The Grammy Awards 2026 nominations have officially been announced, and as always, they’ve stirred up plenty of excitement and controversy. While some of the industry’s biggest names were left out, several fresh and unexpected artists earned a moment in the spotlight. Music released between August 31, 2024 and August 30, 2025 was eligible, with the ceremony set for February 1, 2026 at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Here are 20 of the most talked-about snubs and surprises from this year’s list. Grammy Awards 2026: Anoushka Shankar, Shakti, Charu Suri and Siddhant Bhatia Shine in Grammy Nominations; India’s Musical Legacy Resonates on Global Stage (View Post)

Lorde, The Weeknd Snubbed As Bad Bunny Shines at Grammys 2026

Lorde’s fourth album Virgin earned critical praise and commercial success, but the pop star didn’t receive a single nomination, a surprising miss considering her return to upbeat pop after Solar Power. Similarly, The Weeknd played the Grammys game again but found himself ignored, continuing his rocky history with the Academy. In contrast, Bad Bunny’s viral anthem DtMF scored big, showing the Recording Academy’s love for global hits. However, legends Brandi Carlile and Elton John were shut out of top categories, disappointing fans who expected major recognition.

Hayley Williams, Gracie Abrams Shine As New Voices Make Grammy History

There were also reasons to cheer. Hayley Williams earned multiple nods, marking a huge comeback moment, while rising star Gracie Abrams made waves with her hit from Secret of Us (Deluxe). Meanwhile, the brotherly rap duo Clipse returned to Grammy relevance after 22 years - a true redemption story. Not everyone was so lucky. Benson Boone and Role Model, who dominated the charts with Sally, When the Wine Runs Out were left out entirely. Alex Warren, whose single Ordinary topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks, also failed to make the cut. On the brighter side, Plaqueboymax made history as the first Twitch streamer to earn a Grammy nomination, proving how new media is reshaping the music world. Girl groups also had their moment, with Katseye earning a Best New Artist nod and animated K-pop trio Huntr/x making history with Golden, the first girl-group song in nearly 20 years to be nominated for Song of the Year. GRAMMYs 2025 Winners: Beyoncé, Shakira, Sabrina Carpenter and Others Bag Trophies – Here’s the Complete List of Recipients of the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.

Playboi Carti, Top Producers Snubbed

Fans were equally stunned by Playboi Carti’s complete exclusion, despite his much-hyped album MUSIC dominating 2025. Behind the scenes, powerhouse producers Andrew Watt and Jack Antonoff were missing from the Producer of the Year category an unexpected omission given their influence on multiple major projects. Meanwhile, JID earned his first-ever Grammy nomination, a well-deserved recognition for his lyrical prowess. Lefty Gunplay made history with what might be the shortest verse ever to earn a nod, featured on Kendrick Lamar’s tv off, which received two nominations.

Bobby Pulido, Eddy Kenzo and Others Add Global Flair to Grammy 2026 Nods

Rounding out the surprises, Bobby Pulido and Eddy Kenzo brought cultural diversity to the nominations, representing Latin and African music respectively, while Sexyy Red celebrated her first Grammy nod, solidifying her status as a breakout star of 2025. The 2026 Grammys prove once again that while awards may not define an artist, they never fail to spark debate and this year’s mix of snubs and surprises will surely keep fans talking until show night.

TruLY Score by LatestLY
Rating:3

TruLY Score 3 – Believable; Needs Further Research | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 3 on LatestLY, this article appears believable but may need additional verification. It is based on reporting from news websites or verified journalists (Rolling Stone), but lacks supporting official confirmation. Readers are advised to treat the information as credible but continue to follow up for updates or confirmations

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 10, 2025 04:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).