Kendrick Lamar Dominates with Five Major Wins (Image Credits: Hollywoodlife.com)
Los Angeles – Bad Bunny claimed Album of the Year at the 68th Grammy Awards, marking the first Spanish-language album to take the top prize.[1][2]
Kendrick Lamar Dominates with Five Major Wins
Kendrick Lamar emerged as the night’s top winner, securing five Grammys including Record of the Year for “Luther” with SZA.[1] This marked his second straight victory in the category and elevated him past Jay-Z as the most-awarded hip-hop artist in Grammy history.[1]
Lamar also took Best Rap Album for GNX, Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Luther,” Best Rap Song for “tv off” featuring Lefty Gunplay, and contributed to Best Rap Performance on Clipse’s “Chains & Whips.”[3][4] Entering with nine nominations, his sweep underscored hip-hop’s strong presence at the Crypto.com Arena ceremony hosted by Trevor Noah for the final time.[1]
Big Four Categories Deliver Surprises and Milestones
Billie Eilish won Song of the Year for “Wildflower,” tying her brother Finneas for the most wins in that category with three apiece.[1] Olivia Dean captured Best New Artist, beating out contenders like Chappell Roan and Leon Thomas.[2]
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Album of the Year | Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos |
| Record of the Year | Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “Luther” |
| Song of the Year | Billie Eilish – “Wildflower” |
| Best New Artist | Olivia Dean |
Genre Highlights Across Rock, R&B, and More
Turnstile led rock categories with Best Rock Album for Never Enough and Best Metal Performance for “BIRDS.”[3] Leon Thomas swept R&B honors, including Best R&B Album for Mutt and Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Vibes Don’t Lie.”[2]
- Best Pop Vocal Album: Lady Gaga – Mayhem
- Best Dance/Electronic Album: FKA twigs – EUSEXUA
- Best Alternative Music Album: The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
- Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Shaboozey & Jelly Roll – “Amen”
- Best Latin Pop Album: Natalia Lafourcade – Cancionera
Other standouts included Samara Joy in jazz and Keznamdi for Best Reggae Album.[4] Performers like Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, and Bruno Mars energized the crowd during the February 1 event.[1]
Notable Firsts and Veteran Recognitions
The evening celebrated breakthroughs alongside tributes. Bad Bunny’s Album win highlighted Latin music’s rising influence.[1] John Williams earned Best Music Film for a career-spanning project, completing EGOT status via producer Steven Spielberg.[1]
Veterans like Mavis Staples won Best American Roots Performance for “Beautiful Strangers,” while Tyler, the Creator took Best Album Cover for CHROMAKOPIA.[4] Cirkut claimed Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, and Amy Allen won Songwriter of the Year.[3]
Key Takeaways:
- Kendrick Lamar’s five wins cement his Grammy legacy.
- Bad Bunny pioneers Spanish-language Album of the Year.
- Genre diversity shone through Turnstile, Leon Thomas, and more.
The 2026 Grammys reflected music’s global evolution, from hip-hop dominance to rock revivals and Latin triumphs. What stood out most to you from the winners? Share in the comments.
