The 68th Annual Grammy Awards are set to take place this Sunday, broadcasting live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles via CBS and Paramount+. This year’s ceremony promises a blend of fresh initiatives and familiar elements, combined to generate an atmosphere charged with excitement, according to organizers.
The production team, led by returning executive producers Raj Kapoor, Ben Winston, and Jesse Collins, seeks to deliver a different experience than last year’s show, which was notably reshaped in response to the devastating wildfires that affected the Los Angeles region.
Revamped Categories and Representation Efforts
Among the significant updates is the reinstatement of the Best Album Cover category, marking its first appearance in 53 years. Additionally, the Grammy Awards have modified the country music segment by renaming 'Best Country Album' to 'Best Contemporary Country Album' and introducing a new category, 'Best Traditional Country Album.' This development followed formal proposals submitted, assessed, and ultimately approved through member voting within the Recording Academy.
Harvey Mason Jr., CEO and President of the Recording Academy, emphasized that these category changes are responses to member requests rather than reactions to individual wins in prior years. Discussions concerning these adjustments had been ongoing for several years prior to implementation.
In recent times, the Academy has actively pursued diversification within its electorate. A significant move took place last year when all Latin Grammy voting members were invited to join the Recording Academy. Mason Jr. highlighted that the goal is ensuring the Academy reflects current musical realities, including diversity in genre, geography, and cultural influence, acknowledging the substantial presence of Latin music in the global industry.
Performance Lineup and Production Details
The show promises a dynamic mix of performers, spanning new talents, music legends, and top-tier stars. Mason Jr. described the array of artists as a source of excitement, suggesting this combination will contribute to a vibrant program.
Specifically, producer Ben Winston noted that the event will feature between 18 and 19 performances compressed into a 3.5-hour broadcast, prioritizing a focus on musical segments with minimal extraneous content.
Kapoor elaborated on the rigorous rehearsal schedule, which commences Thursday afternoon and extends through Saturday evening, a tight timeline that necessitates significant coordination and cooperation from the artists involved. Confirmed performers include Clipse, Pharrell Williams, Sabrina Carpenter, and all nominees for the Best New Artist category: Katseye, Olivia Dean, Leon Thomas, Addison Rae, Sombr, Lola Young, The Marías, and Alex Warren.
Potential Record-Breaking Winners
Several nominees stand poised to make Grammy history. Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations with nine, including a nod for Album of the Year for 'GNX.' Should he win, or if Tyler, the Creator’s 'Chromakopia' or Clipse’s 'Let Got Sort Em Out' secure the prize, it would mark only the third time a rap album attained this distinction, following precedents set in 1999 and 2004.
Another candidate for a groundbreaking win is Bad Bunny’s all-Spanish-language album 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos,' which, if victorious, would become the first entirely Spanish-language album to earn the Album of the Year award. This nomination is the second for an all-Spanish-language album, with Bad Bunny’s 'Un Verano Sin Ti' previously nominated in 2023.
Moreover, K-pop may achieve its inaugural Grammy with nominations including Rosé and Bruno Mars’ 'APT.' and the 'KPop Demon Hunters' track 'Golden,' both contending for Song of the Year. In addition, 'APT.' is vying for Record of the Year, marking a first for any K-pop artist.
The ceremony also features a range of notable first-time nominees crossing multiple disciplines, including actor Timothée Chalamet for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and the Dalai Lama for Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording, and esteemed director Steven Spielberg in the Music Film category for 'Music By John Williams.'
Executive producer Winston highlighted the competitive and exciting atmosphere anticipated throughout the event, with production elements aimed at delivering outstanding musical presentations and advancing live show filming techniques.
Reflections and Learnings from the 2025 Wildfires
The previous year’s ceremony was deeply impacted by the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Winston recalled that the production team operated under challenging conditions, including living in hotels and dealing with ongoing crisis management without the benefit of prior rehearsals or detailed planning.
In contrast, this year’s team appreciates the luxury of refining performances and production aspects. Kapoor emphasized that last year’s experience underscored their capacity for flexibility and also cast a spotlight on the broader scope of the Recording Academy’s support roles, especially in aid and relief efforts.
The 2025 show prominently featured initiatives to assist small businesses affected by the wildfires. Mason Jr. remarked that the adversity faced allowed the Academy to amplify its mission of service—not only to music professionals but also to the wider community. MusiCares, the philanthropic branch of the Recording Academy, contributed over $15 million toward wildfire relief efforts.
Mason Jr. concluded that continuous review and improvement are integral to the organization’s approach, rejecting any notion of a 'business-as-usual' mindset and ensuring that each year brings enhancements to the Grammy Awards experience.