Early wins for Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga as Grammys 2026 begins

by Paula Ramon

Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga on Sunday each won Grammy awards as music's biggest night got under way in Los Angeles with dozens of prizes handed out before the televised marquee event.

Lamar jumped out to an early lead with three trophies in the rap categories, while Lady Gaga won for best dance pop recording and Bad Bunny snapped up a gramophone for best global music performance.

All three are angling to make history by taking home the gala's most coveted award, Album of the Year, for the first time.

Lamar, the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper, had nine nominations going into Sunday, the most of any artist, on the strength of his album "GNX."

The 38-year-old California native, who won five Grammys last year thanks to his smash diss track "Not Like Us," is also up for Record and Song of the Year for "Luther" featuring R&B artist SZA.

Pop chameleon Lady Gaga and Puerto Rico's Bad Bunny also are competing in all three top categories.

Also nominated for Album of the Year are: pop princess Sabrina Carpenter; R&B singer-songwriter Leon Thomas; Tyler, the Creator; hip-hop duo Clipse (Pusha T and Malice); and pop superstar Justin Bieber -- with his first studio effort in four years.

Lady Gaga, Bieber, Carpenter and Bruno Mars are set to lead a starry list of performers that also includes Lauryn Hill and a tribute to late rocker Ozzy Osbourne featuring Post Malone.

The majority of the 95 awards are handed out at a pre-gala ceremony before the televised broadcast.

"Golden" from the Netflix animated smash hit "KPop Demon Hunters" won the prize for best song written for visual media, and top Oscar nominee "Sinners" won two soundtrack awards.

Joni Mitchell -- one of several attendees wearing an "ICE OUT" pin in protest at US President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown -- took a prize for best historical album before the main event begins at 5:00 pm (0100 GMT Monday).

Bad Bunny's hot streak

Standing in Lamar's way for Album of the Year is Bad Bunny, who is on a world tour in support of his album "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" (I Should Have Taken More Photos) after a hugely successful residency in San Juan.

The 31-year-old Latin megastar, born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, will headline the Super Bowl halftime show a week after the Grammys, where he is up for six awards.

His "Un verano sin ti" (2022) was the first Spanish-language album nominated for Album of the Year honors. A win on Sunday would give Bad Bunny another mention in the history books.

Lady Gaga, 39, made a splashy comeback to touring with "Mayhem," her collection of pop bangers with a dark edge that embraces her dramatic side. She has seven nominations.

A win for Album of the Year would complete her hat trick of top awards.

She took Record and Song of the Year honors seven years ago for the soundtrack hit "Shallow," from "A Star is Born" -- which also earned her an Oscar.

This time around, Song of the Year -- which honors songwriting -- is a crowded category that includes "Golden," which would be the first bilingual tune to win the prize.

Up for best new artist are Alex Warren, girl group Katseye, Britain's Olivia Dean, TikTok dancer-turned-singer Addison Rae, The Marias, Sombr, Lola Young and Thomas.

'Reactionary'

For musicologist Lauron Kehrer, the infusion of rap, reggaeton and K-pop in the top Grammy categories reflects changes in the composition of the Recording Academy's voting group.

More than 3,800 new members have been admitted. Half of those new members are age 39 or younger, and 58 percent are people of color, the academy says.

Invitations were also offered to all members of the Latin Recording Academy.

"The Grammys are more reactionary than anything else," Kehrer told AFP.

"These artists winning those major awards is more of an indication of climate, rather than trying to move or change the climate."

The Grammy Awards are being hosted by comedian Trevor Noah.