The Grammys are changing the contest before the names arrive

The next Grammy nominations will arrive under a different rulebook. The Recording Academy’s June changes add five categories and widen some eligibility rules, changing who can be recognised before any nominees are revealed.

Asian pop performance is broader than K-pop: the category also names J-pop and C-pop and requires meaningful use of an Asian language. Best Latin Song instead honours writers, with at least 51 percent of lyrics in Spanish. New prizes also cover R&B collaborations or groups, traditional pop vocal performances and traditional folk albums.

The update raises Best New Artist’s maximum number of submissions from three to four. Eligible albums now need 66 percent new recordings, down from 75 percent. Those adjustments change the boundaries of consideration; they do not establish that a particular singer or album has secured a nomination.

Entry and eligibility

A release still has to get through the entry process. The Academy’s eligibility FAQ sets this cycle’s release window from August 31, 2025 to August 28, 2026. Eligible material had to be entered by August 21, even if it was due out during the final week of that window. Release eligibility and the submission deadline are therefore separate checks, rather than interchangeable dates.

The FAQ also distinguishes an entry from a nomination: submitting an eligible recording places it into consideration, after which voting determines the nominees. It defines an album as at least five different tracks totalling fifteen minutes, or at least thirty minutes regardless of track count. That duration test sits alongside the changed proportion of new recordings; lowering one threshold does not erase the others.

Even familiar prize names reward different work. The FAQ explains that Record of the Year recognises the performance and recording team, while Song of the Year recognises the writers. A track can therefore appear in both categories without the two nominations recognising exactly the same people or contribution.

How voting works

Who votes is another important boundary. The Academy’s 2027 voting guide identifies its electorate as music creators, including performers, writers, producers and engineers. The normal ballot lets members vote in ten categories across three genre fields, plus six general categories. Ballot Plus offers an alternative for members whose verified professional credits support wider expertise: up to fifteen peer-related categories without the same field restriction.

First-round voting was scheduled for October 12–22 and determines nominations. The final round is scheduled from December 10 to January 7 and determines winners. This separates November’s announcement from February’s result: nomination support is not itself a winning vote. The guide names Deloitte as the independent firm that collects and counts the ballots.

Most categories have five nominees under the guide’s stated rules. Album, record and song of the year, together with Best New Artist, have eight. Producer and songwriter of the year remain five-nominee categories, even though they also belong to the general field. The size of one shortlist should not be assumed to apply to all the others.

Watching the announcements

For viewers, the next date is Monday, November 16. The nominations stream begins at 4:45 a.m. Pacific and 7:45 a.m. Eastern on Grammy.com and the official Grammys YouTube channel. The Academy says the announcement covers all one hundred categories, with the full list posted on its site immediately afterwards. That gives fans a way to check the complete results beyond the categories appearing in a short clip.

The Academy also plans a follow-up nominations show, streamed through its site and social channels, to discuss the names and stories emerging from the announcement. Its viewing guide says the participating nomination presenters will be announced separately. As of this source check, a proposed artist appearance should not be treated as confirmed merely because that artist is being discussed as a possible nominee.

The ceremony itself is set for February 7, 2027 at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. ABC’s announcement places the telecast on ABC with streams on Disney+ and Hulu, marking the Grammys’ first ABC ceremony since 1972. That is a different destination from the free website and YouTube stream for the nominations announcement; the two events should not be confused when making viewing plans.

Disney’s deal runs through 2036 and also calls for Grammy-branded music specials and other programming. The platform change is therefore intended to last beyond one awards night. Before the new home presents its first winners, November’s full nomination list will show how the expanded categories have translated into actual shortlists.