On Feb. 1, 2026, The Grammy Awards awarded artists for outstanding achievements in the music industry. With outstanding performances from new and old artists, the 68th Grammy Awards gave a platform for many artists to showcase their music.
Given the chaotic political climate, many artists also used their acceptance speeches to draw attention to current events, garnering backlash as well as applause. Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny won Album of the Year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, marking the first time a solely Spanish-language album took home the award. Much attention has been directed towards his acceptance speech for another award, Best Música Urbana, in which he denounced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the terms the current administration uses for immigrants, like “aliens” and “savages.” He received acclaim for his courageous speech, but some believed that it was unnecessary. The speech led some viewers to call for a boycott of the Super Bowl halftime show, where Bad Bunny performed.
Grammy winner Billie Eilish also received backlash for her anti-ICE messages at the awards ceremony. Eilish has not shied away from political messages in award speeches or on social media, and the ceremony was no exception. The singer-songwriter won Song of the Year for “Wildflower,” marking her 10th Grammy win. Many videos circulating through the internet show audience members mocking her acceptance speech, where she urged others to speak up about current events. Eilish was among many artists who sported “ICE Out” pins at the show.
Additionally, Olivia Dean was named Best New Artist, beating out other artists who exploded in the past year, such as sombr and Alex Warren. “I’m up here as the granddaughter of an immigrant. I am a product of bravery, and I think that those people deserve to be celebrated” she said as she accepted her,first Grammy. Dean’s song “Man I Need” is currently #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Kendrick Lamar and SZA won Record of the Year for their hit song “Luther,” with over 1.3 billion streams on Spotify. Lamar won the first award announced, Best Rap Album for his project GNX. His speech included a shoutout to hip-hop and its impact on culture. After that night, Lamar’s total number of Grammy awards adds up to 27, making him the rapper with the highest number of Grammys.
Many other standout artists took home prizes. Lola Young’s “Messy” took home the award for Best Pop Solo Performance. Lady Gaga additionally won Best Pop Vocal Album for “Mayhem.” Popular singer Laufey won the award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for “A Matter of Time.”
The live performances that night gave the spotlight to many artists who received nominations for Best New Artist. Highlights included Addison Rae’s “Fame Is a Gun,” KATSEYE’s “Gnarly,” sombr’s “12 to 12,” and The María’s “No One Noticed,” where each performance paired theatrical visuals with some of their biggest songs. Many watchers had mixed reactions, saying that some artists went above and beyond while others fell short on areas like vocals and performance.
There were also many first-time winners. The song “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters won the award of Song Written for Visual Media, making it the first K-Pop song to win a Grammy, showing the genre’s global breakthrough.
As usual, many Grammy attendees’ outfits were a hot topic. Chappell Roan, the American singer-songwriter known for her eccentric outfits and pop songs, wore a sheer red gown that garnered a lot of buzz from the internet. Her dramatic and campy dress was considered outrageous on social media across the world, but her bold decision to wear it also earned praise. Roan was nominated for but did not win two awards, Record of the Year for “The Subway” and Best Pop Solo Performance for “The Subway.” Sabrina Carpenter’s outfit, a Valentino mermaid dress that hinted at an Old Hollywood inspiration, also received a lot of attention online. She had a total of six nominations this year, revolving around her album Man’s Best Friend and her single “Manchild” but did not go home with any awards. More and more attention has shifted towards the outfits artists choose to wear, and for some, it’s a chance to make headlines without releasing any music or taking home any awards.
The 68th annual Grammy awards was a historic night full of drama and notable wins. Artists broke Grammy records with win after win. Because the ceremony took place at the same time as the escalation of ICE, many artists were quick to speak up at their acceptance speeches, gathering both backlash and applause from various online groups. The Grammys promised and delivered another chaotic ceremony with incredible performances, as it has in many years past.
