Bad Bunny and Kendrick Lamar, two artists unafraid to carry a mirror as much as America by way of their music and performances, dominated the Grammy Awards on Sunday night.
Bad Bunny made historical past when he gained album of the yr for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos (I Should Have Taken More Photos)” – the primary Spanish-language album to attain the highest honor – whereas Lamar additionally broke information with 5 wins, together with finest rap album and document of the yr, changing into the most-awarded rap artist in Grammy historical past.
Bad Bunny bought emotional after profitable the night’s high prize, making his option to the stage with tears in his eyes earlier than acknowledging his homeland of Puerto Rico and dedicating his win to “all the people who had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams.”
In footage: The 2026 Grammy Awards
He made a extra pointed anti-ICE statement earlier within the night whereas accepting the Grammy for finest música urbana album.
“We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans,” Bad Bunny mentioned, after deploying the phrase “ICE out,” which has been used as a name for an finish to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Next Sunday, Bad Bunny will take to the Super Bowl Halftime Show stage for a efficiency that has been marked by anticipation and criticism from conservatives. Lamar is aware of what that looks like.
He was the performer for Super Bowl LIX and used his time on sports activities’ greatest stage to ship a politically-charged efficiency that featured Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam.
The Grammy Awards weren’t nearly political statements, nonetheless. There had been a number of stand-out performances and tributes to beloved musicians who handed final yr and a lot extra.
Here are among the night’s different notable moments.
Cher appeared to have one thing resembling a “La La Land” moment whereas presenting Kendrick Lamar and SZA with the document of the yr Grammy, when she misinterpret the envelope, awarding the Grammy to the late Luther Vandross, whose first identify is the title of the track that was awarded. This plus some teleprompter points made for a clumsy second. In her protection, she tried to stroll off stage after accepting her lifetime achievement award. So, perhaps she knew this wasn’t the job for a legend like her.
Television censors couldn’t sustain with Lola Young’s pleasure over profitable finest pop solo efficiency, failing to correctly bleep a four-letter expletive that escaped her mouth throughout her acceptance speech. The button was able to go, nonetheless, for Billie Eilish’s acceptance speech for track of the yr, throughout which mentioned “F**k ICE,” in accordance with movies posted to social media by these within the crowd. Fun reality: Eilish and her brother and collaborator Finneas turned the primary songwriting duo to win thrice within the class.
As if Steven Spielberg wanted one other Hollywood accolade, the famed director achieved EGOT standing after he scored a Grammy win through the Grammys preshow on Sunday. Spielberg gained a Grammy in the very best music movie class for “Music by John Williams,” on which Spielberg is credited as a producer. This marks his first Grammy. Spielberg has gained three Academy Awards, one Tony and 4 Emmys.
The in-memoriam phase fittingly had a contact of steel this yr, with a efficiency in honor of the late Ozzy Osbourne. With Slash on guitar, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith on percussion and Post Malone singing the vocals, the ensemble performed a cowl of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” to honor the band’s late chief. The second was an emotional one, with the digital camera slicing to the fallen rocker’s household, Sharon, Kelly and Jack Osbourne, who had been all seen tearfully watching the efficiency. Lauryn Hill subsequently took the stage to carry out a medley of her best hits, and paid tribute to D’Angelo, who died in October. Earlier, nation famous person Reba McEntire launched the in-memoriam phase by singing “Trailerblazer” alongside Brandy Clark and Lukas Nelson, in what was McEntire’s first-ever efficiency on the Grammys. McEntire’s stepson Brandon Blackstock, a expertise agent and Kelly Clarkson’s former husband, died in August and was honored through the phase.
The Dalai Lama is a Grammy winner. The religious chief was awarded the respect for the audio e-book that accompanied his title “Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.” Host Trevor Noah was additionally nominated within the class. In a assertion posted to Instagram, the Dalai Lama wrote that he accepted the award “with gratitude and humility.”
No shirt? No drawback — no less than on the Grammys. Chappell Roan stepped onto the crimson carpet sporting a sheer burgundy frock, with its high parts held up solely by the hoops of what gave the impression to be nipple rings. Doechii channeled “Death Becomes Her” in a bejeweled chest piece that in all probability wired the sound operator on the Grammys when it jangled within the mic, and Teyana Taylor floated into the present sporting an abdomen-bearing sparkly gold robe. Justin Bieber additionally took a notice from the skin-loving women, sporting solely a pair of silvery blue silk boxers for his first efficiency on the Grammys stage in 4 years.
Whether they had been performing on stage – you sombr, Addison Rae and Alex Warren – or accepting an award like finest new artist winner Olivia Dean, the musicians of TikTok had a nice night. The identical could be mentioned for artists whose older songs felt new once more as a result of they occurred to seek out new listeners on the favored social media community. You would possibly know that Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” got here out in June 2025, but it surely was new to some!
In a night that made historical past throughout, one record-breaking moment came from the world of K-Pop. The infectious and uplifting anthem “Golden” from the shock Netflix hit film “K-Pop Demon Hunters” scored a pre-telecast Grammy win on Sunday, when it clinched the award for finest track written for visible media. The banger, sung by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami of HUNTR/X, was nominated for 4 Grammys whole this weekend, together with track of the yr.
Lady Gaga delivered a highly effective speech after profitable a Grammy within the pop vocal album class, utilizing her time on stage to encourage girls in music to “always listen to yourself and always fight for your ideas” once they’re within the studio, which may typically be a male-dominated area. “Fight for yourself as a producer and make sure that you are heard – loudly,” she added.