The nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards were unveiled on Friday, stirring up the usual mix of excitement and disbelief with unexpected omissions and surprising inclusions.

Artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, and Sabrina Carpenter emerged as the big winners, securing multiple nominations, while some notable names were surprisingly absent from the list.

Lorde, a dominant force in pop music, saw her fourth album, Virgin, receive rave reviews and commercial success, yet it failed to earn a single nomination, leaving fans bewildered.

Similarly, The Weeknd’s turbulent history with the Grammys seems to persist, as his latest record, Hurry Up Tomorrow, was overlooked entirely, marking another snub for the acclaimed artist.

For those wondering about the absence of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, there’s a simple explanation: neither released music during the eligibility period from August 31, 2024, to August 30, 2025, thus they were not in the running this year.

But the snubs weren’t the only shockers. 

The 2026 Grammy nominations dropped Friday, and as always, the list is packed with jaw-dropping snubs and shocking surprises, as Lorde was shut out

Meanwhile, The Weeknd ’s rocky relationship with the Academy continues : his latest album Hurry Up Tomorrow was completely shut out, keeping the singer-songwriter off the Grammy map once again

The band behind Netflix’s animated smash KPop Demon Hunters, HUNTR/X, scored a major nod, thrilling fans, though some still felt it wasn’t enough.

And in a move no one saw coming, a few unlikely creatives made the list — including Kylie Jenner’s boyfriend Timothée Chalamet and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, cementing this year’s nominations as one of the wildest in recent Grammy history.

As for the snubs, some were no shock at all. Lorde, for instance, has a long and complicated history with the Grammys. 

Back in 2018, her critically acclaimed Melodrama scored an Album of the Year nod — but the Academy didn’t give her a solo performance slot on the broadcast. 

The other nominees that year, all men, reportedly got the spotlight. 

A few days after losing the big award, Lorde took out a full-page ad in her hometown paper, thanking fans for supporting female musicians — a pointed jab at the Academy. Fun fact: her only Grammy win came in 2014, when she became the youngest songwriter ever to take home Song of the Year.

The Weeknd, meanwhile, continues his fraught relationship with the Academy. 

After boycotting the show and calling the nominations ‘corrupt’ four years ago, his latest album Hurry Up Tomorrow still got shut out — even after a surprise February performance at the Grammys.

And in a move no one saw coming, a few unlikely creatives made the list — including Kylie Jenner ’s boyfriend Timothée Chalamet

Other artists weren’t luckier. 

Benson Boone, whose live shows dazzle with acrobatics and hits from American Heart, earned zero nominations despite chart-topping singles like Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else and Mystical Magical. 

Shawn Mendes, despite three past nominations, has yet to score a win, and Miley Cyrus, even after a show-stopping February performance and the ambitious Something Beautiful, landed just one nod for Best Pop Vocal Album.

Rising stars like Renee Rapp, whose Bite Me LP brims with Broadway energy and rock attitude, were also passed over — though fans can expect her name to pop up in future years.

Then there are the jaw-dropping surprises. 

Chalamet grabbed his first Grammy nomination for A Complete Unknown, a Bob Dylan biopic soundtrack featuring his own vocals. 

KPop Demon Hunters fans went wild as Golden,” performed by HUNTR/X (EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI), scored nods in Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Song of the Year, while the film’s soundtrack earned a Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media nomination — though many were left disappointed it missed Record of the Year.

And yes, the unexpected didn’t stop there. 

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson landed a nomination in Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for narrating her memoir Lovely One, proving even the nation’s highest court can crash the Grammy stage.

Finally, Hayley Williams received long-overdue recognition for her solo work. 

Her LP Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party earned four nominations, including Best Rock Song and Best Alternative Music Album. 

Though she’s celebrated for her Paramore days, this marks her first time being acknowledged as a solo artist, a milestone her fans are thrilled to see.