68th Annual Grammy Awards announced: What’s new in the upcoming edition?
The Academy also scanned through the category definitions, criteria, and eligibility standards in different genres.
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The grand musical event is here! The Recording Academy has announced the schedule for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards on February 1, 2026. The event will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and the live feature will be aired on CBS in adding to the live streaming on Paramount+.
During an annual board meeting, the Academy unveiled some new updates, categories, eligibility rules and recognition for artistic work.
A recognition for album art
The committee has now brought into the picture for the Best Album Cover. Even though the awards have been granted for liner notes and packaging, this one was long overdue. The two initial packaging categories (Best Recording Package and Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package) have been now merged into a single one.
Physical product rules, now recognises the albums sold through artists’ or labels’ websites for various categories, including Best Album Notes and Best Historical Album.
Country and Classical categories gets a reprised domain
Genre-specific modifications have been made in the most distinguished segment. In the Country category, the Best Country Album has received a new name- Best Contemporary Country Album. The Best Traditional Country Album category has been additionally introduced.
The board also decided that the composers and lyricists/librettists will also bag the recognition, including artists, producers, and engineers.
The criteria for who is touted to be ‘new’ now expanded
In the General category, the criteria for Best New Artist has been significantly grown. Artists who have been behind the work chosen for an Album of the Year, however received credit for less than 20 per cent of its total playing time, will now be eligible for their breakthrough contribution.
Grammy Awards 2026 schedule
Product Eligibility: August 31, 2024 – August 30, 2025
Media Company Registration: July 7 – August 22, 2025
Online Entry: July 16 – August 29, 2025
First Round Voting: October 3 – October 15, 2025
Nominees Announced: November 7, 2025
Final Round Voting: December 12, 2025 – January 5, 2026
Awards Night: February 1, 2026
Harvey Mason Jr., CEO, Recording Academy, stated in conversation with Variety, “The Academy’s top priority is to represent the music people that we serve each year. That entails listening carefully to our members to make sure our rules and guidelines reflect today’s music and allow us to accurately recognize as many deserving creators as possible. As we kick off another exciting GRAMMY Season, we look forward to celebrating the amazing power of music and its ability to bring so many people together”.
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