The Recording Academy has announced several changes and the roadmap for the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards, set to take place on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Los Angeles’s Crypto.com Arena. Nominations will be unveiled on Friday, November 7, 2025. Here is everything you need to know.
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What’s New
• Best Traditional Country Album – A brand‑new category to spotlight classic‑style country music.
• Best Album Cover – Celebrating iconic art, this standalone category highlights visual storytelling in music.
• Renaming in the Country Field – ‘Best Country Album’ is now Best Contemporary Country Album, clarifying the split between current styles and traditional sound.
Expanded Recognition
• Classical field updates – Now, composers and librettists are credited alongside performers, honoring the full creative process.
• Packaging & physical format inclusivity – Physical albums sold directly via artist stores are now eligible for Best Recording Package, Box Set, and Album Notes . Plus, a unified Packaging Field and the launch of the Best Album Cover category broaden recognition.
More Artists, More Genres
Also now eligible for Best New Artist: contributors featured on large‑scale albums nominated for Album of the Year, even if they only appear as guests. Other fields have undergone minor changes, fine-tuning eligibility rules for greater fairness.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. emphasizes these changes are about evolving with the industry, adding: “celebrate more artists and a wider range of music” and ensuring the GRAMMYs “truly reflect and honor the full spectrum of music creators.”
Key Dates
• Eligibility window: Releases between August 31, 2024 and August 30, 2025
• Nominations announced: November 7, 2025
• Telecast: February 1, 2026, live from Crypto.com Arena.
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