2026 Grammys Guide: Nominees, Performers, Host, Timings and How to Watch

The 2026 Grammy Awards, taking place on Sunday, February 1, mark a return to the ceremony’s traditional format after last year’s show was reshaped to focus on wildfire relief efforts in the Los Angeles area. The awards will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with the main telecast beginning at 8pm Eastern Time, which corresponds to 5am Gulf Standard Time on Monday, February 2, in the UAE. 

Recording Academy CEO and President Harvey Mason jr. said the upcoming ceremony is expected to deliver standout moments, driven by a wave of emerging talent and artists breaking into new award categories. He described the results as potentially “history-making,” noting that the evolving nominations reflect shifts in the music landscape and growing diversity across genres.

The Grammys will be broadcast live on CBS, with streaming available to Paramount+ Premium subscribers. Viewers using live television streaming platforms such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and FuboTV will also be able to watch the ceremony. The Premiere Ceremony, which honours the majority of the awards, will take place earlier in the day at the Peacock Theater and will be streamed on the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel and GRAMMY.com.

This year’s show will feature a special performance segment showcasing all eight nominees for Best New Artist, including Leon Thomas, Olivia Dean, Katseye, The Marías, Addison Rae, sombr, Alex Warren and Lola Young. Additional performances will come from Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Clipse and Pharrell Williams. The in memoriam segment will feature Reba McEntire, Brandy Clark and Lukas Nelson, while Ms. Lauryn Hill will pay tribute to D’Angelo and Roberta Flack. Post Malone, Andrew Watt, Chad Smith, Duff McKagan and Slash are set to honour Ozzy Osbourne.

Comedian Trevor Noah will return to host the Grammys for the sixth consecutive year, marking his final time in the role. Grammy executive producer Ben Winston praised Noah’s contribution to the ceremony, calling him a rare combination of humour, intelligence and musical knowledge. Noah is also a four-time Grammy nominee and is nominated this year in the audiobook, narration and storytelling category for Into The Uncut Grass.

Presenting duties at the ceremony will include appearances by Doechii and Harry Styles, with additional presenters expected to be announced closer to the event. Ahead of the awards, the Associated Press will stream a four-hour red carpet show featuring celebrity interviews and fashion coverage on YouTube and APNews.com.

Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations with nine, earning nods in record, song and album of the year, along with multiple rap categories. Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff and Cirkut follow closely with seven nominations each, while Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Serban Ghenea and Leon Thomas have six nominations apiece. Several artists have secured their first Grammy nominations this year, including Tate McRae, Zara Larsson, PinkPantheress, JID and actor Timothée Chalamet.

With a mix of established stars, first-time nominees and genre-spanning performances, the 2026 Grammys are expected to deliver an unpredictable and high-energy celebration of music, signalling a renewed sense of momentum for the awards as they return to full scale.