Kendrick Lamar is coming into these 2026 Grammys hot, with nine nominations in total-more than any other artist this year. The Recording Academy revealed its full list on November 7, 2025, in a live stream, and it’s no surprise that Lamar’s latest album is taking center stage among many heavy hitters.
The buzz is about his sixth studio album “GNX,” which came out toward the end of 2024. The actual awards show is set for February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in L.A., and it’ll be broadcast on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. According to Reuters, Kendrick headed the nominees for the second year in a row with those nine nods, beating out the seven each for folks like Lady Gaga.
A tweet from X.
From Compton, California, Lamar has always been in a class of his own, with razor-sharp lyrics and deep takes on social issues. He’s the same fella who took home a Pulitzer for “DAMN.” way back in 2017 and now holds a total of 66 Grammy nominations and 22 wins. At last year’s 2025 Grammys alone, Lamar took home five awards, including Record and Song of the Year for “Not Like Us”-that brutal diss track aimed at Drake. The Academy’s own roundup nailed it Kendrick’s the most nominated artist for 2026 with those nine.
Breaking it down, he’s up for Album of the Year with “GNX,” Record and Song of the Year for “luther” featuring SZA, and a mix of others like Pop Duo/Group Performance, Melodic Rap Performance, Rap Song, Rap Album, and even two in Rap Performance. The L.A. Times pointed out something cool: “GNX” marks his fifth straight studio album nominated for Album of the Year, which is a record for a solo artist.
Not far behind, though, is Lady Gaga with seven noms for things like “Abracad” and “MAYHEM“; she’s joined in that total by producer Jack Antonoff and songwriter Cirkut. Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and Leon Thomas are pulling in multiples, too-just a really eclectic group. It’s fascinating to see how hip-hop is dominating the big categories these days; as the L.A. Times has covered, this reflects the Academy’s push to make membership and voting more diverse.
On a larger scale, Lamar’s achievement also showcased how hip-hop has moved from the fringes to the mainstream of music. Admittedly, there have been some murmurings on X about potential partiality due to his conflict with Drake, but nothing serious ever actually emerged regarding such claims. The BBC previously discussed similar grumblings that took place in past years, pointing out that the votes are directly from the members themselves.
From his roots in Compton to headlining Grammy nights, Lamar’s story is all about grit and pushing boundaries. “GNX” dives into personal stories and cultural stuff, keeping his impact alive in music and even wider conversations. As we count down to February, everyone’s wondering if this is the year he finally grabs that Album of the Year trophy.
