Bad Bunny And Rosé Break Grammy Records In 2026

The 68th annual Grammy Awards, held on February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, will be remembered as a night that shattered barriers, celebrated diversity, and delivered electrifying performances. With Trevor Noah returning as host and CBS and Paramount+ broadcasting the event, the ceremony spotlighted not just musical excellence, but also the shifting cultural tides within the global music industry.

Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, born Benito Ocasio, made Grammy history by clinching Album of the Year for his sixth album, Debí Tirar Mas Fotos, marking the first time in the Grammy’s 68-year legacy that a Spanish-language album took home the top prize. According to BBC, Bad Bunny was visibly stunned when Harry Styles read his name, taking a moment to compose himself before walking onstage with tears in his eyes. In a moving acceptance speech, he dedicated the award “to all the people that had to leave their home, land, their country, to follow their dreams.” He continued, “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” referencing the U.S. immigration agency amid ongoing tensions in Minneapolis. “We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens, we are humans and we are Americans.”

Bad Bunny’s night didn’t end there—he walked away with three Grammys, a testament to the growing influence of Latin music on the global stage. For years, Latin artists were sidelined by the Anglophone music industry, but the streaming era helped break down those barriers. Last year, Bad Bunny was the most-played artist on Spotify, amassing a staggering 19.8 billion streams. Accepting Album of the Year, he reflected on the themes of grief and perseverance that shaped his record, saying in Spanish, “For all the people who have lost someone close to them and had to continue forward with lots of strength, this award is for you.”

The night was also a watershed moment for K-pop, as Blackpink’s Rosé became the first solo K-pop artist to perform at the Grammys and to receive nominations in the general field categories. As reported by Billboard and Cosmopolitan, Rosé and Bruno Mars opened the ceremony with a hard-rock reimagining of their hit “APT.,” setting the tone for an evening of genre-blending and boundary-pushing. Dressed in matching black-and-white outfits, the duo’s chemistry was palpable as they brought the crowd to its feet. “Don’t you want me like I want you, baby? Don’t you need me like I need you now?” Rosé sang, while Mars shredded on guitar.

“APT.” was no ordinary hit—it dominated the Billboard Global 200 for 12 weeks and peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 2025. The track, inspired by a Korean drinking game, was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. While the latter went to Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo for their “Wicked” duet “Defying Gravity” before the main broadcast, Rosé’s presence was historic. After learning of her nominations, Rosé took to Instagram to share, “I cannot believe my life. I am STILL trying to process everything. Thank you so so much to the @recordingacademy. This means so much to me and many many others. I’m feeling so incredibly grateful today. @brunomars look at that!!! :,)”

During a recent appearance on the podcast Call Her Daddy, Rosé described her Grammy nod as “Oh my gosh! I never thought that would be possible! ...I feel like it’s the second chapter of my life, like, ‘Oh my gosh!’” She also teased the possibility of a solo tour, saying, “I just want everyone to be patient. Because I feel like once I do start, I feel like I’d love it so much that I would want to do it for so long, so I don’t want to ruin that experience.”

Elsewhere, the Grammys continued to honor both newcomers and legends. Kendrick Lamar led the pack with nine nominations and took home Best Rap Album for GNX and Record of the Year for “Luther,” his soulful duet with SZA. These wins brought his career Grammy total to 27, surpassing Jay-Z and solidifying his place in the hip-hop pantheon. During his acceptance, Lamar paid tribute to the late Luther Vandross, whose vocals were sampled on the winning track. “I gotta take my time, because [he’s] one of my favourite artists of all time,” Lamar said. “They said ‘no cursing, though.’ That was the only thing. We couldn’t curse on it.”

Billie Eilish secured Song of the Year for “Wildflower” from her 2024 album Hit Me Hard And Soft, making it her third such win this decade. Eilish, echoing the evening’s activist spirit, remarked, “It’s just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now. And I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting. Our voices really do matter, and the people matter.”

British star Olivia Dean was named Best New Artist, and Lady Gaga’s Mayhem won Best Pop Album, with Gaga urging women in music to “fight for your songs, fight for yourself as a producer [and] make sure that you are heard loudly.” The ceremony also featured memorable performances from Lola Young, Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Bruno Mars, among others. The In Memoriam segment paid tribute to industry giants including Ozzy Osbourne, Brian Wilson, Sly Stone, and Roberta Flack, with performances by Lauryn Hill, Chaka Khan, Jon Batiste, Wyclef Jean, and John Legend.

While the main televised event handed out just nine awards, the remaining 86 were distributed in a longer “premiere ceremony” earlier in the day, with British acts Yungblud, FKA Twigs, and The Cure among the winners. The Grammy Awards, once again, proved to be more than a celebration of music—it was a reflection of our times, a showcase of resilience, and a stage where new chapters in music history are written.