Music’s biggest night is almost here. The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will take place this Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and the excitement is building to a fever pitch. With Harry Styles and Doechii just announced as the first presenters yesterday, all eight Best New Artist nominees confirmed to perform, and Trevor Noah hosting for the sixth and final time, this year’s ceremony promises to be one of the most memorable in Grammy history.
Whether you’re a casual music fan or someone who’s been studying the nominations since November, here’s everything you need to know about what to expect this weekend at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
Trevor Noah’s Final Time as Grammy Host
Comedian Trevor Noah will take the Grammy stage for the sixth consecutive year, but this time it comes with a bittersweet note. The 2026 ceremony marks Noah’s final appearance as host of music’s biggest night. The South African comedian has confirmed that after six years of guiding audiences through unforgettable Grammy moments, he’s ready to pass the torch.
Noah’s run as Grammy host has been historic. He becomes the first person to host six consecutive Grammy telecasts since legendary crooner Andy Williams, who hosted the first seven live telecasts from 1971 to 1977. Over his tenure, Noah has brought his signature blend of wit, warmth, and musical knowledge to the ceremony, navigating everything from surprise wins to powerful acceptance speeches with grace and humor.
His final show as host also means he’ll be serving double duty. Noah isn’t just the master of ceremonies for the 2026 Grammys, he’s also an executive producer for this year’s broadcast alongside Ben Winston, Raj Kapoor, and Jesse Collins. The show is being produced by Fulwell Entertainment for the Recording Academy.
For fans who have grown accustomed to Noah’s hosting style over the past six years, Sunday night will be both a celebration of music and a farewell to one of the Grammy’s most beloved hosts. His presence has helped define this era of the Grammy Awards, and his final performance in this role is guaranteed to be filled with memorable moments.
Harry Styles and Doechii Announced as First Presenters
Just yesterday, the Recording Academy dropped exciting news that sent fans into a frenzy. Harry Styles and Doechii have been confirmed as the first presenters for the 2026 Grammy Awards. The announcement signals a ceremony that will balance pop dominance with rap excellence, perfectly reflecting today’s genre-blending music landscape.
Harry Styles is no stranger to Grammy glory. He previously won Best Pop Solo Performance in 2021 for his chart-topping hit “Watermelon Sugar.” In 2023, he achieved even greater success by winning Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Harry’s House. His Grammy appearance this weekend comes at a particularly exciting time for the British superstar. He just announced his fourth studio album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, which drops on March 6, and released the lead single “Aperture” on January 22 to widespread praise.
Joining him on the presenter lineup is Doechii, who continues to cement her status as one of rap’s most exciting voices. She took home Best Rap Album last year for Alligator Bites Never Heal and returns this year with five major nominations for her breakout record “Anxiety.” The track is nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance.
The decision to announce Styles and Doechii as the first presenters is strategic. Industry observers often view the choice of early presenters as setting the tone for the broadcast, and this pairing hints at a ceremony that celebrates both established stars and rising talents. More presenters will be announced in the coming days leading up to Sunday’s show.
Confirmed Performers for the 2026 Grammys
The 2026 Grammy Awards will feature an incredible lineup of performers representing the best of pop, rap, R&B, and beyond. The Recording Academy has made several major announcements about who will take the Grammy stage this Sunday.
Sabrina Carpenter was the first performer announced for the ceremony, coming off her massive success at last year’s Grammys where she won Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso” and Best Pop Vocal Album for Short n’ Sweet. This year, her album Man’s Best Friend has earned her six nominations, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Music Video. Carpenter made her Grammy debut last year with a showgirl-inspired performance of “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” and expectations are high for what she’ll deliver this time around.
Hip-hop duo Clipse, comprised of Pusha T and Malice, will perform alongside legendary producer Pharrell Williams. This marks Pharrell’s first performance at the Grammy Awards since he sang an orchestral rendition of “Happy” in 2015. The 13-time Grammy winner is nominated for four awards this year in the Album of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Film categories for his work with Clipse. The duo is up for five Grammys total, including Album of the Year for their comeback album Let God Sort Em Out, which made its arrival after nearly 16 years since their last studio release.
In what has become a potential Grammy tradition, all eight nominees for Best New Artist will perform during this year’s ceremony. This follows last year’s show where every Best New Artist nominee also took the stage. The 2026 Best New Artist performers include KATSEYE, Addison Rae, Leon Thomas, Olivia Dean, Lola Young, The Marías, sombr, and Alex Warren.
Leon Thomas represents one of the year’s most exciting stories. The singer, songwriter, and producer has worked behind the scenes with artists like Ariana Grande, Drake, and SZA for years. His album MUTT earned him six Grammy nominations including Best New Artist and Album of the Year.
Pop star Addison Rae will make her Grammy stage debut after receiving a Best New Artist nomination. The social media sensation turned legitimate pop artist will hopefully perform her breakout hit “Diet Pepsi,” which captured the attention of both fans and critics throughout 2024 and 2025.
British artist Olivia Dean’s sophomore album, The Art of Loving, has been on heavy rotation thanks to tracks like “Man I Need” and “So Easy (To Fall In Love).” She’s up for her first Grammy in the Best New Artist category.
Rising act sombr had an incredible year after three of his breakout hits made their way into the Billboard Hot 100. The breakthrough artist is competing for Best New Artist against a talented field.
K-pop group KATSEYE has been making waves since their formation, and their Grammy performance will introduce them to an even wider global audience.
The full performer lineup showcases the Recording Academy’s commitment to highlighting both established superstars and the next generation of music talent. More performers may be announced in the final days leading up to Sunday’s show.
How to Watch the 2026 Grammy Awards
The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will broadcast live on Sunday, February 1, 2026, starting at 8 PM ET and 5 PM PT. The ceremony will air on CBS and will be available to stream on Paramount+. Monthly premium subscriptions for Paramount+ start at $13.99 per month following a week’s free trial.
For fans who want the complete Grammy experience, coverage actually begins much earlier in the day. Red carpet arrivals will start at 3:30 PM PT, giving viewers the chance to see their favorite artists arrive in style and hear their thoughts heading into the ceremony.
Before the main telecast, the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theater starting at 12:30 PM PT. This event will be streamed live on live.grammy.com and the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel. The Premiere Ceremony is where the majority of the 95 Grammy categories will be awarded, with winners in these categories announced before the primetime broadcast.
The main Grammy telecast typically runs for approximately three and a half hours, ending around 11:30 PM ET and 8:30 PM PT. This is when the biggest awards will be presented, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.
Grammy Week Events Leading Up to Sunday
For those in Los Angeles, Grammy Week has been in full swing with the return of Grammy House, which runs from Wednesday, January 28, through Saturday, January 31. This year, Grammy House expanded to four program-packed days with new events and panels, more performers and panelists, and a record number of sponsors celebrating music’s vibrant, diverse, and influential voices.
One of the highlights of Grammy Week is a full day dedicated to Grammy U, featuring a Masterclass and the first-ever mini music festival to amplify emerging voices and talent. Through immersive experiences, interactive installations, and digital storytelling, Grammy House serves to honor today’s dynamic musical landscape while fostering meaningful connections between Recording Academy members, artists, fans, and the broader music community.
The Recording Academy also spotlighted the dynamic array of emerging artists that make up the Best New Artist category. Hosted and moderated by five-time Grammy Award winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and former Recording Academy Board of Trustees Chair Jimmy Jam, each of the eight nominees shared their journey to the Grammy Awards and offered insights into their artistry.
The Biggest Categories and Our Last-Minute Predictions for Grammys 2026
As Sunday approaches, speculation about who will take home the golden gramophones has reached a fever pitch. Here are our final predictions for the biggest categories of the night.
Album of the Year
The Album of the Year category features eight incredible nominees including Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Justin Bieber’s SWAG, Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend, Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out, Lady Gaga’s MAYHEM, Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, Leon Thomas’s MUTT, and Tyler, The Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA.
Kendrick Lamar leads all nominees with nine total Grammy nominations and is coming off an incredible sweep at last year’s ceremony where he won all five categories he was nominated in. His momentum, combined with the fact that no hip-hop album has won Album of the Year since OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2004, makes him the frontrunner. However, Bad Bunny could make history as the first artist to win Album of the Year for a work recorded entirely in Spanish, which would be a monumental moment for Latin music representation.
Our prediction is that Kendrick Lamar will finally win his first Album of the Year Grammy after five previous nominations in this category. The Recording Academy has shown they’re ready to reward him in the biggest categories, and following last year’s complete sweep with anything less than Album of the Year would feel contradictory.
Record of the Year
The Record of the Year category includes some of the year’s biggest hits. Nominees include Bad Bunny’s “DtMF,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA’s “Luther,” Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!,” ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’s “APT.,” and Doechii’s “Anxiety.”
This category is incredibly competitive, but “Luther” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA has the edge. The song topped the Hot 100 for 13 consecutive weeks and represents a perfect collaboration between two of hip-hop and R&B’s biggest stars. With Lamar’s current momentum, this win seems likely.
Song of the Year
Song of the Year recognizes the songwriters behind the year’s best compositions. While the nominees largely mirror Record of the Year, this category focuses on songwriting craft rather than overall recording quality.
We predict “Luther” will also take home Song of the Year, giving Kendrick Lamar and his collaborators recognition for their exceptional songwriting. However, don’t count out Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” or Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” as potential upsets, as both songs showcase masterful pop songwriting.
Best New Artist
The Best New Artist category is always one of the most unpredictable, as it often comes down to which artist voters believe has the brightest future ahead of them. This year’s nominees are Addison Rae, Alex Warren, KATSEYE, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, sombr, and The Marías.
Leon Thomas has the strongest case with six total Grammy nominations including Album of the Year for MUTT. His work as a performer, writer, and producer demonstrates the complete music creator that Grammy voters traditionally appreciate. However, the social media following and crossover success of Addison Rae could make her a dark horse candidate.
Our prediction is Leon Thomas for Best New Artist. His comprehensive nominations across multiple categories demonstrate that voters recognize his exceptional talent and potential for a long, successful career.
One thing is certain as we head into Sunday night. The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will be filled with unforgettable performances, emotional acceptance speeches, surprise wins, and moments that will be talked about for years to come.
Music’s biggest night is almost here, and it’s going to be spectacular.