Photo courtesy of the Recording Academy
Following one of the most revolutionary years for music, with Brat Summer, “Espresso” and the Kendrick v. Drake feud, 2025’s hits have proven to be slightly underwhelming in comparison. Still, lots of incredible music has been released. With only a few coveted spots from the Recording Academy, who are the biggest snubs of this year’s Grammys?
Lorde
The biggest surprise of the 2026 Grammy nominations, for many, was Lorde’s Virgin. Coming out of a three-year hiatus for 29-year-old Lorde, Virgin received universal acclaim from music critics and fans alike for its raw and personal subject matter. But, when considering Lorde’s history with the Recording Academy, this snub is actually not too much of a shocker. Though she was the youngest person to ever win Song of the Year for her song “Royals,” drama over a performance in 2018 has seemed to bar her from any future wins. This snub may also be attributed to the album not having much reach beyond Lorde’s established fanbase, which is unfortunate considering its high quality.
The Weeknd
Similarly to Lorde, The Weeknd has a long history with the Grammys that has gotten in the way of any nominations, despite his status as one of the most-streamed artists on Spotify. Back in 2021, The Weeknd’s Abel Tesfaye announced his boycott of the Recording Academy due to concerns about corruption. He has since resolved his problems with the Grammys, but the lasting bad blood may be the reason for Hurry Up Tomorrow’s resounding zero nominations this year. The track “Timeless” on this album reached over a billion streams on Spotify since its release in 2024, making its lack of recognition in Record and Song of the Year even more disappointing for fans.
Benson Boone
After backflipping through a performance of “Beautiful Things” at last year’s ceremony, many people expected big things for Benson Boone at the 2026 Grammys. Emerging from ten weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, “Mystical Magical” was an anticipated Record and Song nominee. But the relentless social media mocking of this track may be part of the reason it went unnoticed at the Grammys. Also, because the rest of his album, American Heart, received middling reviews and public attention, his lack of nomination in Album or even Pop Vocal Album is unsurprising.
Role Model
With attention from celebrities ranging from Charli XCX to Bowen Yang, Role Model skyrocketed to fame on social media through his song, “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out.” Coming out of a very public breakup with YouTube star Emma Chamberlain, Tucker’s whole album Kansas Anymore has reinvented his public image and demonstrated his confessional, folk-pop expertise. This incredible year for Role Model, including performances at SNL and Lollapalooza, left many hoping for at least a Best New Artist nod.
Audrey Hobert
Though you won’t find Audrey Hobert on the Rolling Stone or Billboard list of snubs, to me, she had one of the best albums of 2025. Quirky, fresh, and unique, Hobert’s intricate melodies and witty lyrics are among the best of the year. Some may know Audrey from co-writing some Gracie Abrams songs, but on her 2025 album, Who’s The Clown?, Hobert cemented herself as a pop-genius in her own right. I mean, who else could write the lyrics, “Sue me I wanna be uhhh / Sue me I wanna be yeahhh”? In all seriousness, although I hoped Hobert had a Best New Artist nomination coming her way this year, I know she has a bright career ahead.
Ravyn Lanae
Another Best New Artist snub is Ravyn Lanae with the smash single “Love Me Not.” Peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and garnering over 500,000 videos on TikTok, this breakout song for Ravyn Lanae was everywhere this year. One could very easily expect a Record or Song of the year nomination for this hit, but, to me, the problem is Lanae herself. Without any big press or social media moment, this song quickly became separated from the artist behind it. Maybe “Love Me Not” was an internet sensation, but Ravyn Lanae was far from it. Looking forward, time will tell if Ravyn is a one-hit wonder.
Alex Warren
Former Hype House member Alex Warren unsurprisingly earned the nomination for Best New Artist, but his absence in the big categories for “Ordinary” is truly shocking. Whether you like it or not, “Ordinary” was one of the biggest songs of 2025. Not only did it reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for ten non-consecutive weeks, but it also surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify and broke the record for longest-running number one on the Pop Airplay chart. Over a Billie Eilish remnant from last year’s album cycle, “Ordinary,” undoubtedly deserved a spot in the Song and Record of the Year categories.
Gracie Abrams
Even though beloved nepo-baby Gracie Abrams’ album was eligible for last year’s Grammys, many fans are upset at her lack of nominations for her deluxe album and its breakout hit, “That’s So True.” This song was Abrams’ first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and went viral on TikTok with its catchy bridge. With no Taylor Swift album eligible for a nomination this year, it’s a surprise one of her sad-girl “daughters” didn’t take her slot.
Elton John and Brandi Carlisle
This cross-generational Grammy darling duo seemed like a shoo-in for some major categories, but unfortunately, their album, Who Believes in Angels?, only garnered a Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album nod. Some big music fans may be upset with this album’s minimal attention from the Recording Academy, but honestly, if this album was snubbed in Album of the Year for hip-hop albums with greater mass appeal, that seems like a fair trade to me.
Despite all of these snubs, some phenomenal artists were showered with nominations this year. Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Sabrina Carpenter, and Bad Bunny are all frontrunners with incredible albums who deserve the great acclaim they are receiving. No matter what, the Grammys this February will be memorable. We hope to see the artists featured in this article nominated next year!
