Los Angeles: The 2026 Grammy Awards turned into a landmark night marked by record-breaking victories, political statements and historic firsts, with Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish emerging as the biggest winners. The ceremony featured high-energy performances from some of the world’s most popular artistes, while also delivering moments that reshaped Grammy history.

Kendrick Lamar cemented his legacy by becoming the most-awarded rapper in Grammy history. He won four awards — Best Rap Song, Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Album — taking his career tally to 26 Grammys and surpassing previous record-holder Jay-Z. Accepting one of his awards, Lamar said, “It’s an honour to be here. Hip-hop is always going to be right here… We’re gonna be having the culture with us.” Entering the night with nine nominations, Lamar also shared one of the ceremony’s top honours with longtime collaborator SZA, as their track “Luther” won Record of the Year. During her acceptance speech, SZA struck an emotional chord, saying, “Please don’t fall into despair. I know that right now is a scary time… the algorithms tell us that it’s so scary and all is lost.”

Bad Bunny created Grammy history by winning Album of the Year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, becoming the first all-Spanish-language album to secure the ceremony’s top prize. The win marked only the second time a fully Spanish album had ever been nominated in the category. The award was presented by Harry Styles, who was seen embracing an emotional Bad Bunny on stage.

Billie Eilish won Song of the Year for “Wildflower,” defeating K-pop hits “APT” and “Golden.” Using the moment to make a strong political statement, Eilish said, “As grateful as I feel, I honestly don’t feel like I need to say anything but that no one is illegal on stolen land.”

In the pop categories, Lady Gaga took home Best Pop Vocal Album for Mayhem, while Jelly Roll won Best Contemporary Country Album for Beautifully Broken. Despite massive global popularity, billion-stream milestones and, for the first time, nominations in major categories, K-pop acts — including Rosé and the team behind KPop Demon Hunters — once again failed to secure wins. The continued snub has reignited criticism and disappointment among fans worldwide.

Scroll below for the complete and final list of winners at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

Comedian Trevor Noah returned to host the Grammys for the sixth consecutive time, marking his final appearance as the show’s emcee. Setting the tone in his opening monologue, Noah announced that Ms. Lauryn Hill would perform at the Grammys for the first time since 1999, joking, “Do you understand how long ago that is?” He added, “Back in 1999, the president had had a sex scandal, people thought computers were about to destroy the world, and Diddy was arrested.”

The ceremony opened with high-energy performances, including Bruno Mars and Rosé’s rendition of “APT.” Sabrina Carpenter followed with an airport-themed performance of “Manchild,” complete with a faux airline terminal and a classic arrivals-departures board. Reacting to the subdued photographers on the red carpet, Carpenter remarked, “Chappell (Roan) really started, she started a movement.”

Several notable snubs drew attention. Lorde’s album “Virgin” failed to secure any wins, continuing a trend after “Solar Power” was overlooked in 2022. The Weeknd also went home empty-handed despite submitting his album “Hurry Up Tomorrow” in more than a dozen categories.

Political statements surfaced subtly throughout the night. Multiple artists wore “ICE OUT” pins opposing US immigration enforcement. Accepting his Grammy, Shaboozey reflected on immigration and identity, saying, “When I think about the people who made my life easier or helped me along the way, we’re all from somewhere else.” He added, “Country music itself is an immigrant story.” Asked why he addressed the issue publicly, he said, “That’s my lineage. That’s who I am.”

A moving tribute is scheduled for the late Ozzy Osbourne, with his family confirming he will be honoured during the in-memoriam segment. “It’s going to be very emotional for me,” Kelly Osbourne said.

Among historic moments, Steven Spielberg joined the elite EGOT club after winning a Grammy for Music by John Williams. “Thank you to all the Grammy voters, whose recognition of ‘Music by John Williams’ means the world to me,” Spielberg said in a statement.

Veteran artists were also celebrated. Chaka Khan, one of the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, said, “Music has been my prayer, my healing, my joy, my truth. Through it, I saved my life.”

With nearly 100 awards, high-profile performances and ongoing conversations around culture and politics, the Grammys once again proved to be more than just a music awards show.

AP