Editor’s Note: This article was updated Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, to reflect the dates and information surrounding Final Round Voting for the 2026 GRAMMYS.
Starting this week, GRAMMY voters will take the final step in determining which artists, creators and releases will take home the coveted GRAMMY Award at the 2026 GRAMMYS. Final Round Voting for the 2026 GRAMMYs opens Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, and runs through Monday, Jan. 5, 2026; this final round of voting determines ultimate winners across all 95 Categories to be awarded at the 2026 GRAMMYS, which take place Sunday, Feb. 1.
The Recording Academy, the organization behind the annual GRAMMY Awards, encourages our Voting Members to educate themselves on the GRAMMY voting process each year as they prepare to cast their ballots when Final Round Voting opens. To help guide Voting Members through the GRAMMY voting process, we’ve put together a thorough and informative guide outlining all the key dates, deadlines and voting guidelines to know this year.
Here’s everything you need to know about Final Round Voting for the 2026 GRAMMYs.
ROAD TO THE 2026 GRAMMYs
As a member of the Recording Academy, you may be asked questions about the GRAMMY voting process. Equip yourself with the knowledge to explain the complete GRAMMY Awards process by visiting our interactive online resource, which breaks down the full GRAMMY Awards journey from beginning to end.
Below is an overview of the complete GRAMMY Awards process as related to the 2026 GRAMMYs.
KEY DATES: 2026 GRAMMYs
Key dates for the 2026 GRAMMY Awards season are as follows:
Aug. 31, 2024 – Aug. 30, 2025
Product Eligibility Period
Only music and works released between these dates will be eligible to qualify for GRAMMY consideration at the 2026 GRAMMYs.
July 7, 2025 – Aug. 22, 2025
Media Company Registration Period
Media companies must apply for registration with the Recording Academy to submit recordings.
July 16, 2025 – Aug. 29, 2025
Online Entry Period
All eligible recordings must be entered prior to the close of the Online Entry Period, regardless of the public release date.
Oct. 3, 2025 – Oct. 15, 2025
First Round Voting
First Round Voting determines all the GRAMMY nominees for each GRAMMY Awards year.
Nov. 7, 2025
Nominees Announced for the 2026 GRAMMYs
Announcing the official nominees list for the 2026 GRAMMYs.
Dec. 12, 2025 – Jan. 5, 2026
Final Round Voting
Final Round Voting determines the GRAMMY winners across all Categories revealed on GRAMMY night.
Feb. 1, 2026
2026 GRAMMY Awards
Music’s Biggest Night, recognizing excellence in the recording arts and sciences, where all GRAMMY Award winners are revealed.
HOW DOES GRAMMY VOTING WORK?
THE GRAMMYS ONLINE ENTRY PROCESS
The annual GRAMMY Awards journey begins with the Online Entry Process (OEP). During OEP, which this year took place from July 16 through Aug. 29, registered Media Companies and Recording Academy members (both Voting and Professional Members) submitted recordings, music videos/films and releases for consideration to be included on the 2026 GRAMMY Awards ballot. Submissions that were not formally submitted during OEP were not considered for the 2026 GRAMMYs.
Eligible releases must have been released during the Product Eligibility Period, which this year comprised the period between Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, through Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025; all releases must be available for sale, via general distribution, to the public by this date and through at least the date of the current year’s voting deadline (final ballot) to be eligible for the 2026 GRAMMY Awards.
SUBMISSIONS SCREENING
After the Online Entry Process, the Recording Academy’s Awards Department and genre screening committees manually reviewed all entries to ensure they were categorized in the appropriate GRAMMY Categories. The purpose of genre screening committees is not to make artistic or technical judgements about the submissions, but rather to ensure each entry is eligible and placed in its proper Category.
FIRST ROUND VOTING & FINAL ROUND VOTING
Following OEP, the GRAMMY voting process began with First Round Voting, which took place in October and determined the nominees at the 2026 GRAMMYS.
The annual GRAMMY voting process is divided into two phases: First Round Voting, which determines all the GRAMMY nominees for each GRAMMY Category each year, and Final Round Voting, which ultimately determines the GRAMMY winners across all Categories revealed on GRAMMY night. participate in both First Round Voting and Final Round Voting. This will ensure that all eligible artists, musicians and creators are fairly evaluated based on their artistic and technical merits and will help the wider music community determine the leading music of the year, as voted on by their peers.
GRAMMY winners will be announced at the 2026 GRAMMYs on Sunday, Feb. 1. Thus, it’s essential for all GRAMMY voters to be involved.
WHO VOTES FOR THE GRAMMYS?
As the only peer-voted award in music, the GRAMMY Award is the highest honor in all of music. That’s because GRAMMY nominees and GRAMMY winners are determined by Voting Members, who are composed of vetted and venerable performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, instrumentalists, and other creators currently working in the recording industry. Every GRAMMY vote affirms this prestige and strengthens the highest excellence in music and the recording arts and sciences.
Round Voting ballots are provided to Voting Members in good dues standing. To ensure the quality of GRAMMY voting, members are directed to vote only in their areas of expertise and those in which they are a peer: up to 10 GRAMMY Categories across three Fields, plus the six General Field Categories (Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best New Artist, Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical, and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical). This process ensures the quality of the voting during the full GRAMMY Awards process.
Learn more about Recording Academy Membership and how to become a member.
Voting Members represent and celebrate the accomplishments of their peers in their genre. By voting only in Categories where they are a peer, GRAMMY voters help ensure the GRAMMY Awards reflect the diversity and excellence of our music community.
GRAMMY voters were selected amongst thousands of applicants for their expertise, skill, and diverse background. Your vote represents your voice within the Academy, and its impact will influence music history.
VOTE TABULATION
To maintain integrity in the voting process, ballots are collected and tabulated by the independent accounting firm Deloitte.
HOW ARE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS DETERMINED?
After GRAMMY voters submit their votes, the top five finalists in each GRAMMY Category are nominated for a GRAMMY Award, except for the General Field Categories of Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist, where the top eight finalists are the nominees.
HOW TO VOTE IN THE 2026 GRAMMYs
Recording Academy Voting Members can access their Final Round Voting ballot for the 2026 GRAMMYS via their member dashboard starting at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. Final Round Voting closes at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026
Before voting opens, please make sure you have the correct email and password to login. If your credentials are invalid, reset your password. For further assistance, see the following contact info below:
VOTER TECHNICAL SUPPORT
PHONE: 866-992-9902 x403
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: M-F, 6 a.m. — 5 p.m. PT / 9 a.m. — 8 p.m. ET
AWARDS, FYC (FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION) & NON-TECHNICAL SUPPORT:
PHONE: 866-794-3391
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT / noon – 8 p.m. ET
MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS:
PHONE: 866-794-3391
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT / noon – 8 p.m. ET
NEW CHANGES TO GRAMMY AWARDS CATEGORIES
In June, the Recording Academy shared a series of updates to the annual GRAMMY Awards process for the 2026 GRAMMYS, including adjustments to eligibility criteria, Category renaming, and submission guidelines updates for some Categories. All updates go into effect immediately at the 2026 GRAMMYS. Learn more about the GRAMMY Awards Categories changes as related to your areas of expertise ahead of casting your votes for the 2026 GRAMMYS.
GRAMMY BALLOT ESSENTIALS
The search and flexibility enhancements recently added to GRAMMY voting ballots will return for this GRAMMY season. The Category selection tool, which minimizes scrolling time and creates an easy-to-use ballot for each voter, First Round Voting this year.
TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL GRAMMY VOTING
Every GRAMMY voting season is unique. To help GRAMMY voters prepare for First Round Voting, we’ve compiled a helpful guide of GRAMMY voting tips.
LISTENING TO NOMINATED RECORDINGS
Final Round Voting, Recording Academy Voting Members can stream submitted recordings on select streaming services. The Recording Academy encourages all Voting Members to listen to all submitted recordings in the Categories in which they are voting to ensure intentional listening and thoughtful voting. This process will encourage respect and consideration for all creators and their submitted works on behalf of GRAMMY voters.
GRAMMY VOTING & SOLICITATION GUIDELINES
Each year, Recording Academy Voting Members drive the GRAMMY Awards process. The Recording Academy respects its Voting membership body and trusts that each Voting Member will uphold the GRAMMY standard of excellence by voting with integrity and discipline.
All Voting Members should only cast their votes based on the artistic and technical merits of the submitted recordings and products. This will ensure that the annual GRAMMY Awards process is fair and ethical for all creators and submitted works. Read the Recording Academy’s Voting and Solicitation Guidelines and Voter Code of Conduct for additional information before submitting your GRAMMY votes.
VOTE WITH THE NEW “GRAMMY ONE” MOBILE APP
The Recording Academy is proud to provide First Round Voting ballot access within the My Academy Hub app as well as the new GRAMMY One mobile app. Visit your member dashboard anytime, anywhere, right at your fingertips. Download the mobile app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store today and be sure to set up biometric login so you’ll never have to remember your password again^.
Having issues? For questions and technical support regarding the app, please contact us at [email protected].
The GRAMMY Voting process remains unchanged, and members will now be able to access their First Round Voting and Final Round Voting ballots directly in their member dashboards via the My Academy Hub and GRAMMY One mobile apps.
^Members in almost all locations, domestic and international, can download and use the mobile app. Please note the app is not currently available to members in China.
More 2026 GRAMMYS News & Updates
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