The 68th Annual Grammy Awards occurred across two venues in Los Angeles, with winners announced first at the afternoon Premiere Ceremony and later during the live primetime broadcast from Crypto.com Arena. Hosted for the final time by Trevor Noah, the night featured 95 categories, with some big moments from some of the biggest artists in Black music.
Early in the telecast, Kendrick Lamar took the stage for Best Rap Album, winning for GNX, which pushed him past Jay-Z to become the most awarded rapper in Grammy history. By the end of the night, his total climbed to 27 career wins.
Additionally, “TV Off” earned Best Rap Song, and “Chains & Whips,” featuring Clipse and Pharrell Williams, won Best Rap Performance. His collaboration with SZA, “Luther,” also claimed Best Melodic Rap Performance before returning later in the broadcast for one of the show’s top honors. When “Luther” was announced as Record of the Year, Lamar collected his second straight win in the category, placing him among a small group of artists to go back-to-back. The record, built around a classic soul sample from Luther Vandross, has dominated streaming and radio since its release over a year ago.
On the R&B front, Kehlani picked up Best R&B Performance for “Folded,” while Leon Thomas emerged as one of the night’s standouts, winning both Best Traditional R&B Performance and Best R&B Album for Mutt. Durand Bernarr won Best Progressive R&B Album for Bloom, and PJ Morton shared Best Gospel Album honors with Darrel Walls.
Tyler, the Creator delivered one of the night’s most talked-about sets, while Clipse reunited on stage with Pharrell. A showcase for Best New Artist nominees introduced rising voices, including Olivia Dean (who won for Best New Artist that evening), to a wider audience.
During one of the more poignant moments of the ceremony, Lauryn Hill led a tribute honoring both D’Angelo and Roberta Flack. Hill began with her duet “Nothing Even Matters,” then welcomed Lucky Daye for “Brown Sugar,” followed by Raphael Saadiq and Anthony Hamilton on “Lady.” Leon Thomas stepped in for “Devil’s Pie,” Hamilton returned for “Another Life,” and Bilal delivered “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” before Jon Batiste closed the D’Angelo portion on piano with “Africa.” The focus then shifted to Flack’s catalog, with Batiste performing “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” Leon Bridges and Alexia Jayy taking on “Compared to What,” Lalah Hathaway and October London singing “The Closer I Get to You,” and John Legend joining Chaka Khan for “Where Is the Love.” Hill wrapped the segment with “Feel Like Makin’ Love” before reuniting with Wyclef Jean for “Killing Me Softly With His Song.”
Doechii earned Best Music Video for “Anxiety,” and the Sinners soundtrack connected to Ryan Coogler’s film won in soundtrack and score categories, extending the project’s awards-season run beyond Hollywood.
Take a look at the full list of winners below.
Record of the Year
“Luther,” Kendrick Lamar with SZA
Song of the Year
“Wildflower,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best New Artist
Olivia Dean
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Cirkut
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Amy Allen
Best Pop Solo Performance
“Messy,” Lola Young
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Defying Gravity,” Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
Best Pop Vocal Album
“Mayhem,” Lady Gaga
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
“End of Summer,” Tame Impala
Best Dance Pop Recording
“Abracadabra,” Lady Gaga
Best Dance/Electronic Album
“Eusexua,” FKA twigs
Best Remixed Recording
“Abracadabra (Gesaffelstein Remix),” Gesaffelstein, remixer (Lady Gaga, Gesaffelstein)
Best Rock Performance
“Changes (Live From Villa Park) Back to the Beginning,” Yungblood featuring Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello, Adam Wakeman and II
Best Metal Performance
“Birds,” Turnstile
Best Rock Song
“As Alive as You Need Me to Be,” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, songwriters (Nine Inch Nails)
Best Rock Album
“Never Enough,” Turnstile
Best Alternative Music Performance
“Alone,” The Cure
Best Alternative Music Album
“Songs of a Lost World,” The Cure
Best R&B Performance
“Folded,” Kehlani
Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Vibes Don’t Lie,” Leon Thomas
Best R&B Song
“Folded,” Darius Dixson, Andre Harris, Kehlani Parrish, Donovan Knight, Don Mills, Khris Riddick-Tynes and Dawit Kamal Wilson, songwriters (Kehlani)
Best Progressive R&B Album
“Bloom,” Durand Bernarr
Best R&B Album
“Mutt,” Leon Thomas
Best Rap Performance
“Chains & Whips,” Clipse, Pusha T and Malice featuring Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell Williams
Best Melodic Rap Performance
“Luther,” Kendrick Lamar with SZA
Best Rap Song
“TV Off,” Jack Antonoff, Larry Jayy, Kendrick Lamar, Dijon McFarlane, Sean Momberger, Mark Anthony Spears and Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar featuring Lefty Gunplay)
Best Rap Album
“GNX,” Kendrick Lamar
Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
“Words for Days Vol. 1,” Mad Skillz
Best Jazz Performance
“Windows — Live,” Chick Corea, Christian McBride and Brian Blade
Best Jazz Vocal Album
“Portrait,” Samara Joy
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
“Southern Nights,” Sullivan Fortner featuring Peter Washington and Marcus Gilmore
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
“Without Further Ado, Vol 1,” Christian McBride Big Band
Best Latin Jazz Album
“A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole,” Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yainer Horta and Joey Calveiro
Best Alternative Jazz Album
“Live-Action,” Nate Smith
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
“A Matter of Time,” Laufey
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
“Brightside,” Arkai
Best Musical Theater Album
“Buena Vista Social Club,” Marco Paguia, Dean Sharenow and David Yazbek, producers (Original Broadway Cast)
Best Country Solo Performance
“Bad as I Used to Be (From ‘F1® The Movie’),” Chris Stapleton
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“Amen,” Shaboozey and Jelly Roll
Best Country Song
“Bitin’ List,” Tyler Childers, songwriter (Tyler Childers)
Best Traditional Country Album
“Ain’t in It for My Health,” Zach Top
Best Contemporary Country Album
“Beautifully Broken,” Jelly Roll
Best American Roots Performance
“Beautiful Strangers,” Mavis Staples
Best Americana Performance
“Godspeed,” Mavis Staples“
Best American Roots Song
“Ancient Light,” Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan and Sara Watkins, songwriters (I’m With Her)
Best Americana Album
“Big Money,” Jon Batiste
Best Bluegrass Album
“Highway Prayers,” Billy Strings
Best Traditional Blues Album
“Ain’t Done With the Blues,” Buddy Guy
Best Contemporary Blues Album
“Preacher Kids,” Robert Randolph
Best Folk Album
“Wild and Clear and Blue,” I’m With Her
Best Regional Roots Music Album
“A Tribute to the King of Zydeco,” Various Artists
Best Gospel Performance/Song
“Come Jesus Come,” Cece Winans featuring Shirley Caesar
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
“Hard Fought Hallelujah,” Brandon Lake with Jelly Roll; Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Benjamin William Hastings, Jason Bradley Deford and Brandon Lake, songwriters
Best Gospel Album
“Heart of Mine,” Darrel Walls, PJ Morton
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
“Coritos Vol. 1,” Israel and New Breed
Best Roots Gospel Album
“I Will Not Be Moved (Live),” the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Best Latin Pop Album
“Cancionera,” Natalia Lafourcade
Best Música Urbana Album
“Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” Bad Bunny
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
“Papota,” Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso
Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)
“Palabra De To’s (Seca),” Carín León
Best Tropical Latin Album
“Raíces,” Gloria Estefan
Best Global Music Performance
“EoO,” Bad Bunny
Best African Music Performance
“Push 2 Start,” Tyla
Best Global Music Album
“Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo,” Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia
Best Reggae Album
“Blxxd & Fyah,” Keznamdi
Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album
“Nomadica,” Tonality Carla Patullo featuring the Scorchio Quartet and Tonality
Best Children’s Music Album
“Harmony,” Fyütch and Aura V
Best Comedy Album
“Your Friend, Nate Bargatze,” Nate Bargatze
Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording
“Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” Dalai Lama
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
“Sinners,” (Various Artists); Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson and Serena Göransson, compilation producers; Niki Sherrod, music supervisor
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television)
“Sinners,” Ludwig Göransson, composer
Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
“Sword of the Sea,” Austin Wintory, composer
Best Song Written for Visual Media
“Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters,” Ejae, Park Hong Jun, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (Huntr/x: Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami)
Best Music Video
“Anxiety,” Doechii; James Mackel, video director; Pablo Feldman, Jolene Mendes and Sophia Sabella, video producers
Best Music Film
“Music by John Williams,” John Williams; Laurent Bouzereau, video director; Sara Bernstein, Laurent Bouzereau, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Meredith Kaulfers, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg and Justin Wilkes, video producers
Best Recording Package
“Tracks II: The Lost Albums,” Meghan Foley and Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen)
Best Album Cover
“Chromakopia,” Shaun Llewellyn and Luis “Panch” Perez, art directors (Tyler, the Creator)
Best Album Notes
“Miles ’55: The Prestige Recordings,” Ashley Kahn, album notes writer (Miles Davis)
Best Historical Album
“Joni Mitchell Archives — Volume 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980),” Patrick Milligan and Joni Mitchell, compilation producers; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Joni Mitchell)
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
“That Wasn’t a Dream,” Joseph Lorge and Blake Mills, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (Pino Palladino, Blake Mills)
Best Engineered Album, Classical
“Cerrone: Don’t Look Down,” Mike Tierney, engineer; Alan Silverman, mastering engineer (Sandbox Percussion)
Producer of the Year, Classical
Elaine Martone
Best Immersive Audio Album
“Immersed,” Justin Gray, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Justin Gray, Drew Jurecka and Morten Lindberg, immersive producers (Justin Gray)
Best Instrumental Composition
“First Snow,” Remy Le Boeuf, composer (Nordkraft Big Band, Remy Le Boeuf and Danielle Wertz)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
“Super Mario Praise Break,” Bryan Carter, Charlie Rosen and Matthew Whitaker, arrangers (The 8-Bit Big Band)
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
“Big Fish,” Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick, Nate Smith and Amanda Taylor, arrangers (Nate Smith featuring Säje)
Best Orchestral Performance Award
“Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie,” Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
Best Opera Recording Award
“Heggie: Intelligence,” Kwamé Ryan, conductor; Jamie Barton, J’Nai Bridges and Janai Brugger; Blanton Alspaugh, producer (Houston Grand Opera; Gene Scheer)
Best Choral Performance
“Ortiz: Yanga,” Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Grant Gershon, chorus master (Los Angeles Philharmonic and Tambuco Percussion Ensemble; Los Angeles Master Chorale)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
“Dennehy: Land of Winter,” Alan Pierson and Alarm Will Sound
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
“Shostakovich: The Cello Concertos,” Yo-Yo Ma; Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
“Telemann: Ino — Opera Arias for Soprano,” Amanda Forsythe, soloist; Robert Mealy, Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs, conductors (Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra)
Best Classical Compendium
“Ortiz: Yanga,” Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
“Ortiz: Dzonot,” Gabriela Ortiz, composer (Alisa Weilerstein, Gustavo Dudamel and Los Angeles Philharmonic)