The 68th annual Grammy Awards, held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, was a star-studded affair, with high spirits and an impressive lineup of performances and presentations. The Premiere Ceremony, a pre-telecast show, kicked things off with a bang, as musician and host Darren Criss presented the first award of the day to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for their pop/duo group performance of "Defying Gravity." However, the pair were not present to accept the award. An impressive 86 Grammys will be handed out pre-broadcast, marking a dramatic shift from last year's focus on relief efforts following the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. This year, the spotlight is back on music, with Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, and more going head-to-head during the televised ceremony. The energy was high from the get-go at the Premiere Ceremony, with Earth, Wind & Fire delivering a groovy opening performance of "Shining Star" with special guests. Recording Academy CEO and President Harvey Mason Jr. set the tone for the evening, exclaiming, "That's how you start a show!" The main show, hosted by comedian Trevor Noah for a sixth and final year, promises to be a memorable one, with the potential for history to be made when some of the biggest names in music gather. So, how can you watch the show and red carpet? The main show will air live on CBS at 8 p.m. Eastern on February 1st, and the Grammys can also be streamed through live TV streaming services like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and FuboTV. Paramount+ premium plan subscribers can stream the Grammys live, while essential subscribers will have on-demand access the next day. The premiere ceremony will take place just before the main Grammys ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Eastern, 12:30 p.m. Pacific at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and can be streamed on the Recording Academy's YouTube channel and live.GRAMMY.com. The Associated Press will also stream a four-hour red carpet show with interviews and fashion footage, which will be available on YouTube and APNews.com ahead of the Grammys on Sunday. Who's nominated at the 2026 Grammys? Kendrick Lamar leads the pack with nine nominations, followed by Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff, and Canadian record producer/songwriter Cirkut with seven each. Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Leon Thomas, and Serban Ghenea all have six nominations, while Andrew Watt, Clipse, Doechii, Sounwave, SZA, Turnstile, and Tyler, the Creator have five each. Who's attending and performing at the Grammys? Doechii, Harry Styles, Carole King, Chappell Roan, Charli xcx, Jeff Goldblum, Karol G, Lainey Wilson, Marcello Hernández, Nikki Glaser, Q-Tip, Queen Latifah, and Teyana Taylor will be presenting at the 2026 Grammys. Performers include Justin Bieber, Clipse, Pharrell Williams, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars, Rosé, Tyler, the Creator, Lady Gaga, and all eight of this year's best new artist nominees: Leon Thomas, Olivia Dean, global girl group Katseye, The Marías, Addison Rae, sombr, Alex Warren, and Lola Young. Reba McEntire, Brandy Clark, and Lukas Nelson will take the stage for the in memoriam segment, while Ms. Lauryn Hill will pay tribute to D'Angelo and Roberta Flack. Post Malone, Andrew Watt, Chad Smith, Duff McKagan, and Slash will honor Ozzy Osbourne. But here's where it gets controversial... The Grammys have faced criticism in the past for their lack of diversity and representation. While there are some notable changes this year, such as the increased number of nominations for women and people of color, there are still concerns about the industry's commitment to inclusivity. And this is the part most people miss... The Grammys have also been criticized for their focus on mainstream, commercial music, often overlooking independent artists and genres like hip-hop and electronic music. So, what do you think? Do you agree with the nominations and performances? Or do you have a different perspective? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
