2026 Grammys: Top four award winners

BY MICAELA SULLIVAN

Multimedia Journalist

The Grammys, presented by the Recording Academy, is a long-awaited event for both viewers and artists alike. The 2026 Grammys were no different, with brand new artists and lots of nominees.

The Grammys originated in the 1950s as a way to honor and recognize musical artists in the same manner as the Oscars and the Emmys recognized the film and television industry. 

Like the Oscars and the Emmys, there are several awards that different artists are nominated for, such as Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Latin Album and many more. 

The number of awards has fluctuated since its first ceremony in May 1959, with 28 categories presented. In 2008 and 2009, a total of 110 categories were presented. 

There have been several categories retired as the music industry grows, however; as of the 2026 Grammys, a total of 95 categories were presented. During the premiere ceremony, 86 of the categories were awarded. During the main show, the 9 remaining categories were awarded.  

The most anticipated part of the Grammys is the top four categories: Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best New Artist, which have been recognized since the first ceremony.

Last year, the winners of these awards were as follows: Song of the Year- “Not like Us,” Kendrick Lamar; Record of the Year- “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar; Album of the Year- “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé; Best New Artist- Chappel Roan. 

This year, the winners of the big four awards went to Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny and Olivia Dean. 

Billie Eilish released her song “Wildflower” on her “Hit me Hard and Soft” album on May 17, 2024. The song made a big impact on the music community and became her longest-charting song alongside “Bad Guy,” spending 64 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100. 

It also became one of the most streamed songs on Spotify with over 1.86 billion global streams. At the 2026 Grammys, she was awarded Song of the Year, an award she had been waiting for. The award was widely considered well deserved, and put “Wildflower” back on the Spotify Top 20 following her big Grammys win. 

Billie Eilish made a strong statement in her acceptance speech saying, “No one is illegal on stolen land.” The statement follows the Department of Homeland Security’s deportations via ICE. While Eilish faced both backlash and support for the comment, her speech with her brother Finneas remained a standout moment of the evening.

Bad Bunny was the winner of Album of the Year for his album “Debí Tirar Mas Fotos.” The 31-year-old artist had won Grammy awards in earlier years, like the Best Música Urbana Album Award at the 64th and 65th Grammys. He also won Best Latin Pop or Urban Album at the 63rd Grammys. 

His reaction to the award had both artists and fans surprised. Instead of immediately standing up and taking the stage to get his award, he sat there and took the moment in. It was a moment celebrated around the world, especially because it was the first predominantly Spanish album to ever win the big award. 

The winner of the Record of the Year was Kendrick Lamar’s song “Luther,” featuring SZA. Lamar has a total of 66 Grammy nominations and 27 wins. He took the lead for the most nominations at the 2026 Grammys with a total of 9 nominations. 

He also won Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Album and Best Rap Performance, making history as the most awarded hip-hop artist, surpassing Jay-Z's record. 

And finally, Olivia Dean won the Grammy for Best New Artist. Born in London, the 26-year-old has been an up-and-coming artist since her first album, “Reason to Stay.” She has been in the spotlight of the UK and has topped their charts; however, she has not been as widely recognized in the United States until very recently. 

Her songs are a unique blend of pop, soul, jazz and R&B. She came out with her newest and second studio produced album “The Art of Loving” on Sept. 26, 2025. It was her breakthrough into United States mainstream music, leading to her nomination at the Grammys for Best New Artist. 

While Olivia Dean has quite a few songs to her name, “Man I Need,” which came out with her “The Art of Loving” album, is one of her most recognizable songs and is considered one of her most popular songs.