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68th Grammy Awards Conclude, Preceded by Annual Clive Davis Gala

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The 68th Annual Grammy Awards concluded on February 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with Bad Bunny's "Debí Tirar Más Fotos" receiving Album of the Year. The awards ceremony featured various performances and tribute segments.

Prior to the main event, the annual Clive Davis pre-Grammys gala took place at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, honoring industry figures and featuring a series of performances and recognitions.

68th Annual Grammy Awards

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards presented multiple accolades and featured a range of musical performances and tributes.

Key Wins

  • Album of the Year: Bad Bunny for "DebĂ­ Tirar Más Fotos." This marks the first time a Spanish-language album received this award.
  • Best Pop Vocal Album: Lady Gaga.
  • Best New Artist: Olivia Dean.

Performances

The telecast showcased several artists:

  • Opening Act: Bruno Mars and RosĂ© (from Blackpink) performed "APT."
  • Mid-show: Lady Gaga performed "Abracadabra."
  • Sabrina Carpenter: Presented "Manchild" with an airport-themed set, incorporating dancers, baggage carousels, and a plane fuselage.
  • Best New Artist Nominees: Performances included The MarĂ­as ("No One Noticed Me"), Addison Rae ("Fame Is a Gun"), Katseye ("Gnarly"), Leon Thomas ("Mutt"), Alex Warren ("Ordinary"), Lola Young ("Messy"), Olivia Dean ("Man I Need"), and sombr ("12 to 12").
  • Justin Bieber: Performed "Yukon" using looped instruments in a stripped-down arrangement.

Tributes and In Memoriam

The in memoriam segment included tributes to several musicians:

  • Ozzy Osbourne: Honored with a performance of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" by Post Malone, Chad Smith, Duff McKagan, Slash, and Andrew Watt.
  • D'Angelo: Ms. Lauryn Hill led a tribute featuring Raphael Saadiq, Jon Batiste, and Anthony Hamilton, performing songs such as "Nothing Even Matters" and "Brown Sugar."
  • Roberta Flack: Ms. Hill also led a tribute with John Legend, Chaka Khan, Leon Bridges, and Wyclef Jean, performing songs including "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly with His Song."
  • Other Tributes: Reba McEntire, Brandy Clark, and Lukas Nelson performed "Trailblazer." Pre-recorded tributes to Brian Wilson by Bruce Springsteen and to Bob Weir by John Mayer were also featured.

Clive Davis Pre-Grammys Gala

The annual Clive Davis pre-Grammys gala took place at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, preceding the 68th Grammy Awards.

Honors and Recognitions

  • "Clive Davis Day": Recording Academy President and CEO Harvey Mason jr. announced that January 31 was designated "Clive Davis Day" by the city of Beverly Hills.

  • Industry Recognition: Host Clive Davis acknowledged attendees including Joni Mitchell, Nancy Pelosi, Berry Gordy, and Brandi Carlile.

  • Bernie Taupin Tribute: A mid-show tribute honored Bernie Taupin, Elton John’s principal lyricist.

  • Industry Icons Award: Republic Records founders, CEO Monte Lipman and COO Avery Lipman, received the "2026 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award." Stevie Wonder was among those who offered praise for their work.

  • Journalist Recognition: Independent journalist Don Lemon received a standing ovation after being recognized by Davis, following his release from custody on federal civil rights charges.

  • Presidential Message: A video message from President Barack Obama was played, noting Davis’s ability to discover talent, citing artists such as Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, and Whitney Houston.

  • Industry Acclaim: Gayle King quoted Diane Warren, stating:

    Davis is "the best friend a song ever had."

Performances

The gala featured a range of musical acts:

  • Ozzy Osbourne Tribute: MGK performed Osbourne’s “I Don’t Wanna Stop,” followed by Jelly Roll with “Mama, I’m Coming Home.”
  • Other Performances: Alex Warren performed “Ordinary,” sombr performed “12 to 12,” and Clipse performed “The Birds Don’t Sing” with John Legend. Olivia Dean, noted as a contender for Best New Artist at the 2026 Grammys, sang “Man I Need.” The trio HUNTR/X (featuring singers Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami) performed “Golden” from “Kpop Demon Hunters.”
  • Bernie Taupin Tribute Performances: Darren Criss performed “Benny and the Jets” and later joined Laufey for “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”
  • Roberta Flack Tribute: Jennifer Hudson performed Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”
  • Art Garfunkel Tribute: Dan + Shay honored Art Garfunkel, who concluded the stage performances with “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Garfunkel stated his song’s arrangement was inspired by Phil Spector’s production on “Ol’ Man River.”

Notable Attendees

Attendees at the event included Diplo, Karol G, Pharrell Williams, Rita Wilson, Dave Grohl, Diane Warren, Sharon Osbourne, Yungblut, Colman Domingo, Teyana Taylor, Jeff Goldblum, Gladys Knight, Madison Beer, Cameron Crowe, Lana Del Rey, Shaboozey, Max Martin, Leon Thomas, Bebe Rexha, and Jack Antonoff.

Other Developments

  • Protest Activity: Outside the venue, a group of protesters held an anti-immigration enforcement demonstration, targeting Hilton Worldwide for allegedly housing federal immigration officers.