10 Grammy Rule Changes for 2026, Including More Liberal Policies in Best New Artist & Best Musical Theater Album
Nominations will be announced on Friday Nov. 7. The telecast is set for Sunday Feb. 1.
The Recording Academy has revealed key dates and rule amendments for the 68th annual Grammy Awards. The show is set for Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with nominations set to be announced on Friday, Nov. 7.
The Academy is adding a new category, best traditional country album, and reviving an old one, best album cover. It is also consolidating two existing categories – best recording package and best boxed or special limited edition package – into one category, best recording package. Thus, there will be net increase of one category, to 95 – the highest total since 2010, when the Grammys had 109 categories. The following year, there was a major streamlining to 78 categories.
The Academy also announced key dates for the 68th annual Grammy Awards season, including the show date, Sunday Feb. 1, 2026. The show will broadcast live on CBS and will stream live and on demand on Paramount+. This will be the final Grammy telecast on CBS, the Grammys’ home since 1973.
In 2024, Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. announced a new 10-year global deal for The Grammys to be exclusively simulcast on ABC, Hulu and Disney+ beginning in 2027. The Grammys aired on ABC in 1971 and 1972, its first two years as a live telecast.
Here are the key dates in 68th Grammy Awards cycle. All dates are in 2025 unless otherwise noted.
Product eligibility period: Aug. 31, 2024 – Aug. 30
Media company registration period: July 7 – Aug. 22
Online entry period: July 16 – Aug. 29
First round voting: Oct. 3 – Oct. 15
Nominations announcement: Friday Nov. 7
Final round voting: Dec. 12 – Jan. 5, 2026
68th Grammy Awards telecast: Sunday Feb. 1, 2026
Here are the key changes in Grammy Awards categories. Where we show “The rule:,” we are quoting directly from the 68th Grammy Awards Rules & Guidelines handbook.
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