The biggest music awards were presented last weekend, Sunday February 1st, at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. From upbeat pop songs to fast-paced rap, this year’s nominees reflected the songs that defined the past year. Whether the Recording Academy Voting Members or our very own MHS students, everyone had something to say about who these coveted prizes should and should’ve gone to.
The “Song of the Year” category was one of the most competitive categories of the entire night. Nominees such as Billie Eilish’s “WILDFLOWER,” Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “luther,” as well as Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” brought different song genres, lyrical messages, and emotional tones to the playing field. One student, Milla Sikorski (’28), noted that “WILDFLOWER” stood out among the songs. She said that, “I like Wildflower because I like the rhythm of it and the slowness of it. It really makes me stop and think while some of the other songs are too upbeat and don’t have the same effect.” Sikorski’s reaction mirrored a commonly held belief: that quieter, sadder songs resonated more deeply with listeners. In the end, it seems that Sikorski had the same view as the Recording Academy Voting Members as “WILDFLOWER” by Billie Eilish won Song of the Year.
“Record of the Year” recognized and awarded the best overall recording of a single song as a whole, honoring the performing artist, producers, and mixers. It highlighted the entire production of the song—focusing on both sound and production quality. This differed from “Song of the Year” which awarded the song’s composition, the lyrics and melody. The nominees for the 2026 Record of the Year are “DtMF” by Bad Bunny, “Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter, “Anxiety” by Doechii, “WILDFLOWER” by Billie Eilish, “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga, “luther” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA, “The Subway” by Chappell Roan, and “APT.” by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars. Aditi Nautiyal (’28) hoped that “WILDFLOWER” by Billie Eilish would receive the award due to its, “ethereal sound but genuine message.” However, the award ultimately ended up going to Kendrick Lamar and SZA for “luther.”
Unlike “Song of the Year” or “Record of the Year,” “Best New Artist” recognized new artists who have risen to fame with their records this year. It highlighted artists who were making their first public identity and exposing themselves in difficult ways as they began their journey as headliners in the music industry. The 2026 nominees for “Best New Artist” were Olivia Dean, KATSEYE, The Marias, Addison Rae, sombr, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren, and Lola Young. Additionally, each nominated singer or group performed their top hit song live on the Grammy stage before Chappel Roan — last year’s recipient — announced the winner. According to polls prior to the Grammys, Olivia Dean was favored to win with her chart topping singles like “Man I Need.” However, all of these artists took very different paths to get here: Addison Raye was a Social Media personality, Leon Thomas a previous actor, and Alex Warren who’s hit “Ordinary” took off online. In this category, Nautiyal also hoped that the global girl group Katseye would win as their songs are “addictive and very empowering.” In the end, the polling was correct as Olivia Dean won the award for Best New Artist.
“Best Rap Song of the Year” showcased a different kind of music compared to other categories. These artists made an impact on society with both their strong lyrics and cultural influence. This year, the nominees were Doechii’s “Anxiety,” Kendrick Lamar’s “tv off,” Tyler The Creator’s “Sticky,” GloRilla’s “TGIF,” and Clipse’s “The Birds Don’t Sing.” Many said that this category would go to Kendrick Lamar, as his historic Superbowl Halftime performance helped him rise in the rankings by bringing attention to his music and reinforcing his influence within the rap community. They ended up being correct as Kendrick Lamar’s “tv off” won Best Rap Song of the Year. However, there were many other strong contenders: Doechii’s “Anxiety” was praised due to its powerful message about mental health while still providing the listener with a catchy tune, and younger listeners prefered GloRilla and Tyler The Creator due to their more energetic takes on rap songs. Altogether, these nominees brought many different types of rap music to the playing field, making this category one of the most competitive and diverse of the night.
These awards were announced by host Trevor Noah on February 1st on CBS at 8pm EST. With all of the exciting wins, unique outfits and live performances from phenomena like Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars — the 2026 Grammys were one of the most memorable yet.
