With the 68th Annual Grammy Awards set to air on February 1, 2026, and nominations to be revealed on November 7 at 11 a.m. ET, speculation over who will get nominated in the most recognizable categories has reached fever pitch.
From TikTok reels to podcasts, and think pieces to video essays, fans, critics and creators are posting their predictions and building momentum for the artists they believe will dominate the year’s most prestigious musical awards.
In the absence of any confirmed nominees, creators have flooded explore pages with shortlists of frontrunners, drawing attention to a blend of breakout acts, returning icons, and genre-blurring releases.
The conversation is largely centered around the ceremony’s most-watched categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.
Best New Artist
Among the most consistently mentioned names in the tight field that is potential Best New Artist contenders are Addison Rae, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, The Marias, and Pink Pantheress.
Addison Rae, who gained fame as a teenager on social media, has been transitioning into a serious music career with a sound that mixes indie pop with Americana and retro influences.
Her dance- and trip-pop debut studio album, Addison, was released on June 6 to huge critical acclaim and plenty of online buzz. It featured the record, “Diet Pepsi,” which had been released to the public in 2024 and was widely compared to early work by longtime fan favorite Lana Del Rey.
Since the album’s release, much of the conversation around Addison Rae spotlights her smooth transition from TikTok dancer to tasteful artist that has the ability to bring forward mature and unique visuals and sounds. Her album has been compared, by some, to Madonna’s 1998 album, Ray of Light.
And 24-year-old British singer Lola Young has built steady critical attention with her emotionally charged ballads. Her most popular one, “Messy,” went viral online and topped several singles charts shortly after.
Olivia Dean’s soulful stylings have gained traction in both the U.K. and U.S., where several records from her latest album The Art of Loving gained viral attention on social media and praise from artists like Dua Lipa and Raye.
Meanwhile, The Marias have continued to blend English and Spanish lyrics into dreamy psych-pop. Pink Pantheress, already a viral favorite for her bedroom pop sound, remains a strong contender with growing mainstream recognition. Her song, “Illegal,” also became a viral sound on TikTok that was employed by many social media users to create trending reels.
Other creators have added names such as Alex Warren, Katseye and Sombr to the mix, pointing to the wide range of genres and career stages represented in this year’s emerging talent category.
Song and Record of the Year
Predictions for the Song and Record of the Year categories suggest a strong year for personal storytelling and innovative production.
Songs such as “Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter, “Anxiety” by Doechii, and “The Subway” by Chappell Roan have been named in numerous fan prediction lists, along with multiple tracks by Gracie Abrams, who performed at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.
So, 26-year-old Carpenter has been singing and acting since childhood but famously took off in 2024 when her song “Espresso” became an overnight success. Her following release, “Please, Please, Please,” written by Carpenter, Jack Antonoff and Amy Allen, received critical acclaim. She received multiple Grammy nominations in 2024 and gave a lavish performance at the ceremony.
Among other songs gaining mention are “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga and “Wildflower,” by Billie Eilish. The latter was produced by Eilish’s brother, Finneas O’Connell.
Eilish, who broke into the music scene in 2015 with her debut single “Ocean Eyes,” has a string of successful songs and albums under her belt. Now, 23, she made headlines earlier this year by announcing that she has donated $11.5 million to charities and encouraging billionaires to do the same.
Album of the Year
Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend and Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos have been named by multiple commentators as possible nominees for the Album of the Year category, reflecting both commercial success and artistic growth.
Carpenter’s album marks a period of creative reinvention, weaving together pop anthems and retro melodies with a refined production palette. Still, while the album went platinum in many fans’ bedrooms, several social media creators were outspoken in their belief that the album was not as good as her last.
Bad Bunny’s release continues his trend of pushing boundaries within Latin music while sustaining global appeal.
Other frequently cited albums include Chromokopia by Tyler, The Creator—praised for its ambitious narrative and experimental beats—and Mayhem by Lady Gaga.
Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated The Life Of The Showgirl will not be in contention this year, as it was released after the eligibility cutoff date. That omission leaves an open field for both longtime Grammy favorites and newer voices to take center stage, while commentators predict Swift’s newest drop will gain nominations ahead of next year’s ceremony.
The duet “Luther” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA is widely expected to pick up nominations, with both artists having strong Grammy track records and large fanbases. The song drew applause for its lyrical weight and performance resonance, meaning it could well be a strong contender in Record and Song of the Year categories.
As the official announcement approaches, the predictions gaining traction online have formed something of a parallel awards conversation—one that reveals as much about current music fandoms as the ceremony itself.
While not all names mentioned will make the final cut, the discussions online reflect where the audience’s attention—and ears—have been going this year.
