Cher briefly named Luther Vandross while presenting Record of the Year at the 2026 Grammys, but the award went to Kendrick Lamar and SZA for “luther.” The mix-up had a musical connection: their winning song samples a 1982 recording by Vandross and Cheryl Lynn. Cher’s separate Lifetime Achievement Award was part of the Special Merit Awards ceremony held the night before the televised show.
What Cher said at the 2026 Grammys
At the February 1, 2026 telecast, Cher presented Record of the Year. In announcing the result, she mistakenly named the late Luther Vandross. The Recording Academy’s later account of the moment connects the name to the winning song, “luther.” The Academy’s event recap and speech recap describe the presentation and its context.
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Who won Record of the Year?
Kendrick Lamar and SZA won Record of the Year for “luther,” according to the Recording Academy’s official 68th Grammy Awards record. Cher was the presenter; she was not announcing a win for Vandross.
“luther” was released as the third single from Lamar’s 2024 album GNX. The song’s title and source credit make the connection clear: it samples Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s 1982 version of “If This World Were Mine.” The Academy’s Record of the Year nominee feature describes its blend of classic soul, hip-hop and contemporary R&B, with orchestral strings and 808s. That same 2026 feature reports that “luther” spent 13 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100; this is the Academy’s chart-run figure, not a statement about the song’s current chart position.
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- Description Kendrick Lamar - GNX - Vinyl GNX is the sixth studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. Titled after the Buick Regal model, and a follow-up to Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022). Tracklisting SIDE A: 1. wacced out murals 2. squabble up 3. luther 4. man at the garden 5. hey now 6. reincarnated SIDE B: 7. tv off 8. dodger blue 9. peekaboo 10. heart pt. 6 11. gnx 12. gloria...
- Format: Vinyl...
- Released: 2025-02-07...
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Cher’s Lifetime Achievement Award was a separate honor
Cher was among six recipients of a 2026 Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. The Academy announced the honorees on December 19, 2025, and scheduled the Special Merit Awards ceremony for January 31, 2026, the evening before the main telecast. Her lifetime honor and her role presenting Record of the Year were distinct events. The Academy’s honoree announcement lists the recipients and ceremony details.
How “luther” and GNX fit into the results
The 2026 results recognized two different kinds of work by Lamar: “luther” won Record of the Year, an award for a recording, while GNX won Best Rap Album. The Recording Academy’s official results list both wins. See the full 68th Grammy Awards record.
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The Academy’s March 1, 2026 acceptance-speech feature says Lamar won five Grammys at the ceremony, bringing his career total to 27 and making him the rapper with the most Grammy wins at that point. These are figures reported by the Academy in its post-ceremony feature. Grammy winners are determined by Recording Academy voting members who are music creators; the Academy outlines its process on its Awards Process page.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When the awards happened
The televised 68th Annual Grammy Awards took place February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Recording Academy lists the eligibility period for that ceremony as August 31, 2024, through August 30, 2025. Eligibility dates define which recordings were considered; they are not the ceremony dates.
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