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The Grammy Awards are getting a facelift — and perhaps even a little bit southern twang. The Recording Academy introduced a brand new wave of class updates forward of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, set for February 1, 2026, in Los Angeles. And this time, they’re acknowledging the ability of each style evolution and visible artistry.
Essentially the most talked-about replace? A brand-new class for Finest Modern Nation Album, which splits the longstanding Finest Nation Album area into two. The brand new distinction, which incorporates Finest Conventional Nation Album, alerts that the Academy is listening to the shifting sound — and viewers — of recent nation.
It’s onerous to not join the timing to COWBOY CARTER, Beyoncé’s genre-bending, culture-claiming challenge that dominated the dialog in 2024. Whereas the Academy hasn’t named names, the message is obvious: Nation is increasing, and the gate is cracking open.
Additionally new to the Grammy lineup is Finest Album Cowl, a long-overdue nod to the creatives who craft the visuals that assist promote an album’s world. Whereas there’s lengthy been recognition for packaging and liner notes, this new class speaks to the period of aesthetic storytelling through which a single picture can go viral earlier than the music even drops. With album visuals being teased like film trailers and dissected like vogue campaigns, this class feels proper on time.
Different modifications embrace expanded eligibility for Finest New Artist and tweaks within the classical and packaging classes to mirror at this time’s trade panorama. Although nominations will drop on Nov. 7, the dialog has already began.
These updates present that the Grammys are nonetheless attempting to maintain tempo with the tradition. See the complete 2026 Grammy rulebook right here.