The 68th Annual Grammy Awards took place on Sun., Feb. 1, with the music industry’s elite polishing up for the celebration of the 2024-25 year in music. Artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny received multiple golden gramophones while other musicians like Olivia Dean and Leon Thomas took home their first. I agree with the majority of the winners; however, there are some categories which I disagreed with. The 2026 Grammy’s was without controversy and memorable due to record-breaking announcements.
Bruno Mars and Rosé opened up the night with their hit collaboration “A.P.T..” The electric pop-punk performance filled with hot pink lighting set the stage for the rest of the show. The attire of white shirts and loose black ties reminded me of Avril Lavigne and was sure to transport the audience back to the 2000s. Furthermore, Rosé made history as the first K-Pop soloist to perform at the award show. She was just one of the many musicians who made history on Sunday and I throughouly enjoyed her performance. Like last year, Sabrina Carpenter‘s performance was full of theatrics and props. She sang “Manchild” off her album “A Man’s Best Friend” in a pilot costume surrounded by a set that resembled an airport with baggage claim and a jet. Her vocals were accompanied with dancing both by her and background dancers. While watching, I was able to truly appreciate the visual, musical and technical aspects that went into the performance.
The main record-breaker of the night was Kendrick Lamar who won five Grammys for his song “Luther” featuring SZA and his album “GNX.” Lamar is now the most awarded rapper in history with 27 wins, surpassing Jay-Z. In my opinion, Lamar was well-deserved in all the categories he swept. Throughout 2025, I consistently heard his songs play on the radio and there were unable to be missed.
Among major categories, Billie Eilish won Song of the Year for “Wildflower.” I didn’t agree with this choice as “Wildflower” came off of Eilish’s album “Hit Me Hard and Soft” which was nominated at last year’s Grammys. Upon research, I learned that “Wildflower” was released as an official single in February 2025 which made it eligible to be nominated for the 2026 window. Though I enjoyed the song, I thought this was a move of desperation and would have preferred “A.P.T.” by Rosé and Bruno Mars to win.
The pinnacle of the show was Bad Bunny winning Album of the Year for “DeBÍ TIRAR Más FOToS.” Bad Bunny became the first artist to win album of the year for a record sung entirely in Spanish. Usually, Album of the Year is the most controversial award, but I think Bad Bunny was agreed upon by the majority of the show-watchers. My favorite songs off the record are “Eoo” and “BAILE INoLVIDABLE.” His raw and emotional reaction to winning displayed the human aspect of musician and celebrity life that is often forgotten. Despite a few categories I disagreed with, I believe that the 86th Grammy awards was a show done well and I am excited for what this year holds for music.
