The Highs, Lows, and Whoas of the 2026 Grammys

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It’s been about four decades since the Grammy nominations were announced, but we finally found out the winners on Sunday night. Kendrick Lamar and SZA won Record of the Year for “luther,” but Bad Bunny took home Album of the Year—a historic win as the first Spanish-language album to ever do so, just before his Super Bowl performance. Hosted by Trevor Noah, the show took place with politics on many minds, and some nominees and winners wore pins or made statements reflecting their views. However, most winners kept their political comments subtle, offering general remarks about faith or experiences as women in the music industry. Billie Eilish’s direct criticism of ICE stood out because of this. While the speeches weren’t particularly bold, the performances were fantastic—featuring a lineup of Best New Artists, a memorable performance by Justin Bieber, and a moving tribute to those the music world lost, making this year’s Grammys a truly hot show.

The Premiere Ceremony, which happens before the main Grammys show, was full of amazing moments that didn’t make it onto TV. We understand CBS can’t broadcast everything, but several winners and speeches deserved recognition on the main stage. Highlights included FKA Twigs and Kehlani each winning their first Grammy, with Kehlani adding a memorable (and slightly edgy!) comment during her acceptance speech. Veteran artist Joni Mitchell also secured her 11th Grammy at age 82, and Durand Bernarr gave a touching speech thanking his parents. A father-daughter duo, Fyütch and Aura V, delivered a particularly heartwarming acceptance speech for Best Children’s Music Album. Given that the televised show wasn’t exactly short on entertainment, the producers could have easily included a couple of these moments instead of having Bruno Mars perform twice. — Hershal Pandya

Trevor Noah’s final Grammys monologue wasn’t especially remarkable, like most of his previous hosting segments. However, he did land a good joke while walking through the audience. He pointed out that Nicki Minaj wasn’t present, which got a strong reaction, especially given her recent association with conservative viewpoints. He then jokingly imagined a conversation between Minaj and Donald Trump, impersonating Trump saying, “Actually, Nicki, I have the biggest ass! Everybody’s saying it. I know they say it’s you, but it’s me.” — HP

Sabrina Carpenter’s performance was a standout moment! She successfully made a dove appear – and it stayed alive, unlike a certain Gob Bluth! Her rendition of “Manchild” was incredibly fun, featuring a playful stroll on a baggage carousel and being playfully pushed around on a luggage cart by a group of attractive men. One writer joked that other airlines should take note and offer these experiences as premium upgrades, dubbing her performance ‘Sabrina Carpenter Airlines’.

The show kicked off with a fantastic performance from all eight Best New Artist nominees, one after another! It was a particularly strong year for this category, delivering almost twenty minutes of hit songs. While Alex Warren had a previous No. 1 hit, his performance of “Ordinary” didn’t quite land. Lola Young, KATSEYE, and Sombr all had great moments, but Addison Rae truly stood out, powerfully performing “Fame Is a Gun” with a fierce look. Ultimately, Olivia Dean won the award, but the whole performance felt like a win for everyone. — Fran Hoepfner

Justin Bieber gave a surprisingly simple performance at the Grammys. He appeared on stage in casual shorts, with only a guitar, a looper, and a sampler. He played “Yukon,” a song nominated for Best R&B Performance, stripping it down to its core elements: his vocals, a simple guitar part, and a few sampled bass notes. The stage setup, including a full-length mirror, made it feel like we were watching a private jam session – the kind where a song really comes together. The performance highlighted Bieber’s roots as a street performer, reminding the audience of the raw, stripped-down R&B sound that first brought him attention, similar to tracks on his album SWAG. It was a return to what makes him, fundamentally, an artist. — Craig Jenkins

Bad Bunny made a bold statement at the awards show, directly responding to criticism about his upcoming Super Bowl performance – criticism that came directly from former President Trump, who won’t be attending the game. Trump had called Bad Bunny, who is from Puerto Rico, a “terrible choice” for the Halftime Show. Accepting an award for Best Urban Music Album, Bad Bunny passionately defended himself and his community, stating, “We’re not savage, we’re not animals; we are humans and we are Americans.” He urged everyone to respond to negativity with love, saying that love is more powerful than hate. He emphasized the importance of family and community, and thanked both God and the Academy. Many felt Bad Bunny deserved a full performance at the awards show, but he was contractually obligated to wait until his Super Bowl appearance.

Okay, so the biggest moment of the night for me wasn’t necessarily who won, but how Lola Young won Best Solo Pop Performance. Seriously, she was so shocked she jumped up and mouthed a curse word right at the camera! And somehow, she actually managed to slip an audible ‘fuck’ into her acceptance speech before anyone could cut the feed. She immediately apologized, and Addison Rae was cracking up, but it was already out there. It was a perfectly messy moment for an artist who clearly embraces that vibe, and she definitely made the ceremony memorable – in more ways than one!

The Grammys’ tribute to those we’ve lost was particularly moving this year. It skillfully blended a wide range of genres – from country and metal to soul – honoring artists like Ozzy Osbourne, D’Angelo, and Roberta Flack. Reba McEntire performed her new song, “Trailblazer,” a first for her after nearly 40 years since her initial Grammy win, setting a reflective mood. A performance of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” featuring members of Guns N’ Roses and the Red Hot Chili Peppers backing Post Malone was a touching moment for the Osbourne family. The tribute quickly moved from classic rock to soul, with Lauryn Hill’s medley of D’Angelo and Roberta Flack songs. Hill’s first Grammy appearance since winning Album of the Year included standout performances by Raphael Saadiq, Leon Thomas, Bilal, and Wyclef Jean. The only suggestion for improvement would have been to air the tribute to Sly Stone before the commercial break.

LOW: Hold on, the show isn’t over after the “In Memoriam” segment? That’s a tough act to follow. — HP

Wow, I was really struck by Billie Eilish’s statement – “No one is illegal on stolen land.” It’s so important that someone with her platform is openly recognizing who’s really being hurt by ICE: the undocumented people who came here looking for a better life, just like so many of our ancestors did when they first came to America. And I really appreciate that she’s backing up her words with action – that takes courage!

As a big fan of the Grammys, I noticed a really strange pattern this year: a lot of vague references to the state of the world without actually saying anything specific. Trevor Noah kicked things off by joking about how depressing the news is, but didn’t say what was so depressing. Then, Olivia Dean talked about celebrating immigrants, and Harvey Mason Jr. mentioned “what’s unfolding” and the power of music to heal, all without getting into specifics. SZA urged us to rely on God during this “scary time,” which felt a little disconnected. Honestly, none of it felt particularly impactful. It’s not that these comments were bad, it’s just that so many artists avoided politics altogether – even Lady Gaga, who had recently spoken out against ICE, stayed completely silent on the topic during the show. It just felt… odd, and a little disappointing.

Tyler, the Creator celebrated his two albums, Chromakopia and Don’t Tap the Glass, with a unique performance at the awards show. He first performed “Thought I Was Dead” from Chromakopia, a dark, rap-focused track with a spooky, black-and-white aesthetic that mirrored his award-winning album cover. Immediately after, he transitioned into “Sugar on My Tongue” from Don’t Tap the Glass, a more upbeat and danceable song, following encouragement from Regina King. This showcased his versatility as an artist. The performance highlighted the contrast between the two albums – one a haunting, military-themed experience, the other a vibrant, R&B-infused set. He ended with a dramatic moment, lying motionless on stage with smoke rising from his back, while Kendrick Lamar watched with amusement. This captivating performance showcased Tyler’s creative range and left a lasting impression.

A major oversight occurred during Pharrell Williams’ recent award ceremony. While receiving the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, a video highlighted his career, but completely excluded any mention of Chad Hugo, his longtime creative partner and the other half of the Neptunes production duo. The only acknowledgment of Hugo’s contribution was the playing of Snoop Dogg’s 2003 hit “Beautiful,” which he co-produced, as Pharrell walked onstage. This omission is particularly notable given Hugo is currently suing Pharrell over withheld payments. Viewers unfamiliar with their collaborative history might have assumed Pharrell was solely responsible for their success in the 90s and 2000s.

Cher recently claimed she was the very first artist to use auto-tune. And with a new lifetime achievement Grammy, she now has more Grammys than Oscars! Though she hasn’t achieved the full EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), fans are jokingly calling her an “EGGO” because of it. —FH

Apparently, Cher wasn’t told she had more to do than just accept her award! She thought she’d simply go on stage, make a speech, and leave. Someone should have let her know she still needed to present the award for Record of the Year! —FH

Wow, did Cher really say “Luther Vandross Gandross”? It seems like the Grammys just had their own “Adele Dazeem” moment, with Kendrick Lamar and SZA winning Record of the Year, and Cher finishing her appearance. —FH

Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and the artists involved in the ‘luther’ project all enjoyed the experience. Producer Sounwave began by honoring the late Luther Vandross, which received a warm response from the audience. This turned what could have been a mistake into something truly special. —FH

Bad Bunny took a while to process his Grammy win. If I ever won Album of the Year, I imagine I’d react the same way – a delayed response and a moment to collect myself before thanking everyone and dedicating the award to those who’ve chased their dreams by leaving home. He’s a genuinely good person! —DI

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2026-02-02 10:56