Grammys 2026 Snubs & Surprises: Lorde, The Weeknd, Gracie Abrams Shut Out—While ‘Wicked’ and K-Pop Demon Hunters Score Unexpected Nods

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards nominations arrived on November 7, 2025, and the Recording Academy delivered a ballot teeming with both shocking omissions and curveball inclusions. Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga may have dominated the leaderboard, but the real story lies in the artists who were left empty-handed—and the dark horses who defied expectations. From Lorde's critically hailed comeback album earning zero nods to the unlikely redemption arc of Milli Vanilli, here’s the full breakdown of 2026’s biggest snubs and surprises.

The Snubs: Heavy Hitters Who Got No Love

Lorde’s ‘Virgin’ Album Shut Out

After a four-year hiatus, Lorde returned in 2025 with Virgin, a record that many fans and critics hailed as a triumphant return to the form of her early work. The lead single “What Was That” cracked the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, while “Man of the Year” ignited a viral TikTok trend. The album itself peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and received widespread critical acclaim.

Yet when the Grammy nominations dropped, Lorde’s name was conspicuously absent. This marks the second consecutive album cycle shutout for the New Zealand artist, following 2021’s Solar Power, which also received mixed reviews and no nominations. Her earlier career—two wins in 2014 and an Album of the Year nod for Melodrama—makes this cold streak all the more surprising. Industry insiders wonder whether the Recording Academy has shifted its taste away from her brand of introspective pop, or if the increasingly crowded field simply left no room.

The Weeknd’s Grammy Boycott Continues—But He Submitted

The Weeknd’s relationship with the Grammys has been fraught since he called the organization “corrupt” in 2021 and declared he would no longer allow his label to submit his music. After a surprise performance at the 2025 ceremony, many speculated a thaw. His label indeed submitted his sixth studio album Hurry Up Tomorrow and its accompanying film, which features Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.

Despite those submissions, the album earned zero nominations for the 2026 ceremony. Whether this is a lingering effect of his past boycott or a simple case of the Academy not resonating with his latest work, the snub underscores the uneasy truce between Abel Tesfaye and the awards body. It also raises questions about whether the Grammys are willing to fully embrace artists who have previously criticized the institution.

Gracie Abrams Misses Out Despite Chart Dominance

Gracie Abrams was virtually everywhere in 2025. Her deluxe album The Secret of Us spawned the chart-topping single “That’s So True,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. She sold out arenas and headlined major festivals, riding a wave of momentum from her 2024 Best New Artist nomination and a previous nod for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her collaboration with Taylor Swift.

But when the 2026 nominations were announced, Abrams’ name was nowhere to be found. The absence is particularly puzzling given that her streaming numbers and cultural footprint rival many of this year’s nominees. Some observers point to the stiff competition in pop categories, while others suggest the Academy may be slow to reward artists who haven’t yet crossed a certain threshold of longevity or critical consensus.

Megan Moroney’s Country Breakout Overlooked

Megan Moroney burst onto the country scene in 2022 and solidified her place with the 2024 album Am I Okay?—a deluxe version of which dropped in October 2024, just within eligibility. She also released two standalone singles in 2025—“You Had to Be There” and “6 Months Later”—that performed well on country radio and streaming platforms.

Despite her growing fanbase and commercial traction, Moroney received no Grammy nominations. The snub echoes a broader trend of the Academy being slow to embrace newer country acts, especially women, in what remains a male-dominated category. Her omission will likely fuel debate about the Grammys’ track record with country music’s rising stars.

Role Model’s Viral Hit Not Enough

Role Model (real name Tucker Pillsbury) had a breakout year thanks to the deluxe edition of Kansas Anymore, which featured the inescapable single “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out.” The song became a viral phenomenon, with Role Model performing it alongside Grammy winners like Olivia Rodrigo and Charli XCX during his tours and festival sets.

Yet the Recording Academy passed him over. While the track was a streaming juggernaut, its pop-rock hybrid may have fallen into a genre gap that made it hard for voters to categorize. The snub is a reminder that viral success doesn’t always translate to awards recognition—especially in a year packed with heavyweight contenders.

The Surprises: Unexpected Nominees Raise Eyebrows

‘Wicked’ Cracks the Pop Category—A First for a Show Tune

The Wicked movie soundtrack earned three nominations, including Best Compilation Soundtrack and Best Score Soundtrack. But the biggest shock came when Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s “Defying Gravity” landed a nod for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance—a category traditionally reserved for radio pop hits.

Since the category’s creation in 2012, no song from a stage musical or film adaptation had ever been nominated. The track did chart on adult pop and pop airplay lists, but its inclusion signals a rare moment of genre crossover at the Grammys. It also highlights the industry’s embrace of blockbuster movie musicals, a trend that could open doors for future theatrical releases.

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Continues Its Grammy Invasion

The animated musical film KPop Demon Hunters, released on Netflix in June 2025, has been a cultural juggernaut. Four songs from its soundtrack hit the top 10 of the Hot 100, led by the No. 1 smash “Golden” performed by the fictional group Huntr/x (voiced by EJAE, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna).

The film earned four nominations: Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Song Written for Visual Media (all for “Golden”), and Best Compilation Soundtrack. Previously, BTS was the only K‑pop act to receive Grammy nominations—and they never won. The women of Huntr/x now have a genuine shot at making history, especially if “Golden” takes the top prize. The nominations reflect the Recording Academy’s growing willingness to recognize music from digital and animated platforms, not just traditional film releases.

Milli Vanilli’s Redemption Story: A Second Chance at a Grammy

One of the most heartening surprises of the 2026 nominations involves a name synonymous with Grammy infamy: Milli Vanilli. The duo had their Best New Artist award revoked in 1990 after it was revealed they didn’t sing on their own records—the only time the Academy has ever rescinded a trophy.

Now, surviving member Fabrice Morvan is nominated for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording for his narration of the memoir You Know It’s True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli, co‑written with Parisa Rose. The nomination gives Morvan a long‑overdue second chance to earn a Grammy—and this time, he would be able to keep it. It’s a poignant coda to one of pop music’s most controversial chapters, and a testament to the power of owning one’s story.

As the Feb. 1, 2026, ceremony at Crypto.com Arena approaches, these snubs and surprises will dominate conversation. The Grammys continue to evolve, embracing new platforms, forgiving old transgressions, and sometimes overlooking deserving talent. Whether you celebrate the underdogs or mourn the shut‑outs, one thing is certain: the race for music’s biggest night is always anything but predictable.

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