There are going to be more winners at next year's ceremony!
The Recording Academy has announced it is adding two new categories for the 2026 Grammy Awards in its effort to evolve with the "ever-changing musical landscape."
The additional categories are "Best Traditional Country Album" and "Best Album Cover."
The existing "Best Country Album" category has been renamed "Best Contemporary Country Album".
It doesn't seem coincidental that this change-up in the country category comes after Beyoncé won "Best Country Album" this year for "Cowboy Carter," which sparked a lot of criticism regarding the more "traditional" country artists that were nominated.
The new "Best Album Cover" category will be part of the academy's packaging field of awards. The existing "Best Recording Package" and "Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package Categories" have been combined into the single category of "Best Recording Package," in addition to the new album cover award.
The academy said the requirements for "Best Recording Package" and other categories in the field have been updated to include physical albums sold directly to fans through an artist’s or label’s website.
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Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, commented: "The Academy's top priority is to represent the music people that we serve each year.
"That entails listening carefully to our members to make sure our rules and guidelines reflect today’s music and allow us to accurately recognise as many deserving creators as possible. As we kick off another exciting GRAMMY Season, we look forward to celebrating the amazing power of music and its ability to bring so many people together."
The prestigious music ceremony will return to Los Angeles on Sunday, February 1, 2026, with nominations set to be announced on Friday, November 7, 2025.
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