The 68th Grammy Awards delivered a historic Album of the Year win for Bad Bunny, theatrical pop performances and pointed political speeches. The clearest high and low points depend on what you value: the awards record is official, while “best” and “worst” are judgments. Here are the night’s defining moments, with reviewer opinions attributed.
What happened at the 2026 Grammys?
The 68th Annual Grammy Awards took place Feb. 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Its defining result was Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS winning Album of the Year. The Recording Academy called it the first all-Spanish-language album to win the category since it began in 1959. The album also won Best Música Urbana Album. The official results confirm the awards; the Academy’s retrospective describes the historic milestone.
The top three general-field awards were split among artists: Kendrick Lamar and SZA took Record of the Year for “luther,” Billie Eilish won Song of the Year for “WILDFLOWER,” and Bad Bunny won Album of the Year. Olivia Dean was named Best New Artist, and Lady Gaga won Best Pop Vocal Album for MAYHEM, according to the Recording Academy’s results.
What were the best moments?
These are strong candidates based on their cultural significance, staging or emotional impact—not official Grammy designations. The Academy and the Associated Press highlighted several of the performances; individual critics differed on what worked best.
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Bad Bunny’s history-making Album of the Year win
The win gave the ceremony its most consequential result. The Academy described DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS as the first all-Spanish-language Album of the Year winner since the category’s 1959 beginning. Bad Bunny had already won Best Música Urbana Album. In that acceptance speech, he said: “We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans. We are Americans.” The remark was part of his appeal against dehumanizing immigrants, as reported in the Academy retrospective.
Kendrick Lamar’s record-setting night
Lamar won five awards at the ceremony, bringing his career total to 27 and making him the rapper with the most Grammys, according to the Recording Academy. His Record of the Year win with SZA for “luther” was one of the night’s major results.
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A high-energy opening and Carpenter’s airport set
Rosé and Bruno Mars opened with “APT.” The Associated Press described a raucous performance with guitar, smoke and energetic movement; TIME likened Rosé’s look and the song’s energy to early-2000s pop-punk. Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” offered a very different kind of spectacle: a vintage airport concept, dancers and a live dove. The Academy described the staging, and TIME called the sequence campy.
Bieber’s stripped-back “YUKON”
Justin Bieber performed alone against a bare backdrop, using a guitar and digital percussion loops. The Academy noted his boxer shorts and socks; the Associated Press also singled out the spare staging. Its restraint provided a contrast to the ceremony’s more elaborate sets.
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Lady Gaga’s theatrical “Abracadabra”
Gaga paired “Abracadabra” with a birdcage-style helmet, a black-and-red costume, stylized movement and distorted synthesizers, according to the Academy. The Associated Press noted the basket-like headpiece and theatrical delivery. It was one of the evening’s most visually distinctive performances.
Tributes and hip-hop performances
The Academy’s account of the In Memoriam segment describes Reba McEntire, Brandy Clark and Lukas Nelson opening it, followed by Post Malone and a rock group performing Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” A later tribute to D’Angelo and Roberta Flack featured Lauryn Hill and other guests. The hip-hop showcase brought together Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator, Clipse, Pharrell Williams and Voices of Fire: Tyler’s staging included crash and explosion effects, while Clipse, Pharrell and Voices of Fire performed “So Far Ahead.” Pharrell also received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. The Academy retrospective recounts those segments.
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What were the worst or most awkward moments?
“Worst” is a critic’s verdict, not a ceremony result. The most defensible low points are specific production choices and live-TV slips reported by reviewers, rather than broad claims about the artists or the show.
The Best New Artist montage did not land for TIME
TIME criticized the execution of the Best New Artist montage, which brought a wide range of artists and sounds into one sequence. Its objection was to the format and how the segment came together, not to the performers themselves.
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Cher nearly skipped the Record of the Year announcement
The Associated Press reported that Cher nearly forgot to announce the Record of the Year winner. It was an awkward moment in the live broadcast; it does not, by itself, say much about the ceremony as a whole. AP’s recap reports the incident.
Which speeches stood out?
Several acceptance speeches gave the ceremony a political edge. The remarks below are quoted in the contexts reported by the Academy, without implying a broader consensus about their meaning.
- Bad Bunny: After winning Best Música Urbana Album, he spoke against dehumanizing immigrants, saying, “We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans. We are Americans.”
- Billie Eilish: Accepting Song of the Year for “WILDFLOWER,” she said, “No one is illegal on stolen land.”
- SZA: Accepting Record of the Year with Kendrick Lamar for “luther,” she urged listeners, “Please don’t fall into despair.”
The Recording Academy’s retrospective records the speeches and their award contexts.
How should the night’s “best” and “worst” be judged?
There was no single measurable audience verdict in the cited coverage. TIME praised the opening, Trevor Noah’s final appearance as host and Carpenter’s airport production, while criticizing the Best New Artist montage. The Associated Press highlighted performances including “YUKON” and reported Cher’s near-miss at the Record of the Year announcement. Those are each outlet’s perspectives, not evidence of a shared ranking. For a useful comparison, separate musical impact and emotional weight from staging, pacing and live-production execution.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →For the authoritative award record, consult the official results; for the performances and speeches, see the Academy retrospective, the TIME recap and the Associated Press recap.
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