy
3. Chapter III: We Return to Light, Anoushka Shankar feat. Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar
4. Caetano e Bethania Ao Vivo, Caetano Velosa & Maria Bethania
5. Eclairer le monda – Light the World, Youssou N’Dour
6. Sounds of Kumbha, Siddhant Bhatia

Best African Music Performance

1. “Push 2 Start”, Tyla
2. “Love”, Burna Boy
3. “Gimme Dat”, Ayra Starr feat. Wizkid
4. “With You”, Davido feat. Omah Lay
5. “Hope & Love”, Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin

 

Children’s, Comedy, Audio Book Narration & Storytelling, Visual Media & Music Video/Film

Best Comedy Album

1. Single Lady, Ali Wong
2. PostMortem, Sarah Silverman
3. Your Friend, Nate Bargatze, Nate Bargatze
4. What Had Happened Was…, Jamie Foxx
5. Drop Dead Years, Bill Burr

Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording

1. Lovely One: A Memoir, Ketanji Brown Jackson
2. Meditations: Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama
3. Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story, Kathy Garver
4. You Know It’s True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli, Fab Morvan
5. Into the Uncut Grass, Trevor Noah

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

1. Wicked, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande & Wicked Movie Cast
2. KPop Demon Hunters, Various
3. Sinners, Various
4. A Complete Unknown, Timothee Chalamet
5. F1 the Album, Various

Best Song Written for Visual Media

1. “Golden” (from KPop Demon Hunters), Huntrix
2. “Never Too Late” (from Elton John: Never Too Late), Elton John & Brandi Carlile
3. “As Alive as You Need Me to Be” (from Tron: Ares), Nine Inch Nails
4. “Sinners” (from Sinners), Rod Wave
5. “I Lied to You” (from Sinners), Miles Caton
6. “Pale, Pale Moon” (from Sinners), Jayme Lawson

Best Music Video

1. “Manchild”, Sabrina Carpenter
2. “Anxiety”, Doechii
3. “So Be It”, Clipse
4. “Young Lion”, Sade
5. “Love”, OK Go

Best Music Film

1. Music by John Williams, John Williams
2. Devo, Devo
3. Piece by Piece, Pharrell Williams
4. Relentless, Diane Warren
5. Live at the Royal Albert Hall, Raye

 

Package, Notes & Historical

Best Album Cover

1. Chromakopia, Tyler, the Creator
2. Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, Bad Bunny
3. The Crux, Djo
4. Glory, Perfume Genius
5. Moisturizer, Wet Leg

 

Production, Engineering, Composition & Arrangement

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

1. Arcadia, Alison Krauss & Union Station
2. For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), Japanese Breakfast
3. That Wasn’t a Dream, Pino Palladino & Blake Mills
4. All Things Light, Cam

Who do you think will win some of the awards?  Let me know in the comments!