The 2026 Grammy Awards wrapped with a mix of repeat winners and first‑time honorees, as Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, SZA and Billie Eilish led the top categories. Bad Bunny’s project earned Album of the Year, while Lamar and SZA’s track “luther” received Record of the Year in a field that also included major pop and rap releases. A full breakdown of winners across the main and genre fields is collected in CNN’s Grammy winners list, which tracks results from both the televised show and the Premiere Ceremony.
Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower” was named Song of the Year, and Olivia Dean received Best New Artist, while the R&B categories delivered some of the night’s most notable first‑time wins. Kehlani earned two Grammys for “Folded,” taking Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song, with outlets pointing to the double win as a key milestone in her catalog. Durand Bernarr also picked up his first trophy, winning Best Progressive R&B Album for Bloom, a result highlighted in coverage that focused on his reaction and the viral clip of him running to the stage to accept.
The ceremony at Crypto.com Arena featured performances from several of the night’s winners and nominees, including Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter. Staging leaned on current singles, collaborations and medleys that paired newer acts with established names. Outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times recapped the show with lists of performance highlights, fashion notes and production choices, outlining how the telecast balanced chart‑focused moments with tributes and legacy segments.
Post‑show reaction has centered on how the top awards were distributed and which projects were recognized in crowded genre categories. Commentators have noted that the Recording Academy continues to face scrutiny over representation and voting, even as it adds more international and genre‑specific members. How the organization responds to ongoing criticism—and whether breakthrough wins for artists like Kehlani and Durand Bernarr lead to broader changes in future nomination lists—will be a focus heading into the 2027 awards cycle.
