LOS ANGELES (AP) \u2014 The 68th annual Grammy Awards<\/a> are Sunday, airing live from Los Angeles\u2019 Crypto.com<\/a> Arena on CBS and Paramount+. What can viewers expect?<\/p>\n According to the Recording Academy: some new, some old and a lot of excitement. Executive producers Raj Kapoor, Ben Winston and Jesse Collins are returning for a different show from last year, when the event was completely transformed to help those affected by the devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires.<\/a><\/p>\n Here are four big questions \u2014 and answers \u2014 ahead of the event.<\/p>\n A lot! A best album cover category<\/a> is back for the first time in 53 years. Best country album has been renamed to best contemporary country album<\/a> and a best traditional country album category has been added.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this case, we got a proposal that wanted an additional country category. It made its way through the proposal process \u2014 again, voted on by members, evaluated by members, submitted by members but ultimately voted on my members \u2014 and we deploy what the members ask for,\u201d Recording Academy CEO and President Harvey Mason jr. tells The Associated Press.<\/a><\/p>\n When the change was announced, some viewed it as backlash to Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s 2025 win<\/a> for best country album. \u201cIt’s not accurate,\u201d says Mason jr. \u201cIt’s something we’ve been talking about for a number of years.\u201d<\/p>\n Also, in the last few years, the Grammy Awards have made a concerted effort to diversify its electorate. Last year, all Latin Grammy voting members were invited<\/a> to join the Recording Academy.<\/p>\n \u201cThe idea was to make sure that the academy and the Grammys are representative of what\u2019s going on in music,\u201d says Mason jr. \u201cMaking sure that our membership was diverse around genre and geography and everything was really important to us. We acknowledged that Latin music is huge and it\u2019s omnipresent in the industry at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n Surprises and variety, says Mason jr. \u201cThe new up-and-coming group is so incredible. The legends and the icons are so, so special to have around. And then the superstars, having some of them on our stage, and that mixture, I think, makes for a really fun show.\u201d<\/p>\n Winston is a bit more specific: \u201c18 or 19″ performances, he counts, \u201cIn 3 \u00bd hours. Yeah, so it\u2019s packed. \u2026 We keep it tight and sharp and we put less other stuff in the show this year so we can have a bit more music.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe definitely try to maximize the music performances on the show,\u201d adds Kapoor. \u201cIt’s something that we challenge our team with every year.\u201d<\/p>\n And on an abridged timeline. Rehearsals start Thursday for Sunday’s live event. It’s \u201cThursday afternoon, all day Friday, all day Saturday, and that\u2019s it,\u201d Kapoor continues. \u201cEverything that you see, those 19 performances, all happen between Thursday afternoon and Saturday evening. And it\u2019s kind of one of the most amazing processes you\u2019ve ever seen, and it\u2019s absolutely insane how much work we get done, and how cooperative the artists are.\u201d<\/p>\n The artists confirmed to perform so far are Clipse, Pharrell Williams, Sabrina Carpenter and all of the best new artist nominees: Katseye<\/a>, Olivia Dean, Leon Thomas, Addison Rae,<\/a> Sombr, Lola Young, The Mar\u00edas and Alex Warren.<\/p>\n So many people. Kendrick Lamar leads nominations with nine, including an album of the year nod. If he wins for \u201cGNX\u201d<\/a> \u2014 or if Tyler, the Creator’s \u201cChromakopia\u201d<\/a> or Clipse’s \u201cLet Got Sort Em Out\u201d wins \u2014 it will be only the third time a rap album has taken home the top prize, following Outkast in 2004 for \u201cSpeakerboxxx\/The Love Below\u201d and Lauryn Hill in 1999 for \u201cThe Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.\u201d<\/p>\n If Bad Bunny\u2019s \u201cDeb\u00ed Tirar M\u00e1s Fotos\u201d<\/a> wins album of the year, it will be the first all-Spanish-language album<\/a> to do so. It is only the second time an all-Spanish-language album has been nominated for the top prize. The first was also a Bad Bunny release \u2014 in 2023, for \u201cUn Verano Sin Ti.\u201d Harry Styles\u2019 \u201cHarry\u2019s House\u201d won that year.<\/p>\n No K-pop artist has ever won a Grammy<\/a>, but that may change. Ros\u00e9 and Bruno Mars\u2019 \u201cAPT.\u201d and the \u201cKPop Demon Hunters\u201d track \u201cGolden\u201d are both nominated for song of the year, a first for any K-pop act. \u201cAPT.\u201d is also up for record of the year, also a K-pop artist first.<\/p>\n There are also a number of intriguing first-time nominees<\/a>. Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet is up for best compilation soundtrack for visual media for \u201cA Complete Unknown.\u201d Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and the Dalai Lama are up for audio book, narration and storytelling recording. Steven Spielberg is also nominated in the music film category, for \u201cMusic By John Williams.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s history that could be made across the board,\u201d Winston says.<\/p>\n That competitiveness \u2014 and excitement \u2014 will be reflected in the show\u2019s production.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year we are just going to enjoy great performances and great music and tight races,\u201d he continues. \u201cWe\u2019re leaning very much into just making these music performances spectacular and also trying to push the boundaries in how we shoot them as well for a live show.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe were living in hotels,\u201d Winston reflects on the 2025 Grammys. \u201cIn this office, looking at the fires on the hills literally right there outside this window \u2026 there was no rundown because we didn\u2019t know what we had. So, it\u2019s just a very different year for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Logistically, he says, this year his team has been able to \u201creally appreciate the ability to finesse performances.\u201d<\/p>\n Kapoor says the fires taught his team \u201cjust how flexible we can be.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd \u2026 we got to spotlight what else the Recording Academy does. Because so much of their work is actually helping people,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n Relief efforts were at the heart of the show, including highlighting small businesses affected by the wildfires.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fires last year brought some incredible challenges but also presented an amazing opportunity for us to see how we can amplify our work and our mission,\u201d Mason jr. said. \u201cWhich is to serve people, to serve music people, to serve the world.\u201d<\/p>\nWhat’s new at the 2026 Grammys?<\/h2>\n
What can we expect from the performances?<\/h2>\n
Who might make history at the 2026 Grammys?<\/h2>\n
After 2025\u2019s wildfires, how will the Grammys transform?<\/h2>\n