The GRAMMYs Introduce New Categories and Rule Updates Ahead of 2026 Awards

Courtesy of The Recording Academy / GRAMMYs

The Recording Academy has announced a fresh wave of updates for the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards®, set to air on February 1, 2026, live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Among the most notable changes are two new categories: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover. Meanwhile, the existing Best Country Album category has been renamed Best Contemporary Country Album, reflecting a deeper distinction between modern and traditional sounds.

For classical recordings, composers and lyricists will now be recognized alongside performers and producers—marking a more inclusive approach to crediting creative contributors.

In a shift aimed at embracing modern distribution, the Academy has updated its eligibility rules for packaging categories, now allowing physical albums sold directly through artist or label websites to qualify for awards consideration.

The Best New Artist category also sees a significant change: artists previously credited on Album of the Year-nominated projects—provided they didn’t exceed 20% of the playing time—are now eligible for the award.

The full list of updates is already in effect for the 68th GRAMMY Awards, with nominations set to be announced on November 7, 2025.