Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga could make Grammy Awards history

Album of the year race features three artists seeking first win, with Spanish-language and hip-hop milestones possible

Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga are set to compete for album of the year at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, with each artist positioned to make history if they secure the top honor, according to Reuters.

The ceremony will take place in Los Angeles and will be hosted by Trevor Noah for the sixth consecutive year, which he has said will be his final time leading the show. The Grammys will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ beginning at 5 p.m. local time.

None of the three artists has previously won album of the year. The award was claimed last year by Beyoncé for Cowboy Carter. Awards analysts cited by Reuters describe this year’s race as highly competitive.

Bad Bunny is nominated for Debí Tirar Más Fotos. A win would mark the first time a Spanish-language album has taken album of the year since the Grammys were established nearly seven decades ago. Kendrick Lamar is nominated for GNX, and a victory would make him the first solo male rapper to win the award. To date, only Lauryn Hill and hip-hop duo Outkast have won album of the year. Lady Gaga is nominated for Mayhem, and a win would be her first in the top Grammy category despite her long career.

Paul Grein, awards editor at Billboard, told Reuters he expects Lamar to prevail, noting the rapper’s success at last year’s Grammys, where he won five awards for the song “Not Like Us.”

Grein also suggested that current political and cultural factors could influence support for Bad Bunny. The artist recently avoided touring in the continental United States, citing concerns over immigration enforcement actions under President Donald Trump. His upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance has also drawn criticism from some commentators who objected to a non-English-language headliner.

Recording Academy voters will determine the winners. The academy now includes roughly 15,000 members, with significant changes made in recent years to diversify its voting body. According to Reuters, about 1,000 Latin Grammy voters became eligible this year, and nearly three-quarters of current members have joined since 2019.

Recording Academy chief executive Harvey Mason Jr. said the changes reflect the global growth of genres such as K-pop and Afrobeats and the need for the organization to recognize music from a wide range of cultures.

K-pop is represented this year in major categories, including song of the year, where “Golden” from the Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters is nominated alongside “APT.,” a collaboration between Rosé and Bruno Mars. “APT.” is also nominated for record of the year, competing against Lamar’s collaboration with SZA, “luther,” and Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra.”

In the best new artist category, R&B singer Leon Thomas is viewed as a leading contender after receiving six nominations, including one for album of the year. Other nominees include Olivia Dean and Alex Warren.

Scheduled performers include Sabrina Carpenter, Addison Rae and all eight best new artist nominees. Producers have indicated that additional performers and presenters will be revealed during the ceremony, according to Reuters.