{"id":1717995,"date":"2026-02-02T13:03:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T10:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1717995"},"modified":"2026-02-02T13:03:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T10:03:00","slug":"grammys-2026-the-biggest-snubs-from-this-years-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1717995","title":{"rendered":"Grammys 2026: The biggest snubs from this year\u2019s awards"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"main-article standard \">\n<div class=\"article-main-content article-wrapper has-media-but-its-an-image\" data-status=\"loaded\" data-primary-article=\"true\" data-url=\"\/music\/article\/69528\/1\/grammys-2026-the-biggest-snubs-from-this-year-s-awards\" data-article-id=\"69528\">\n<header class=\"article-header has-landscape-image no-media\">\n<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img has-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.5\" data-template=\"Standard Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Justin Bieber performing at the 2026 Grammys\" class=\"img\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436092-1.jpg\" width=\"1024\" title=\"1436092-1\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"inner\"><span class=\"credit\">Photography Kevin Mazur\/Getty Images for The <span class=\"nowrap\">Recording Academy<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-02-02T13:03:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"02 February 2026\"><span class=\"month\">February<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"2\">2,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - music\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\">Music<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/opinion\">Opinion<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"standard-tag-container\"><a class=\"standard-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\">Music<\/a> \/<br \/>\n<a class=\"standard-series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/opinion\">Opinion<\/a><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>Grammys 2026: The biggest snubs from this <span class=\"nowrap\">year\u2019s awards<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>From too much Kendrick to too little Bad Bunny, music writer Solomon Pace-McCarrick breaks down his (highly subjective) list of gripes with last night\u2019s <span class=\"nowrap\">Grammy Awards<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-02-02T13:03:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"02 February 2026\"><span class=\"month\">February<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"2\">2,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-02-02T13:03:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"02 February 2026\"><span class=\"month\">February<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"2\">2,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/solomonpacemccarrick\">Solomon Pace-McCarrick<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Last night\u2019s Grammy\u2019s was full of firsts. Kendrick Lamar deposed Jay-Z as the most-awarded rapper in the awards\u2019 history, taking home four trophies for 2024\u2019s <\/span><em><span>GNX <\/span><\/em><span>album, and despite losing out elsewhere, Tyler, the Creator won the ceremony\u2019s inaugural award for Best Album Cover with <\/span><em><span>Chromakopia<\/span><\/em><span>. Meanwhile, it was surprising to many that last night also saw the first K-Pop Grammy win, with fictional girl group Huntr\/x \u2013 the protagonists of spectacularly successful Netflix animated series <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/68884\/1\/the-kpop-demon-hunters-directors-fan-theories-potential-sequel\"><em><span>KPop Demon Hunters<\/span><\/em><\/a><span> \u2013 winning Best Song Written for Visual Media for \u201cGolden\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Behind the scenes however, the Grammys underwent a more subtle, yet arguably more important shift. 2026 marked the first year that voters of the Latin Grammys were also eligible for the Recording Academy that decides on Grammy winners, with 28 per cent of this year&#8217;s 1,500-strong panel identifying as Hispanic or Latino. Moreover, 3,800 new music creators and professionals were invited to join the Recording Academy this year, further diversifying the selection process with 50 per cent of panel members being aged 39 or younger, and 58 per cent being people of colour.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But did these changes lead to the right people winning last night? Below, Dazed music writer Solomon Pace-McCarrick breaks down his (highly subjective) list of gripes with this year\u2019s Grammy wins.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>A LITTLE LESS KENDRICK, A LITTLE MORE CLIPSE<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"cc09e2da-677e-463e-b3db-b3e500c84d6e\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1999\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436088.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.67\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"GettyImages-2259322098\" class=\"img\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436088.jpg\" width=\"1999\" title=\"1436088\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Photo by Leon Bennett\/Getty Images for The <span class=\"nowrap\">Recording Academy<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Now, don\u2019t get me wrong, Kendrick is without doubt the most talented rap voice of our generation. But him dominating the Grammys for a second year in a row with a project that dropped in 2024 just doesn\u2019t sit right with me. In my mind, <\/span><em><span>GNX <\/span><\/em><span>is from the same Kendrick era as \u201cNot Like Us\u201d: on both, Kenny is riled up, crip-walking to G-funk, and motivated more by defending his crown than the social commentary of his previous releases. So, why did \u201cNot Like Us\u201d clean up in 2025 and <\/span><em><span>GNX<\/span><\/em><span> clean up in 2026? If nothing else, it\u2019s boring.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>While this year\u2019s rap nominees left much to be desired (it seemed a much better year for the hip-hop underground than the mainstream), it does seem a crying shame that Virginia sibling duo Clipse lost so many awards to <\/span><em><span>GNX <\/span><\/em><span>last night. In fact, the only award Clipse did win \u2013 Best Rap Performance for \u201cChains &amp; Whips\u201d \u2013 had a Kendrick feature. I maintain that Clipse\u2019s heartfelt ode to their late parents, \u201cThe Birds Don\u2019t Sing\u201d, should\u2019ve taken Best Rap Song over Kendrick\u2019s \u201cTV Off\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>BAD BUNNY SHOULD\u2019VE SWEPT<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"kyvPTA0SW-E\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kyvPTA0SW-E\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Yes, it\u2019s wonderful that Puerto Rican reggaeton crusader Bad Bunny finally broke out of the regional categories this year with his Album of the Year win for <\/span><em><span>DtmF<\/span><\/em><span>, and it\u2019s even better that he chose to continue his campaign against ICE\u2019s reign of terror in his acceptance speech. But, should he have won even more? 100 per cent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In particular, I\u2019m talking about the other two major categories: Song of the Year, which went to Billie Eilish\u2019s \u201cWildflower\u201d, and Record of the Year, which went to Kendrick Lamar\u2019s \u201cLuther feat. SZA\u201d. Both tracks were released in 2024, and neither came close to the profound resonance that Bad Bunny\u2019s celebration of Latin American culture had. While the Grammys have made attempts to increase its panel diversity in order to justify their \u201cmusic\u2019s biggest night\u201d tagline, it seems that this hasn\u2019t gone far enough because they did Bad Bunny bad last night.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>K-POP PIPPED<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"8be66406-c73b-4097-8bfe-b3e500c7a1c5\" data-src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436087.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.78\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"hq720 (1)\" class=\"img\" height=\"386\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436087.jpg\" width=\"686\" title=\"1436087\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">KPop Demon <span class=\"nowrap\">Hunters Still<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Continuing this thread of musical Eurocentrism is the lack of K-pop appreciation at last night\u2019s awards ceremony (not that this is anything new). While much has been made of <\/span><em><span>KPop Demon Hunters<\/span><\/em><span>\u2019 \u201cGolden\u201d becoming the first K-pop win in Grammys history, the fact that this arrived in the the Best Song Written for Visual Media category just doesn\u2019t do that track \u2013 or, indeed, the mass virality of Bruno Mars and Rose\u2019s \u201cAPT\u201d \u2013 justice. Both \u201cGolden\u201d and \u201cAPT\u201d were much more deserving winners of Best Pop\/Duo Vocal Performance than <\/span><em><span>Wicked<\/span><\/em><span>\u2019s \u201cDefying Gravity\u201d. Sue me.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>I\u2019M IN DIS-BELIEB<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"z_CIzK_Ae40\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/z_CIzK_Ae40\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>It\u2019s funny to call Justin Bieber an underdog, but that\u2019s exactly what he felt like last night as his lo-fi and heartfelt <\/span><em><span>SWAG <\/span><\/em><span>album was nominated for four categories and still left empty-handed. It wasn\u2019t Album of the Year, sure, but it <\/span><em><span>was<\/span><\/em><span> surprising to see standout single \u201cDaisies\u201d beaten by Lola Young\u2019s \u201cMessy\u201d for Best Pop Solo Performance, and <\/span><em><span>SWAG <\/span><\/em><span>lose out to Lady Gaga\u2019s<\/span><em><span> MAYHEM<\/span><\/em><span>. This new Bieber era might be left-field, sitting far closer to Dijon and Mk.Gee\u2019s crunchy alt-pop than the baby-faced pop star of years gone by, but is that not the exact type of innovation that the Grammys should reward?<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>THIS FEELS \u2018ILLEGAL\u2019<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Not to shade Lady Gaga any further here, but was 2025 really her best year? Sure, \u201cABRACADABRA\u201d slaps, and <em>MAYHEM<\/em> has some huge production, but neither were Gaga\u2019s peaks in terms of creativity and cultural relevance. Yet, it was these releases that won over PinkPantheress\u2019 arguably more innovative <em>Fancy That?<\/em> album last night. We\u2019ll let Gaga have Best Pop Vocal Album, but PinkPantheress\u2019 \u201cIllegal\u201d should\u2019ve taken home Best Dance\/Pop Recording.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>PLAQUEBOYMAX NEEDS A PLAQUE<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7478442870106606856\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u2026 and Skepta, too, for that matter. You can call me chronically online, but you can\u2019t tell me that this year\u2019s Best Dance\/Electronic Recording winner, Tame Impala\u2019s \u201cEnd of Summer\u201d, came anywhere close to the viral successes of Fred Again.., Skepta and Plaqueboymax\u2019s \u201cVictory Lap\u201d. Originating in a Plaqueboymax livestream in which Fred Again.. flipped a Doechii vocal sample live on air, and then developed with verses from Skepta, Denzel Curry, Hanumankind, That Mexican O.T. and D Double E, \u201cVictory Lap\u201d speaks directly to the nature of music listening in 2025. \u201cEnd of Summer\u201d, meanwhile, sounds like it could\u2019ve been written about any summer in the last five years.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"article-footer\">\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<div class=\"article-series\">\n<h4 class=\"heading\">More on these topics<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-series\"><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\">Music<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/opinion\">Opinion<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/news\">News<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/grammys\">Grammys<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/bad-bunny\">Bad Bunny<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/kendrick-lamar\">kendrick lamar<\/a><a class=\"series\" 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class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">A 24-hour London will save the city\u2019s nightlife, says new report<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69491\/1\/nigerian-gen-z-rappers-are-coming-for-the-mainstream\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"YvPxYRbxT9o-SD\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435288-1.jpg\" title=\"1435288-1\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">\u2018It\u2019s a revolution\u2019: Nigeria\u2019s new-gen rappers are hitting the mainstream<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69488\/1\/2016-the-last-good-year-for-music-beyonce-lemon-blond-frank-ocean\"><\/p>\n<div 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src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1435098-1.jpg\" title=\"1435098-1\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Listen to Oskie\u2019s \u2018perennially joyful\u2019 Dazed mix<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69379\/1\/a-guide-to-corridos-tumbados-mexico-s-most-controversial-music-genre\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"IMG_8750\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1434046-1.jpg\" title=\"1434046-1\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Corridos tumbados: A guide to Mexico\u2019s most controversial music genre<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69435\/1\/sekou-21-year-old-baritone-70s-soul-young-again-winter-2025\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC290_SO1_SoundOn_Sekou_01\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1434394-1.jpg\" title=\"1434394-1\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Sekou is the 21-year-old baritone making 70s soul cool again<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline\" data-newsletter hidden>\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Last night\u2019s Grammy\u2019s was full of firsts. Kendrick Lamar deposed Jay-Z as the most-awarded rapper in the awards\u2019 history, taking home four trophies for 2024\u2019s <\/span><em><span>GNX <\/span><\/em><span>album, and despite losing out elsewhere, Tyler, the Creator won the ceremony\u2019s inaugural award for Best Album Cover with <\/span><em><span>Chromakopia<\/span><\/em><span>. Meanwhile, it was surprising to many that last night also saw the first K-Pop Grammy win, with fictional girl group Huntr\/x \u2013 the protagonists of spectacularly successful Netflix animated series <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/68884\/1\/the-kpop-demon-hunters-directors-fan-theories-potential-sequel\"><em><span>KPop Demon Hunters<\/span><\/em><\/a><span> \u2013 winning Best Song Written for Visual Media for \u201cGolden\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Behind the scenes however, the Grammys underwent a more subtle, yet arguably more important shift. 2026 marked the first year that voters of the Latin Grammys were also eligible for the Recording Academy that decides on Grammy winners, with 28 per cent of this year&#8217;s 1,500-strong panel identifying as Hispanic or Latino. Moreover, 3,800 new music creators and professionals were invited to join the Recording Academy this year, further diversifying the selection process with 50 per cent of panel members being aged 39 or younger, and 58 per cent being people of colour.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But did these changes lead to the right people winning last night? Below, Dazed music writer Solomon Pace-McCarrick breaks down his (highly subjective) list of gripes with this year\u2019s Grammy wins.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>A LITTLE LESS KENDRICK, A LITTLE MORE CLIPSE<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"cc09e2da-677e-463e-b3db-b3e500c84d6e\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1999\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436088.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.67\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"GettyImages-2259322098\" class=\"img\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436088.jpg\" width=\"1999\" title=\"1436088\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Photo by Leon Bennett\/Getty Images for The <span class=\"nowrap\">Recording Academy<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Now, don\u2019t get me wrong, Kendrick is without doubt the most talented rap voice of our generation. But him dominating the Grammys for a second year in a row with a project that dropped in 2024 just doesn\u2019t sit right with me. In my mind, <\/span><em><span>GNX <\/span><\/em><span>is from the same Kendrick era as \u201cNot Like Us\u201d: on both, Kenny is riled up, crip-walking to G-funk, and motivated more by defending his crown than the social commentary of his previous releases. So, why did \u201cNot Like Us\u201d clean up in 2025 and <\/span><em><span>GNX<\/span><\/em><span> clean up in 2026? If nothing else, it\u2019s boring.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>While this year\u2019s rap nominees left much to be desired (it seemed a much better year for the hip-hop underground than the mainstream), it does seem a crying shame that Virginia sibling duo Clipse lost so many awards to <\/span><em><span>GNX <\/span><\/em><span>last night. In fact, the only award Clipse did win \u2013 Best Rap Performance for \u201cChains &amp; Whips\u201d \u2013 had a Kendrick feature. I maintain that Clipse\u2019s heartfelt ode to their late parents, \u201cThe Birds Don\u2019t Sing\u201d, should\u2019ve taken Best Rap Song over Kendrick\u2019s \u201cTV Off\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>BAD BUNNY SHOULD\u2019VE SWEPT<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"kyvPTA0SW-E\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kyvPTA0SW-E\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Yes, it\u2019s wonderful that Puerto Rican reggaeton crusader Bad Bunny finally broke out of the regional categories this year with his Album of the Year win for <\/span><em><span>DtmF<\/span><\/em><span>, and it\u2019s even better that he chose to continue his campaign against ICE\u2019s reign of terror in his acceptance speech. But, should he have won even more? 100 per cent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In particular, I\u2019m talking about the other two major categories: Song of the Year, which went to Billie Eilish\u2019s \u201cWildflower\u201d, and Record of the Year, which went to Kendrick Lamar\u2019s \u201cLuther feat. SZA\u201d. Both tracks were released in 2024, and neither came close to the profound resonance that Bad Bunny\u2019s celebration of Latin American culture had. While the Grammys have made attempts to increase its panel diversity in order to justify their \u201cmusic\u2019s biggest night\u201d tagline, it seems that this hasn\u2019t gone far enough because they did Bad Bunny bad last night.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>K-POP PIPPED<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"8be66406-c73b-4097-8bfe-b3e500c7a1c5\" data-src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436087.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.78\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"hq720 (1)\" class=\"img\" height=\"386\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1436087.jpg\" width=\"686\" title=\"1436087\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">KPop Demon <span class=\"nowrap\">Hunters Still<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Continuing this thread of musical Eurocentrism is the lack of K-pop appreciation at last night\u2019s awards ceremony (not that this is anything new). While much has been made of <\/span><em><span>KPop Demon Hunters<\/span><\/em><span>\u2019 \u201cGolden\u201d becoming the first K-pop win in Grammys history, the fact that this arrived in the the Best Song Written for Visual Media category just doesn\u2019t do that track \u2013 or, indeed, the mass virality of Bruno Mars and Rose\u2019s \u201cAPT\u201d \u2013 justice. Both \u201cGolden\u201d and \u201cAPT\u201d were much more deserving winners of Best Pop\/Duo Vocal Performance than <\/span><em><span>Wicked<\/span><\/em><span>\u2019s \u201cDefying Gravity\u201d. Sue me.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>I\u2019M IN DIS-BELIEB<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"z_CIzK_Ae40\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/z_CIzK_Ae40\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>It\u2019s funny to call Justin Bieber an underdog, but that\u2019s exactly what he felt like last night as his lo-fi and heartfelt <\/span><em><span>SWAG <\/span><\/em><span>album was nominated for four categories and still left empty-handed. It wasn\u2019t Album of the Year, sure, but it <\/span><em><span>was<\/span><\/em><span> surprising to see standout single \u201cDaisies\u201d beaten by Lola Young\u2019s \u201cMessy\u201d for Best Pop Solo Performance, and <\/span><em><span>SWAG <\/span><\/em><span>lose out to Lady Gaga\u2019s<\/span><em><span> MAYHEM<\/span><\/em><span>. This new Bieber era might be left-field, sitting far closer to Dijon and Mk.Gee\u2019s crunchy alt-pop than the baby-faced pop star of years gone by, but is that not the exact type of innovation that the Grammys should reward?<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>THIS FEELS \u2018ILLEGAL\u2019<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Not to shade Lady Gaga any further here, but was 2025 really her best year? Sure, \u201cABRACADABRA\u201d slaps, and <em>MAYHEM<\/em> has some huge production, but neither were Gaga\u2019s peaks in terms of creativity and cultural relevance. Yet, it was these releases that won over PinkPantheress\u2019 arguably more innovative <em>Fancy That?<\/em> album last night. We\u2019ll let Gaga have Best Pop Vocal Album, but PinkPantheress\u2019 \u201cIllegal\u201d should\u2019ve taken home Best Dance\/Pop Recording.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>PLAQUEBOYMAX NEEDS A PLAQUE<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7478442870106606856\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u2026 and Skepta, too, for that matter. You can call me chronically online, but you can\u2019t tell me that this year\u2019s Best Dance\/Electronic Recording winner, Tame Impala\u2019s \u201cEnd of Summer\u201d, came anywhere close to the viral successes of Fred Again.., Skepta and Plaqueboymax\u2019s \u201cVictory Lap\u201d. Originating in a Plaqueboymax livestream in which Fred Again.. flipped a Doechii vocal sample live on air, and then developed with verses from Skepta, Denzel Curry, Hanumankind, That Mexican O.T. and D Double E, \u201cVictory Lap\u201d speaks directly to the nature of music listening in 2025. \u201cEnd of Summer\u201d, meanwhile, sounds like it could\u2019ve been written about any summer in the last five years.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> Source URL: https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69528\/1\/grammys-2026-the-biggest-snubs-from-this-year-s-awards<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Photography Kevin Mazur\/Getty Images for The Recording Academy February\u00a0 2,\u00a0 2026 Music \/ Opinion Music \/ Opinion Grammys 2026: The biggest snubs from this year\u2019s awards From too much Kendrick to too little Bad Bunny, music writer Solomon Pace-McCarrick breaks down his (highly subjective) list of gripes with last night\u2019s Grammy Awards February\u00a0 2,\u00a0 2026 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1717996,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,76],"class_list":["post-1717995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1717995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1717995"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1717995\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1717996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1717995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1717995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1717995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}