Recording Academy Announces New Categories, To Reveal Nominees for 2026 GRAMMYs

The Recording Academy will reveal nominees for the 68th GRAMMY Awards on Nov. 7. A livestream kicks off at 8 a.m. PT. 

The awards show has made changes to its structure, according to AP News.

Best country album got split into best contemporary country album and best traditional country album. The best recording package and the best boxed or special limited edition package categories merged into a single best recording package category, with best album cover spun out on its own. The best new artist category has been expanded so that acts who were featured on previous album of the year nominees can now qualify, as long as they account for less than 20% of the nominated album's music.

Recordings and music videos must be submitted within the eligibility window. Work released between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025, qualifies for nomination in the 2026 show.

The final voting round runs from December 12 to January 5. Winners are revealed live at the award ceremony on February 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Video announcements of all categories will be posted on live.grammy.com and YouTube during Friday's event. The full list of nominees will be published on grammy.com after the livestream.

Entertainment Tonight correspondents Cassie DiLaura and Denny Directo will host the 2026 GRAMMYs Nominations Wrap-Up Show. The broadcast will air live on CBS and can be streamed on demand via Paramount+.