The 68th Annual Grammy Awards Show, held on February 1st, 2026, proved to be one historic evening for the music industry. The ceremony aired for the last time on CBS, ending a nearly five-decade-long partnership with the network. Personally, I can’t help but feel the show will be totally different after this split—here’s hoping it keeps the same core elements and structure I’ve always loved.
Bruno Mars and Rosé kicked off the night, bringing punk rock energy to the stage with their single “APT.” Longtime host, Trevor Noah also announced his departure after six years. With the Grammys facing an uncertain future, this year’s show was packed with memorable performances, sharp commentary on recent controversies, and an undeniable sense of change.
Many monumental victories were earned this year, such as Kendrick Lamar adding three more Grammys to his collection for Best Rap Song, Rap Album, and Record of the Year, making him the most awarded rapper in Grammy history. Funnily enough, the Record of the Year presenter, pop icon Cher, had technical difficulties announcing “Luther Vandross” as the winner instead of “luther” by Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA. Her blunder left the two winners momentarily confused and the audience amused.
Sibling duo Billie Eilish and Finneas took home the Song of the Year award for “Wildflower,” making them the first songwriters to win in the category three times. Billie’s win this year was well deserved, as last year she was snubbed for Album of the Year for her album, “Hit me Hard and Soft.” Fans felt it was unfair to award Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” over the emotional masterpiece, which, I as well felt, was unearned. To me, the records broken this year made it apparent that the Recording Academy still shows favoritism when casting votes, much like previous years, where winners created controversy within an unfair system. However, we did see fresh faces like Lola Young for Best Pop Solo and Olivia Dean for Best New Artist take home the gold. It was refreshing to see new artists being recognized. To me, it was better than overrating well-known artists with repeated victories when they were unearned.
Bad Bunny won the coveted Album of the Year award for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” being the first-ever Latin artist to win and the only Spanish-language album to receive the award. With recent controversies, a Spanish-language album winning the most sought-after award in the industry was like a lighthouse in a storm, which, I feel, gives hope for a brighter future.
Trevor Noah took his last night of hosting as his final chance to share risky and pointed jokes about Nikki Minaj not being invited due to her recent political decisions, and the state of our country. I‘m okay with his departure from the show. To me, the jokes didn’t really hit or make me laugh. They all seemed negative and rude to some Artists.
During one of the most talked-about performances of the night, Sabrina Carpenter took flight while performing “Manchild,” transforming the stage into a retro airline. For a final surprise, Carpenter pulled a live dove from a magician’s hat on top of the prop airplane, as it ascended into the air. The performance was praised for its theatrical essence, but ruffled the feathers of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). The organization had a bone to pick with Carpenter for using a live dove for her performance, quoting Carpenter’s own lyrics in protest. Carpenter later reassured the angered group that the bird was carefully handled and managed by trained professionals. Carpenter never fails to bring the “first class” experience on the Grammys stage, topping her debut performance the previous year. I loved the concept of the airlines, even more that she kept the retro aesthetics of her last album “Man’s Best Friend” for the performance. I will say the night was unfair to the singer who lost every nomination. She should have received at least one award. Personally, she should have won Best Pop Album over Lady Gaga.
Being a first in Grammy history, all artists nominated for Best New Artist performed their respective songs back-to-back. The non-stop medley for the category nominees started with The Marías performing “No One Noticed” under a blue light on the main stage, followed by a drone above Addison Rae outside of the building on the back of a delivery truck, singing “Fame is a Gun.” Immediately after Rae steps out of frame, international girl group Katseye showcased their dancing and vocal stability while they performed “Gnarly” while running to the main stage.
The reactions to Katseye and Addison Rae’s performances were mediocre, with mostly negative comments. In my opinion, I thought the girl group brought the energy the night needed. However, I didn’t think their song choice showcased their full vocal talents. Yelling “Gnarly” while dancing with insane breath control was impressive, but it left many viewers, myself included, unimpressed. For their Grammys debut, I’d say they pulled it off and left their mark. Addison Rae’s light, airy voice felt almost silent at times, mainly focusing on the performance rather than the singing. The transition between the two styles was a jump scare, with the Katseye girls jumping into frame as Rae dropped to the floor.
Leon Thomas slowed the vibe down with “Mutt,” panning the camera to the concessions stand, and Alex Warren sang his charming single “Ordinary.” Next, a piano ballad of “Messy” by Lola Young, transitioned to Olivia Dean performing “Man I Need” in a Golden ‘70’s set. The medley ended with Sombr descending from the air on a platform in a Disco-mirror suit while performing “12 to 12.” I loved this addition to the broadcast; having the camera transition perfectly between performances was a nice change of pace. It truly felt like a competition for the artists to showcase their talent and artistic mindset. Unfortunately, not all of the performances were “Ordinary” as Alex Warren had visible trouble with his earpiece during his segment and was late on each chorus. I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I know he is an amazing vocalist and didn’t need to prove himself that night, so the off-beat performance didn’t affect him all that much.
The performances this year were all unique in their own ways. Justin Bieber returned to the stage wearing only his boxers and performed a stripped-back version of “Yukon.” Lady Gaga delivered an eerie vibe with her performance of “Abracadabra,” and Bruno Mars transformed the stage into a ‘70s Soul Train aesthetic with his latest hit, “I Just Might,” which marked his return to music after nearly a decade. While these three performances were strong, I saw them as filler because they felt short and unoriginal event though they were heavily promoted.
Many people have pointed out that the performances indicate the budget for this year’s show was significantly smaller compared to last year’s show-stopping stage designs and action-packed gimmicks. I can see why others think that to be true, but I‘m living for the simplistic artistry lately- I mean, having Justin Bieber singing in nothing but his boxers on the Grammys stage, amazing.
Out of the setlist of performers, Tyler, the Creator quite literally brought his albums to life on the Grammys stage, going from his album “CHROMATOPIA” to his most recent release “Don’t Tap the Glass.” The rapper began in the crowd, singing in his persona, “St. Chroma,” and led a line of marching soldiers to the stage for a grayscale half segment performance of “Thought I Was Dead.” He climbed into a red sports car and drove off, only to crash out of frame, killing off his St. Chroma character and morphing into a second character, Big Poe. Tyler breaks out into dance while performing “Sugar on my Tongue” while paramedics and police tend to St. Chroma’s body. Tyler showed off his moves, broke a gas pump, and bathed in gas. For the final act of the performance, Tyler the Creator took dynamite into the gas station and blew up the scene. He stumbled off stage and landed on the Grammy floor, killing off another persona.
Afterwards, behind-the-scenes videos from audience members show that Tyler committed to the bit and lay on the floor well after the commercial break started. I absolutely loved this performance, and thought it was hands-down the best of the night. The settings brought realism to his alter egos and gave us a peek into the artist’s mind. Tyler’s fun-loving personality and charisma shone through during the performance. I believe, like many, that he hinted at a new album release by killing off his past alter egos.
To honor Artists and Singers who passed in the last year, country legend Reba McEntire led a tribute ceremony and made her Grammys stage debut performing “Trailblazer” along with Brandy Clark and Lucas Nelson. The tribute included Reba’s late stepson, Brandon Blackstock, which made her performance more heartfelt. For the second act, the late Ozzy Osbourne was honored by Post Malone, Slash, Duff McKagan, Chad Smith, and Andrew Watt as they performed a fiery rendition of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” The performance had his wife, children, and the audience in tears and demonstrated how much he was loved and the influence he had on so many generations of Rock music. To finish the tribute segment, Ms. Lauryn Hill honored both R&B legend D’Angelo and soul-singer Roberta Flack by performing “Nothing Even Matters,” a classic duet between the two legacies, accompanied by his long-time band The Vanguard. Other Artists performed many of D’Angelo’s hits, including but not limited to Leon Thomas, Lucky Daye, Jon Batiste, and Chaka Khan.
All three tribute segments were beautifully performed, with each showing its own respect to the fallen artists. The 2026 Grammys as a whole were entertaining to watch, with superb performances, but more importantly, I feel it represented an update of the music industry. The newest recording artists brought a shift in the vibe of the music scene, with some focusing on stage presence, authenticity, and fun lyrics and contrasted the old perception of artists. The shift seems to be less about genre and more about the art itself. Historic in many ways, the 68th Grammys gave us the first glimpse at the next generation of music.
The industry introduced us to Brittany Spears in the 90’s, showing us the pop star agenda, hidden personal details, and the dos and don’ts of being a celebrity. Now, we’ve still got artists who follow the agenda like Tate McRae and Sabrina Carpenter, but the difference is that now the artists are open about their feelings, opinions, likes, dislikes, and are unapologetically their brand. The stencil for music and writing has changed drastically over the past few years, and this year’s Grammys displayed new talent that shows potential to one day completely change the industry and make it a more authentic place that celebrates music, cultures and stories.
