The event will be held on Sunday, February 1st
The Recording Academy has revealed the key dates, deadlines and rule amendments for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, taking place on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with nominations set to be announced on Friday, November 7th. Through the Recording Academy’s annual process of accepting proposals from the music creators and professionals that make up its membership body, and as part of the organization’s commitment to evolve with the ever-changing musical landscape, several new changes have been made to the Grammy Awards process. The expansive list of updates is outlined below and goes into effect immediately for the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
“The Academy’s top priority is to represent the music people that we serve each year,” states Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “That entails listening carefully to our members to make sure our rules and guidelines reflect today’s music and allow us to accurately recognize as many deserving creators as possible. As we kick off another exciting GRAMMY Season, we look forward to celebrating the amazing power of music and its ability to bring so many people together.”
Eligibility for Best New Artist has been expanded to include artists who have been previously nominated in Album Of The Year, but whose contributions fell below the current 20 percent playing time threshold. This update allows acts who were credited as featured artists on projects that were Grammy nominated for Album Of The Year in a previous awards cycle to be eligible for Best New Artist consideration.
The existing Best Country Album Category has been renamed Best Contemporary Country Album, and a new Category, Best Traditional Country Album, has been added.
In Classical Categories, composers and lyricists/librettists are now eligible for GRAMMY recognition alongside all other key creative personnel including artists, producers, and engineers on winning albums.
The existing Best Recording Package and Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package Categories have been combined into one single Category: Best Recording Package. A new Category, Best Album Cover, has also been added.
The physical product eligibility requirement for Best Recording Package, Best Album Notes, and Best Historical Album has also been expanded to be more representative of today’s marketplace. This change ensures that physical album packages sold directly to fans through an artist’s or label’s website are eligible for Grammy consideration.
Additionally, the Craft Committee serving in this field is transitioning from a regional to a national model.
The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
