True artists know that the best thing about making music is connecting with people on a deeper level…but being recognized with a shiny trophy and industry-wide accolade doesn’t hurt, either. The Recording Academy’s golden gramophone—aka a Grammy—is more than just an award. It’s a career milestone that’s considered by seasoned producers, engineers, and artists in the biz. Even if an artist doesn’t win the award, a nomination alone can redefine their trajectory and open so many other doors for their budding careers.
The Recording Academy mostly got it right with this year’s nominees, as they strike a balance between the mainstream hits taking over TikTok FYPs and the boundary-pushing artists shaping the next era of pop stardom. Artists like KATSEYE, Addison Rae, and Doechii were rightfully recognized in major categories with big players like Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber. Despite these pleasantly surprising acknowledgments, there are still some major snubs and surprises that left pop culture buffs and some industry folks (it’s me, hi) a little confused.
With all the nominations being officially announced, now seems like a good time as ever to break down the shocking snubs from this year’s Grammy nominations. It’s important to note that the eligibility period this year ran from August 30, 2024, to August 31, 2025, so I’m only including artists who have been active within that timeframe. Without further ado, let’s get into the biggest 2026 Grammy snubs.
Best New Artist
ROLE MODEL
Tell me you went anywhere this year without hearing Tucker Pillsbury—aka ROLE MODEL—playing on a speaker somewhere. I’ll wait. “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” may have dropped last year, but ROLE MODEL has made his mark during this year’s festival circuit with appearances at Austin City Limits, Governors Ball, and All Things Go. His stage (and social!) presence is incredibly strong, and the man has more charm in his pinky than most people do in their entire bodies. Not to mention, all the A-listers he’s tapped to be his Sally throughout the year speak volumes to his cultural impact—Conan Gray, Hilary Duff, Kate Hudson, and Charli XCX are only a few of his iconic “Sally” cameos.
The track also earned him his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart for the week of September 13, 2025. As his star inevitably rises—and he finally makes it as one of People’s Sexiest Men Alive—what’s not clicking?
Ravyn Lenae
“Love Me Not” stans, I see you, hear you, and feel you. Ravyn Lenae took over many playlists and TikTok FYPs this year, and even peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with her hit. Yet, she was still snubbed from this year’s Best New Artist category. Even though she’s received flowers from industry vets like Mariah Carey, Kelly Rowland, and Solange (who she samples on her biggest song, FYI), she has yet to be nominated for her first Grammy. She was also noticeably absent from this year’s R&B categories, too.
Record of the Year
“Messy” by Lola Young
Though Lola Young has spent some time away from the spotlight since her unfortunate on-stage fainting at All Things Go in New York a few months ago, we can’t deny that “Messy” was everywhere this past year. Being recognized in the ROTY category means that Lola would be acknowledged for her raw, emotional, and downright clever pen. Of course, her signature raspy vocals are just a plus on top of her songwriting prowess. “Messy” reached all kinds of people thanks to its vulnerability and infectious hook. Like, even Sofia Richie Grainge danced to this song (and went mega-viral herself), people! Thankfully, Lola was still recognized in the Best New Artist category.
“Back to Friends” by Sombr
If you’ve opened TikTok or Spotify in the past year or even listened to the radio during a drive, you don’t need us to tell you that Sombr’s breakout year has been incredibly fruitful. He only dropped his debut album on August 22 (barely making the cutoff for this year’s eligibility period), but his megahit “Back to Friends” has been climbing up the Billboard Hot 100 since it was released last December. Not to mention, Recording Academy fave Taylor Swift gave him a shoutout on national television, he’s set to make his Saturday Night Live debut this weekend, and he snagged a coveted spot on Coachella’s 2026 lineup. All this led to Sombr’s rightful Best New Artist nomination, but it feels remiss not to acknowledge his biggest song, which recently hit 1 billion streams on Spotify.
Song of the Year
“Ordinary” by Alex Warren
Even if you’re not an Alex Warren mega-fan, you can’t deny his impact on pop culture. “Ordinary” was a hopeful, massive song that reached several generations and received a stamp of approval from past Grammy darlings like Lana Del Rey. It’s been on the Billboard Hot 100 for 38 weeks and sat at No. 1 for 10 consecutive weeks (and, as I write this, it’s still in the top 3). It feels strange that it wasn’t nominated in any major categories, especially since Alex himself was nominated for Best New Artist.
“Sports Car” by Tate McRae
Because she’s already been submitted for a Best New Artist nomination three times, Tate is no longer eligible—but that shouldn’t count her out of the Recording Academy’s other core categories since her third album, So Close to What, dropped within this year’s eligibility period. “Sports Car” was a hit, which brought her mainstream success after she had been in the biz for a few years. While it didn’t even hit the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, it still took over radio stations and was the soundtrack to countless TikToks and IG Reels. And, lest we forget her iconic VMAs performance of the track? It’s not a complete loss, though—the Recording Academy still acknowledged Tate in the Best Dance Recording category.
Album of the Year
Virgin by Lorde
Fans waited for Lorde’s comeback with bated breath after she worked it out on the “Girl, So Confusing” remix with Charli XCX during brat summer. As summer 2025 approached, so did her highly anticipated fourth album, Virgin, and the teens who grew into twenty-somethings alongside the artist were fed with a new anthem, “What Was That?” There’s so much more to her Melodrama-tinged lead single, though. Virgin taps into the depths of identity, whether we’re grappling with getting older or discovering new parts of ourselves through gender expression. It seemed like a turning point for Lorde, who has historically been a Grammy darling as a two-time winner herself. Shockingly, Virgin didn’t receive its flowers from the Academy this time around.
