{"id":262433,"date":"2025-11-05T03:01:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T03:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/262433\/"},"modified":"2025-11-05T03:01:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T03:01:15","slug":"editors-picks-in-big-4-categories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/262433\/","title":{"rendered":"Editors’ Picks in Big 4 Categories"},"content":{"rendered":"

And just like that…it\u2019s almost time for Grammy<\/a> nominations once again. <\/p>\n

No annual awards season event stirs up so much chatter quite like the Grammys. It\u2019s a time where fans (and stans) across the globe chime in on what acts are anointed by the Recording Academy for releasing the year\u2019s buzziest and most impactful music\u2014and whether or not they got it right. Ahead of this Friday\u2019s announcement of the 2026 noms, Harper\u2019s Bazaar editors\u2014and fellow music aficionados\u2014shared our predictions for who we believe we\u2019ll see highlighted at next February\u2019s ceremony. Between Recording Academy darlings like Bad Bunny<\/a> and Kendrick Lamar<\/a> to newcomers like Ravyn Lenae<\/a> and Olivia Dean<\/a>, next year\u2019s show is gearing up to be one to remember. <\/p>\n

Best New Artist
\"rene\u00e9<\/p>\n

Christopher Polk\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Ravyn Lenae<\/p>\n

While Ravyn Lenae<\/a> has been producing lush, experimental R&B for a decade now, she got her major breakthrough earlier this year, when \u201cLove Me Not\u201d from her second studio album Bird\u2019s Eye suddenly became a viral hit and ended up reaching the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. This year, she may ride that success all the way to her first Grammy. \u2014 J.C.<\/p>\n

Addison Rae<\/p>\n

After gaining a following through TikTok, Addison Rae<\/a> quietly became an indie pop darling this year, thanks to the success of singles like \u201cDiet Pepsi\u201d and the release of her first full-length debut, which was produced entirely by Elvira Anderfj\u00e4rd and Luka Kloser. \u2014 J.C.<\/p>\n

Olivia Dean<\/p>\n

In the wake of her second studio album release, Olivia Dean<\/a> is quickly becoming a household name, performing at venues like the CFDA Fashion Awards and the Austin City Limits music festival, while earning her first Top 5 single with \u201cMan I Need.\u201d \u2014 J.C.<\/p>\n

Pinkpantheress<\/p>\n

Since her debut in 2021, PinkPantheress<\/a> has been building a dreamy, hyperpop sound all her own, and thanks to the critical acclaim behind her newest mixtape, Fancy That, she may finally earn her first Grammy nomination. \u2014 J.C.<\/p>\n

Katseye<\/p>\n

Since forming through the reality competition series Dream Academy, Katseye<\/a> has quickly become one of the biggest girl groups in the world, earning their first entries on the Hot 100 with \u201cGnarly\u201d and \u201cGabriela.\u201d If they win, it would mark the first time a group has won the award since Fun. took home Best New Artist in 2013. \u2014 J.C.<\/p>\n

Sombr<\/p>\n

Alt-rock singer-songwriter Shane Michael Boose, better known by his stage name Sombr, has rapidly developed a cult following with the viral success of tracks like \u201cBack to Friends\u201d and \u201cUndressed.\u201d Earlier this year, he was featured on Billboard\u2019s 21 Under 21 list, and he was also nominated for Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards. \u2014 J.C.<\/p>\n

Alex Warren<\/p>\n

Like Addison Rae, Alex Warren first came into the spotlight as a member of the Hype House group on TikTok, but recently, his single \u201cOrdinary\u201d became a smash success, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining one of the biggest breakout hits of the year. \u2014J.C.<\/p>\n

Lola Young<\/p>\n

English singer Lola Young<\/a> catapulted to mainstream success when her confessional, soulful track \u201cMessy\u201d became a viral hit, bringing subsequent success to her second studio album, This Wasn\u2019t Meant for You Anyway (2024). If she\u2019s nominated at the Grammys this year, it would follow recent nods (and wins) she received at the ASCAP London Music Awards and the Ivor Novello Awards. \u2014 J.C.<\/p>\n

Song of the Year \"sabrina<\/p>\n

Kevin Mazur\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cManchild\u201d \u2014 Sabrina Carpenter <\/p>\n

Carpenter teamed up with Amy Allen and Jack Antonoff<\/a> to work on this cheeky country-influenced breakup anthem. If nominated, this would mark Carpenter\u2019s and Allen\u2019s second-ever nomination in this category and Antonoff\u2019s seventh. \u2014 C.S.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbracadabra\u201d \u2014 Lady Gaga <\/p>\n

This electro-pop dance track contrasts synth beats with lyrics about conjuring magic in the midst of life\u2019s dark trials. There are seven writers credited on the track, including Gaga, Andrew Watt, Henry Walter, Susan Janet Ballion, Peter Edward Clarke, Steven Severin, and John McGeoch. \u2014 C.S.<\/p>\n

\u201cLuther\u201d \u2014 Kendrick Lamar and SZA <\/p>\n

Lamar won in this category last year for his instantaneously quotable Drake diss track, \u201cNot Like Us.\u201d \u201cLuther\u201d\u2014which takes its name after the late Luther Vandross, who Lamar samples with \u201cIf This World Were Mine\u201d\u2014is a definitively more tender track, softened by the addition of SZA\u2019s lush vocals. \u2014 C.S.<\/p>\n

\u201cBaile Inolvidable\u201d \u2014 Bad Bunny <\/p>\n

Bad Bunny pays homage to his Puerto Rican heritage with \u201cBaile Inolvidable,\u201d which translates to \u201cunforgettable dance.\u201d If nominated, the salsa song would earn the rapper his first-ever nomination in this category. \u2014 C.S.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Subway\u201d \u2014 Chappell Roan <\/p>\n

Roan reunited with producer Dan Nigro (whom she previously earned a Song of the Year nomination with last year for \u201cGood Luck, Babe!\u201d) to write \u201cThe Subway,\u201d a cathartic ballad about the possibility of once more seeing an ex-lover. \u201cThe Subway\u201d debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the pop star\u2019s highest-charting single in the U.S. \u2014 C.S.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnxiety\u201d \u2014 Doechii <\/p>\n

Doechii originally released \u201cAnxiety\u201d on YouTube back in 2019, eventually re-recording the track to TikTok fanfare this past spring. If nominated, the single could earn the rapper her first-ever Song of the Year nomination. \u2014 C.S.<\/p>\n

\u201cOrdinary\u201d \u2014 Alex Warren <\/p>\n

\u201cOrdinary,\u201d a single fresh off of Warren\u2019s debut studio album You\u2019ll Be Alright, Kid, spent 10 consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard Global 200 and the U.S.\u2019s Billboard Hot 100. If the song earns a nod, it will be Warren\u2019s first Grammy nomination. \u2014 C.S.<\/p>\n

\u201cApt\u201d \u2014 Ros\u00e9 and Bruno Mars<\/p>\n

Ros\u00e9\u2019s first solo single from her debut studio album, Rosie, saw instant chart success; it spent 12 weeks dominating the Billboard Global 200, becoming 2024\u2019s longest-running number one song. If \u201cApt\u201d picks up a Song of the Year nod, it would be the first time in Grammys history that a solo K-pop artist would receive a nomination in one of the Big Four categories. \u2014 C.S.<\/p>\n

Record of the Year \"bet<\/p>\n

Christopher Polk\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cLuther\u201d \u2014 Kendrick Lamar and SZA
<\/p>\n

Kendrick Lamar and SZA are some of this generation\u2019s most gifted collaborators. The duo are no strangers to appearing in the Big Four categories\u2014their Black Panther soundtrack duet \u201cAll the Stars\u201d also was an awards season favorite years back. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbracadabra\u201d \u2014 Lady Gaga<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t call it a comeback record\u2014but maybe call it record of the year. Lady Gaga\u2019s second single from her celebrated album Mayhem became a newfound anthem for her legion of Little Monsters everywhere. The infectious beat and pristine production make it a record worthy of at least one win at next year\u2019s ceremony. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

\u201cManchild\u201d \u2014 Sabrina Carpenter <\/p>\n

If Jack Antonoff produces something, you can bet it will show up somewhere in the Big Four. Carpenter and Antonoff showed off their easy sonic chemistry in this breezy country-tinged hit. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

\u201cApt\u201d \u2014 Ros\u00e9 and Bruno Mars<\/p>\n

Few songs were bigger than Ros\u00e9 and Bruno Mars\u2019s \u201cApt,\u201d and the Blackpink alum bringing on Mars for a global smash duet was an excellent awards play. Mars is a bonafide Recording Academy darling and could help his collaborator make K-pop history next year if they win big. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Subway\u201d \u2014 Chappell Roan <\/p>\n

While not having the radio presence of her mega-hits \u201cPink Pony Club\u201d and \u201cGood Luck, Babe,\u201d \u201cThe Subway\u201d has become a bonafide Chappell Roan heartbreak anthem in its own right. If you went to any of the shows during her 2025 Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things tour, you\u2019ll immediately understand why. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

\u201cMan I Need\u201d \u2014 Olivia Dean<\/p>\n

Olivia Dean has proved that she\u2019s a newfound force to be reckoned with through her breakout album The Art of Loving and her single \u201cMan I Need\u201d immediately taking over the charts (and TikTok) this year. It\u2019s a song that has those classic elements that construct a timeless hit that the Recording Academy loves to award. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

\u201cLove Me Not\u201d \u2014 Ravyn Lenae <\/p>\n

Ravyn Lenae redefined the art of the sleeper hit with her R&B gem \u201cLove Me Not\u201d that simultaneously took over TikTok and the airwaves this year. While the Chicago-born singer has been categorized as an if-you-know-you-know talent over the years, her latest album spawned this timeless record that proved she\u2019s a voice that\u2019s here to stay. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnxiety\u201d \u2014 Doechii<\/p>\n

Doechii proved her range as a rapper with her sampled spin on the 2011 Gotye track \u201cSomebody That I Used to Know\u201d that became a certified radio smash and turned the artist into a household name. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

Album of the Year\"bad<\/p>\n

Gladys Vega\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Debi Tirar Mas Fotos \u2014 Bad Bunny<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no other album this year that managed to capture true global appeal quite like Bad Bunny\u2019s Debi Tirar Mas Fotos<\/a>. The project was a sonic celebration of the traditional sounds and rhythms of Puerto Rico as well as a personal ode to the island that created and continues to inspire the superstar. It contained salsa-inspired heartbreak tracks like \u201cBaile Involidable\u201d as well as booming cultural anthems like \u201cLa Mundanza\u201d and soundtracked his sold-out summer residency that saw thousands visit the island to witness a moment that could only simply be described as historic. DTMF is undoubtedly the dark horse that could take it all come February and would make a major statement considering the current political climate. If he wins, it\u2019d be the first ever Spanish-language album to win in the category. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

Mayhem \u2014 Lady Gaga<\/p>\n

Lady Gaga went back to her dark-pop roots with her sixth studio album Mayhem<\/a>, a masterful record filled with her signature infectious melodies and an intimate eye into how she handles her evolving relationships with fame, love, and true happiness. While the project didn\u2019t boast multiple chart-toppers like her albums past, she made the project more so with her most devout Little Monsters in mind. Notably, the star has never taken home an AOTY win. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

GNX \u2014 Kendrick Lamar<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt that the last year has belonged to Kendrick Lamar. While his magnum opus of diss tracks \u201cNot Like Us\u201d took home Record of the Year at this year\u2019s ceremony, that was really only the beginning of what the lyricist\u2019s latest era had to offer. GNX<\/a> is simply another stellar addition to the his impressive catalog that will forever be synonymous with his status as a reigning emcee. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

KPop Demon Hunters (Soundtrack From the Netflix Film) \u2014 Various Artists
<\/p>\n

Never underestimate the magic of a masterfully made animated film and its accompanying soundtrack. Netflix\u2019s K-Pop Demon Hunters became an overnight streaming sensation thanks to an expertly executed album chock full with earworms courtesy of K-pop power producers like Teddy Park, 24, Ido, Dominsuk, and more. \u2014 B.B.<\/p>\n

Virgin \u2014 Lorde<\/p>\n

Although its commercial success was modest, Lorde\u2019s first album in four years<\/a> is one of her most comprehensive bodies of work to date. The project returns to her synthpop roots while exploring themes of identity, gender, fame, and relationships. Lorde last received an Album of the Year nomination for her 2018 sophomore album, Melodrama. \u2014 C.S.<\/p>\n

Man\u2019s Best Friend \u2014 Sabrina Carpenter<\/p>\n

Carpenter\u2019s seventh studio album<\/a> is on track for another Album of the Year nod, which would mark her second nomination in that category for two years in a row. (She previously earned her first Album of the Year nomination for last year\u2019s infectious Short n\u2019 Sweet, which lost in that category but picked up the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album.) \u2014 C.S.<\/p>\n

Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party \u2014 Hayley Williams<\/p>\n

Hayley Williams self-released her third studio album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, this past summer, first unveiling the tracks as standalone songs before eventually packaging them together as one project. Due to this, there\u2019s a thrilling and exciting assemblage of sounds, but what ties everything together is that Williams has never felt more raw, frank, or angry. From the moody guitars of \u201cGlum\u201d to the cheeky nihilism of \u201cKill Me\u201d and the amusing horniness of \u201cDiscovery Channel,\u201d this is the former Paramore frontwoman at her best. \u2014 J.C.<\/p>\n

Eusexua \u2014 FKA Twigs
<\/p>\n

Ever evolving and boundary-breaking, FKA Twigs managed to release her strongest statement yet with her third studio album, Eusexua. The concept album is centered around a phenomenon Twigs invented herself, which is basically a moment of pure transcendence or euphoria found during artistic expression or in moments of peace. That\u2019s exactly how listening to this record feels, from the heart-racing thumps of \u201cDrums of Death\u201d to the ethereal synths of \u201cStriptease.\u201d It\u2019s joyful, bracing, sexy, and triumphant\u2014and it might earn Twigs her first Grammy nom since 2020. Not to mention, she\u2019s releasing a sister record, called Eusexua Afterglow, on November 14, so we haven\u2019t even been met with the complete vision just yet. \u2014 J.C.
<\/p>\n

MORE MUSIC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"And just like that…it\u2019s almost time for Grammy nominations once again. No annual awards season event stirs up…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":262434,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[49,48,782,121465,784,75,1642,341,121464],"class_list":{"0":"post-262433","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-content-type-news","11":"tag-contentid-b31cc481-e41a-43d2-b02e-b606457e6c89","12":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","13":"tag-entertainment","14":"tag-locale-us","15":"tag-music","16":"tag-shorttitle-who-will-rule-the-big-4-categories-at-the-2026-grammys"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/262433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=262433"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/262433\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/262434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=262433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=262433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=262433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}