The 68th annual Grammy Awards aired live on CBS for the final time before moving over to ABC next year on February 1, 2026. Trevor Noah hosted the awards ceremony for the sixth consecutive year, in what was also his last time hosting the show.
This year’s Grammy Awards were highlighted by a plethora of performances from the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars, and Lady Gaga, to tribute acts for Ozzy Osbourne, D’Angelo, and Roberta Flack. Oh, and of course, a bunch of awards were given out throughout the night.
Bad Bunny’s huge week ahead
The star of the night proved to be Bad Bunny, who took home two Grammys on the main ceremony, winning Album of the Year and Best Música Urbana Album for Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Bad Bunny’s win in the Album of the Year category became the first Spanish-language album to win the award. With nominations in the Record and Song of the Year categories for “DTMF,” he became the first Latin artist to be nominated in the three most prestigious awards in a single year.
Debí Tirar Más Fotos thoroughly deserved all the recognition it received on Sunday night. The album was not only lauded by critics and audiences, being given a 95/100 score on Metacritic, but it also tackled political issues that directly correlate to what is going on in today’s society.
In what is his most personal album to date, he spoke at length about his community in his acceptance speeches. The hits don’t stop coming for Bad Bunny, as the global superstar will hit the biggest stage imaginable…the Super Bowl this coming Sunday. Needless to say, it’s been a monumental week.
Kendrick Lamar wins big
Last year, Kendrick Lamar received the most awards with five wins, due to his critically acclaimed diss track “Not Like Us.” That track won two major awards, including Record and Song of the Year. For this year’s Grammy Awards, Lamar’s latest album, GNX, was up for many nominations and once again, the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper scored five more Grammys, bringing his overall total of Grammy wins to 27.
“Luther,” a collaboration with SZA, secured the Record of the Year, marking two straight Record of the Year victories for Lamar. “Luther” was one of the biggest smash hits of 2025, spending 13 straight weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. The chemistry between both Lamar and SZA is undeniable and is always a recipe for success.
Olivia Dean’s breakout continues
The latter half of 2025 in music was all about the rise of Olivia Dean. Olivia Dean’s second studio album, The Art of Loving, included breakout singles such as “Man I Need,” “So Easy, “Nice to Each Other,” and more, catapulting Dean into stardom. Her groovy music, tantalizing voice and tone, and fun songwriting made her the top contender to win this year’s Best New Artist award.
As expected, Olivia Dean won her first Grammy award and is now on the verge of getting her first #1 hit on the charts with “Man I Need.” The Art of Loving was not eligible for any nominations this year, as it was released past the cutoff period, but expect the 2027 Grammys to be filled with well deserved nominations for the talented British star.
It’s refreshing to see someone so positive and carefree get her flowers and be pushed into the spotlight in the blink of an eye. The ground support for Dean in just this short period has been unlike any artist we’ve seen in quite some time, and there’s no question it will continue throughout the year and so on.
Medleys
In a tradition that was started last year, the Best New Artist medley once again took place on music’s biggest night. Each of the nominees had their own two to three-minute set. Along with the aforementioned Olivia Dean, the other performances in the medley included The Marias, Addison Rae, Katseye, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren, Lola Young, and Sombr.
The Marias hit song “No One Noticed” kicked things off, leading into Addison Rae. The tiktoker turned pop star, had a surprisingly successful year in music with the realease of her debut album Addison. She performed “Fame is a Gun,” and while there were some rough moments vocally, it’s still a major moment in her career.
The medley transitioned into Katseye’s “Gnarly” before Leon Thomas hit the stage with his top 10 song, “Mutt.” Outside of Dean, Thomas was another serious contender to win Best New Artist. The R&B artist, who gained widespread recognition for starring in Victorious just over 10 years ago, is already a Grammy Award winner, winning for his songwriting credits, on top of winning two more this year. Thomas was also nominated for Album of the Year.
Alex Warren performed his chart-topping track “Ordinary,” which was marred by technical difficulties in Warren’s first-ever Grammy appearance. Lola Young made her return to live performing after a hiatus in late 2025. She performed a ballad version of her breakout hit “Messy.” It was a powerful version, and Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need” was excellent and further proof of her deserving the Grammy win. Sombr concluded the medley with “12 to 12.”
Tributes
The Best New Artist medley was worthwhile, but the tributes to Ozzy Osbourne, D’Angelo, and Roberta Flack were amazingly executed. Post Malone and Guns N’ Roses shone during their Osbourne tribute, playing “War Pigs.” Malone’s past collaboration with Osbourne made him a prime candidate to give the tribute, and he more than held his own.
However, the highlight of the night was the all-star cast of performers in the tributes to D’Angelo and Flack. Lauryn Hill made her return after a 27-year hiatus to once again command the stage. She was magnificent. She was also joined by Lucky Daye, Chaka Khan, John Legend, Jon Batiste, Leon Bridges, Leon Thomas, and more. The nearly 15-minute-long tribute was powerful and one of the most perfect tribute performances you’ll ever see.
Other Performances
Other performances included “APT,” by Bruno Mars and Rosé, which kicked off the show. Mars appeared later on in the night to perform his latest song, “I Just Might.” One of my favorite acts of the night was Sabrina Carpenter. Despite falling short of winning any Grammys, she delivered a campy and entertaining rendition of “Manchild.”
Lady Gaga’s “Abracdabara” was visually appealing and just the right amount of pazzaz Gaga usually brings to the table. Justin Bieber’s performance of “Yukon” was…interesting. The vocals were there, but the actual performance itself was kind of confusing.
Tyler, the Creator, had a dominating 2025 with two albums, including Album of the Year-nominated Chromakopia. He devoured the stage with his creativity, swagger, and visuals. His production also featured a surprise guest appearance by Academy Award-winning actress Regina King.
Furthermore, Reba McEntire, Brandy Clark, and Lukas Nelson’s In Memoriam performance of “Trailblazer” was moving and also marked McEntire’s first-ever Grammy performance at age 70. The final act of the night was between Clipe and Pharrell Williams. Earlier in the night, William received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award.
Surprises
As is typical of the Grammys, there were some surprise wins of the night. The biggest upset came with the Best Pop Solo Performance, in which Lola Young’s “Messy” took home the award over huge artists Chappell Roan, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and Sabrina Carpenter. It might’ve been a shock, but Young’s energetic reaction and speech were all worth it. Also, while not necessarily a surprise, Jelly Roll won Best Contemporary Country Album for Beautifully Broken, with an acceptance speech that had everyone talking.
Another surprise came when Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower” won Song of the Year. Eilish made history with this win, becoming her third Song of the Year win at just 24 years old. The win also sparked some controversy, as the track was a part of Eilish’s 2024 album, Hit Me Hard and Soft. The album was nominated for awards last year. However, since “Wildflower” wasn’t nominated and made a single during this year’s eligibility period, it was allowed. It beat out presumptive favorites “DTMF,” “Luther,” and “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters. “Wildflower” is a terrific song that maintained strong ground in 2025, becoming the longest-charting non-single song in Billboard history.
With the 2026 Grammys in the books, the awards ceremony sparked dialogue, moved tides in music, and put a fitting cap on what defined 2025. Music will continue to be front and center this weekend, as Bad Bunny hits the Super Bowl stage.
