The nomination list for the 65th Annual Grammy Awards for the year 2026 has dropped in, and it's a strong moment for genre‑spanning artists. The Recording Academy announced on 7th November, 2025, that the ceremony will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, 1st February, 2026. Leading the pack is Kendrick Lamar with nine nominations, while Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter also have major showings.

With new categories introduced, this year's list reflects the evolving sound of popular music.

Power Nominations and First Time Highlights

Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations with nine nods, putting him ahead of Lady Gaga, producer‑songwriters like Jack Antonoff and Cirkut (each with seven), and Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter and others tied at six. Big general-field categories include Song of the Year (also with big names), Record of the Year (Bad Bunny's 'DtMF,' Lady Gaga's 'Abracadabra,' Lamar & SZA's 'Luther,' Carpenter's 'Manchild'), and Album of the Year with nominees like Bad Bunny's 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos,' Lady Gaga's 'Mayhem,' Kendrick Lamar's 'GNX,' and Sabrina Carpenter's 'Man's Best Friend.'

Among first‑time or breakout mentions: artists such as Doechii and K‑pop‑linked group HUNTR/X (with 'Golden') have got nods in major fields, highlighting the growing representation of various genres. This year, the Grammys have introduced two new categories: Best Album Cover and Best Traditional Country Album; the previously titled Best Country Album category has been changed to Best Contemporary Country Album.

In context of adding categories, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. recently told Grammy.com, that "I'm thrilled that many of this year's changes…allow us to honour even more creators. That's always a positive outcome for me. But even more importantly, these are much-needed updates that ensure those who are making significant contributions to the musical process are properly recognized and have the opportunity to be celebrated on Music's Biggest Night."

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Looking Back, Eligibility & What's Ahead

The 2026 nominations follow last year's 2025 Grammy cycle, where many of these artists had been contenders or winners, but this time the stakes feel higher with crossover success and genre mixing. Sabrina Carpenter, for instance, was nominated before and is currently included in all three major categories (Album, Song, and Record). Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar have likewise stepped into serious contention for Album of the Year for the first time with those particular works.

Since the eligibility window ended on 30th August, 2025, some releases, including Taylor Swift's 'The Life of a Showgirl,' were not eligible for the latest nominations. Voting for final winners kicks off from 12th December, 2025 and runs through 5th January, 2026. All eyes now turn to the main ceremony in Los Angeles to see whether the nominations translate into wins, whether first‑timers break through, and whether big names convert their many nods into trophies. 

The 2026 Grammys are expected to be a landmark event in musical inclusivity and artistry because of the wide range of genres represented, including pop, rap, Latin, K-pop, and more. 

Check Out the Full List of Nominations 

Record of the Year

DtMF — Bad Bunny

Manchild — Sabrina Carpenter

Anxiety — Doechii

WILDFLOWER — Billie Eilish

Abracadabra — Lady Gaga

Luther — Kendrick Lamar with SZA

The Subway — Chappell Roan

APT. — ROSÉ, Bruno Mars

Album of the Year

DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS — Bad Bunny

SWAG — Justin Bieber

Man's Best Friend — Sabrina Carpenter

Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse Pusha T & Malice

MAYHEM — Lady Gaga

GNX — Kendrick Lamar

MUTT — Leon Thomas

CHROMAKOPIA — Tyler, The Creator

Song of the Year 

Abracadabra — Henry Walter, Lady Gaga & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Lady Gaga)

Anxiety — Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii)

APT. — Amy Allen, Christopher Brody Brown, Rogét Chahayed, Henry Walter, Omer Fedi, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Chae Young Park & Theron Thomas, songwriters (ROSÉ, Bruno Mars)

DtMF — Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Scott Dittrich,, Benjamin Falik, Roberto José Rosado Torres, Marco Daniel Borrero, Hugo René Sención Sanabria & Tyler Thomas Spry, songwriters (Bad Bunny)

Golden (From 'KPop Demon Hunters') — EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)

Luther — Jack Antonoff, Roshwita Larisha Bacha, Matthew, Bernard, Ink, Scott Bridgeway, Sam Dew, Kendrick Lamar, Mark Anthony Spears, Solána Rowe & Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar With SZA)

Manchild — Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter, songwriters (Sabrina Carpenter)

WILDFLOWER — Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)

Best New Artist

Olivia Dean

KATSEYE

The Marias

Addison Rae

Sombr

Leon Thomas

Alex Warren

Lola Young

Producer of the Year (Non-Classical)

Dan Auerbach

Cirkut

Dijon

Blake Mills

Sounwave

Songwriter of the Year (Non-Classical)

Amy Allen

Edgar Barrera

Jessie Jo Dillon

Tobias Jesso Jr.

Laura Veltz

Best Pop Solo Performance

DAISIES — Justin Bieber

Manchild — Sabrina Carpenter

Disease — Lady Gaga

The Subway — Chappell Roan

Messy — Lola Young

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Defying Gravity — Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande

Golden (From 'KPop Demon Hunters') — HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI

Gabriela — KATSEYE

APT. — ROSÉ, Bruno Mars

30 For 30 — SZA with Kendrick Lamar

Best Pop Vocal Album

SWAG — Justin Bieber

Man's Best Friend — Sabrina Carpenter

Something Beautiful — Miley Cyrus

MAYHEM — Lady Gaga

I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2) — Teddy Swims

Best Dance/Electronic Recording

No Cap — Disclosure & Anderson .Paak 

Victory Lap — Fred again.., Skepta, & PlaqueBoyMax

SPACE INVADER — KAYTRANADA

VOLTAGE — Skrillex

End of Summer — Tame Impala

Best Dance Pop Recording

Bluest Flame — Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco

Abracadabra — Lady Gaga

Midnight Sun — Zara Larsson

Just Keep Watching (From 'F1® The Movie') — Tate McRae

Illegal — PinkPantheress

Best Dance/Electronic Recording

No Cap — Disclosure & Anderson .Paak

Victory Lap — Fred again.., Skepta, & PlaqueBoyMax

SPACE INVADER — KAYTRANADA

VOLTAGE — Skrillex

End of Summer — Tame Impala

Best Dance Pop Recording

Bluest Flame — Selena Gomez & benny blanco

Abracadabra — Lady Gaga

Midnight Sun — Zara Larsson

Just Keep Watching (From 'F1® The Movie') — Tate McRae

Illegal — PinkPantheress

Best Dance/Electronic Album

EUSEXUA — FKA twigs

Ten Days — Fred again..

Fancy That — PinkPantheress

Inhale / Exhale — RÜFÜS DU SOL

F*** U SKRILLEX YOU THINK UR ANDY WARHOL BUT UR NOT!! <3 — Skrillex

Best Remixed Recording

Abracadabra (Gesaffelstein Remix) Gesaffelstein, remixer (Lady Gaga, Gesaffelstein)

Don't Forget About Us, KAYTRANADA, remixer (Mariah Carey & KAYTRANADA)

A Dreams A Dream - Ron Trent Remix, Ron Trent, remixer (Soul II Soul)

Galvanize, Chris Lake, remixer (The Chemical Brothers & Chris Lake)

Golden - David Guetta REM/X, David Guetta, remixer (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)

Best Rock Performance

U Should Not Be Doing That —Amyl and The Sniffers

The Emptiness Machine — Linkin Park

NEVER ENOUGH — Turnstile

Mirtazapine — Hayley Williams

Changes (Live From Villa Park) Back to the Beginning – YUNGBLUD Featuring Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello, Adam Wakeman, II

Best Metal Performance

Night Terror — Dream Theater

Lachryma — Ghost

Emergence — Sleep Token

Soft Spine — Spiritbox

BIRDS — Turnstile

Best Rock Song

As Alive as You Need Me to Be — Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, songwriters (Nine Inch Nails)

Caramel — Vessel1 & Vessel2, songwriters (Sleep Token)

Glum — Daniel James & Hayley Williams, songwriters (Hayley Williams)

NEVER ENOUGH — Daniel Fang, Franz Lyons, Pat McCrory, Meg Mills & Brendan Yates, songwriters (Turnstile)

Zombie — Dominic Harrison & Matt Schwartz, songwriters (YUNGBLUD)

Best Rock Album

private music — Deftones

I quit — HAIM

From Zero — Linkin Park

NEVER ENOUGH — Turnstile

Idols — YUNGBLUD

Best Alternative Music Performance

Everything Is Peaceful Love — Bon Iver

Alone — The Cure

SEEIN' STARS — Turnstile

Mangetout — Wet Leg

Parachute — Hayley Williams

Best Alternative Music Album

SABLE, fABLE – Bon Iver

Songs of a Lost World — The Cure

DON'T TAP THE GLASS — Tyler, The Creator

Moisturizer — Wet Leg

Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party — Hayley Williams

Best R&B Performance

YUKON — Justin Bieber

It Depends — Chris Brown Featuring Bryson Tiller

Folded — Kehlani

MUTT (Live From NPR's Tiny Desk) — Leon Thomas

Heart of a Woman — Summer Walker

Best Traditional R&B Performance

Here We Are — Durand Bernarr

UPTOWN — Lalah Hathaway

LOVE YOU TOO — Ledisi

Crybaby — SZA

VIBES DON'T LIE — Leon Thomas

Best R&B Song

Folded — Darius Dixson, Andre Harris, Kehlani Parrish, Donovan Knight, Don Mills, Khris Riddick-Tynes & Dawit Kamal Wilson, songwriters (Kehlani)

Heart 0f a Woman — David Bishop & Summer Walker, songwriters (Summer Walker)

It Depends — Nico Baran, Chris Brown, Ant Clemons, Ephrem Lopez Jr., Ryan Press, Bryson Tiller, Elliott Trent & Dewain Whitmore Jr., songwriters (Chris Brown Featuring Bryson Tiller)

Overqualified — James John Abrahart Jr & Durand Bernarr, songwriters (Durand Bernarr)

YES IT IS — Jariuce Banks, Lazaro Andres Camejo, Mike Hector, Peter Lee Johnson, Rodney Jones Jr., Ali Prawl & Leon Thomas, songwriters (Leon Thomas)

Best Progressive R&B Album

BLOOM — Durand Bernarr

Adjust Brightness — Bilal

LOVE ON DIGITAL — Destin Conrad

Access All Areas — FLO

Come as You Are — Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon

Best R&B Album

BELOVED — GIVĒON

Why Not More? — Coco Jones

The Crown — Ledisi

Escape Room — Teyana Taylor

MUTT — Leon Thomas

Best Rap Performance

Outside — Cardi B

Chains & Whips — Clipse, Pusha T & Malice Featuring Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams

Anxiety — Doechii

tv off — Kendrick Lamar Featuring Lefty Gunplay

Darling, I — Tyler, The Creator Featuring Teezo Touchdown

Best Melodic Rap Performance

Proud of Me — Fridayy Featuring Meek Mill

Wholeheartedly — JID Featuring Ty Dolla $ign & 6Lack

Luther — Kendrick Lamar with SZA

WeMaj —Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon Featuring Rapsody

SOMEBODY LOVES ME — PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake

Best Rap Song

Anxiety — Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii)

The Birds Don't Sing — Gene Elliott Thornton Jr., Terrence Thornton, Pharrell Williams & Stevie Wonder, songwriters (Clipse, Pusha T & Malice Featuring John Legend & Voices Of Fire)

Sticky — Aaron Bolton, Dudley Alexander Duverne, Gloria Woods, Dwayne Carter, Jr., Janae Wherry, Tyler Okonma & Rex Zamor, songwriters (Tyler, The Creator Featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne)

TGIF — Lucas Alegria, Dillon Brophy, Yakki Davis, Gloria Woods, Jess Jackson, Ronnie Jackson, Mario Mims & Jorge M. Taveras, songwriters (GloRilla)

tv off — Jack Antonoff, Larry Jayy, Kendrick Lamar, Dijon McFarlane, Sean Momberger, Mark Anthony Spears & Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar Featuring Lefty Gunplay)

Best Rap Album

Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse, Pusha T & Malice

GLORIOUS — GloRilla

God Does Like Ugly — JID

GNX — Kendrick Lamar

CHROMAKOPIA — Tyler, The Creator

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Wintersongs — Laila Biali

The Gift of Love — Jennifer Hudson

Who Believes In Angels? — Elton John & Brandi Carlile

Harlequin — Lady Gaga

A Matter of Time — Laufey

The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume 2 — Barbra Streisand

Best Musical Theater Album

Buena Vista Social Club

Death Becomes Her

Gypsy

Just In Time

Maybe Happy Ending

Best Country Solo Performance

Nose On the Grindstone — Tyler Childers

Good News — Shaboozey

Bad As I Used to Be (From 'F1® The Movie') — Chris Stapleton

I Never Lie — Zach Top

Somewhere Over Laredo — Lainey Wilson

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

A Song to Sing — Miranda Lambert And Chris Stapleton

Trailblazer — Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson

Love Me Like You Used to Do — Margo Price & Tyler Childers

Amen — Shaboozey & Jelly Roll

Honky Tonk Hall of Fame — George Strait, Chris Stapleton

Best Country Song

Bitin' List — Tyler Childers, songwriter (Tyler Childers)

Good News — Michael Ross Pollack, Sam Elliot Roman & Jacob Torrey, songwriters (Shaboozey)

I Never Lie — Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols & Zach Top, songwriters (Zach Top)

Somewhere Over Laredo — Andy Albert, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson & Lainey Wilson, songwriters (Lainey Wilson)

A Song to Sing — Jenee Fleenor, Jesse Frasure, Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton)

Best Traditional Country Album

Dollar a Day — Charley Crockett

American Romance — Lukas Nelson

Oh What a Beautiful World– Willie Nelson

Hard Headed Woman — Margo Price

Ain't in It for My Health — Zach Top

Best Contemporary Country Album

Patterns — Kelsea Ballerini

Snipe Hunter — Tyler Childers

Evangeline Vs. The Machine — Eric Church

Beautifully Broken — Jelly Roll

Postcards From Texas — Miranda Lambert

Best American Roots Performance

LONELY AVENUE — Jon Batiste Featuring Randy Newman

Ancient Light — I'm With Her

Crimson and Clay — Jason Isbell

Richmond on the James — Alison Krauss & Union Station

Beautiful Strangers — Mavis Staples

Best Americana Performance

Boom — Sierra Hull

Poison In My Well — Maggie Rose & Grace Potter

Godspeed — Mavis Staples

That's Gonna Leave a Mark — Molly Tuttle

Horses — Jesse Welles

Best American Roots Song

Ancient Light — Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan & Sara Watkins, songwriters (I'm With Her)

BIG MONEY — Jon Batiste, Mike Elizondo & Steve McEwan, songwriters (Jon Batiste)

Foxes In the Snow — Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell)

Middle — Jesse Welles, songwriter (Jesse Welles)

Spitfire — Sierra Hull, songwriter (Sierra Hull)

Best Americana Album

BIG MONEY — Jon Batiste

Bloom — Larkin Poe

Last Leaf on the Tree — Willie Nelson

So Long Little Miss Sunshine — Molly Tuttle

Middle — Jesse Welles

Best Bluegrass Album

Carter & Cleveland — Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter

A Tip Toe High Wire — Sierra Hull

Arcadia — Alison Krauss & Union Station

Outrun — The Steeldrivers

Highway Prayers — Billy Strings

Best Traditional Blues Album

Ain't Done with the Blues — Buddy Guy

Room on the Porch — Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo'

One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey — Maria Muldaur

Look Out Highway — Charlie Musselwhite

Young Fashioned Ways — Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Bobby Rush

Best Contemporary Blues Album

Breakthrough — Joe Bonamassa

Paper Doll — Samantha Fish

A Tribute to LJK — Eric Gales

Preacher Kids — Robert Randolph

Family — Southern Avenue

Best Folk Album

What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow — Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson

Crown of Roses — Patty Griffin

Wild and Clear and Blue — I'm With Her

Foxes In the Snow — Jason Isbell

Under the Powerlines (April 24 – September 24) — Jesse Welles

Best Gospel Album

Sunny Days — Yolanda Adams

Tasha — Tasha Cobbs Leonard

Live Breathe Fight — Tamela Mann

Only on the Road (Live) — Tye Tribbett

Heart of Mine — Darrel Walls, PJ MortonBest Contemporary Christian Music Album

CHILD OF GOD II — Forrest Frank

Coritos Vol. 1 — Israel & New Breed

King of Hearts — Brandon Lake

Reconstruction — Lecrae

Let the Church Sing — Tauren Wells

Best Latin Pop Album

Cosa Nuestra — Rauw Alejandro

BOGOTÁ (DELUXE) — Andrés Cepeda

Tropicoqueta — KAROL G

Cancionera — Natalia Lafourcade

¿Y ahora qué? — Alejandro Sanz

Best Música Urbana Album

DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS —  Bad Bunny

Mixteip — J Balvin

FERXXO VOL X: Sagrado – Feid

NAIKI — Nicki Nicole

EUB DELUXE — Trueno

SINFÓNICO (En Vivo) — Yandel

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

Genes Rebeldes — Aterciopelados

ASTROPICAL — Bomba Estéreo, Rawayana, ASTROPICAL

PAPOTA — CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso

ALGORHYTHM — Los Wizzards

Novela — Fito Paez

Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)

MALA MÍA — Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera

Y Lo Que Viene — Grupo Frontera

Sin Rodeos — Paola Jara

Palabra De To's (Seca) — Carín León

Bobby Pulido & Friends Una Tuya Y Una Mía - Por La Puerta Grande (En Vivo) — Bobby Pulido

Best Tropical Latin Album

Fotografías — Rubén Blades, Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

Raíces — Gloria Estefan

Clásicos 1.0 — Grupo Niche

Bingo — Alain Pérez

Debut y Segunda Tanda, Vol. 2 — Gilberto Santa Rosa

Best Global Music Performance

EoO – Bad Bunny

Cantando en el Camino — Ciro Hurtado

JERUSALEMA — Angélique Kidjo

Inmigrante Y Que? — Yeisy Rojas

Shrini's Dream (Live) — Shakti

Daybreak — Korwar

Best African Music Performance

Love — Burna Boy

With You — Davido Featuring Omah Lay

Hope & Love — Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin

Gimme Dat — Ayra Starr Featuring Wizkid

PUSH 2 START — Tyla

Best Global Music Album

Sounds of Kumbha — Siddhant Bhatia

No Sign of Weakness — Burna Boy

Eclairer le monde - Light the World — Youssou N'Dour

Mind Explosion (50th Anniversary Tour Live) — Shakti

Chapter III: We Return to Light — Anoushka Shankar Featuring Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar

Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo — Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia

Best Reggae Album

Treasure Self Love — Lila Iké

Heart & Soul — Vybz Kartel

BLXXD & FYAH — Keznamdi

From Within — Mortimer

No Place Like Home — Jesse Royal

Best Children's Music Album

Ageless: 100 Years Young — Joanie Leeds & Joya

Buddy's Magic Tree House — Mega Ran

Harmony — FYÜTCH & Aura V

Herstory — Flor Bromley

The Music of Tori and The Muses — Tori Amos

Best Comedy Album

Drop Dead Years — Bill Burr

PostMortem — Sarah Silverman

Single Lady — Ali Wong

What Had Happened Was… — Jamie Foxx

Your Friend, Nate Bargatze — Nate Bargatze

Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording

Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story — Kathy Garver

Into the Uncut Grass — Trevor Noah

Lovely One: A Memoir — Ketanji Brown Jackson

Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness The Dalai Lama — Dalai Lama

You Know It’s True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli — Fab Morvan

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

A Complete Unknown — Timothée Chalamet

F1® The Album — (Various Artists)

KPop Demon Hunters — (Various Artists)

Sinners — (Various Artists)

Wicked — (Various Artists)

Best Score Soundtrack Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television)

How to Train Your Dragon — John Powell, composer

Severance: Season 2 — Theodore Shapiro, composer

Sinners — Ludwig Göransson, composer

Wicked — John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, composers

The Wild Robot — Kris Bowers, composer

Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - Secrets of the Spires — Pinar Toprak, composer

Helldivers 2 — Wilbert Roget, II, composer

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle — Gordy Haab, composer

Star Wars Outlaws: Wild Card & A Pirate's Fortune — Cody Matthew Johnson & Wilbert Roget, II, composers

Sword of the Sea — Austin Wintory, composer

Best Song Written for Visual Media

As Alive as You Need Me to Be (From 'TRON: Ares') — Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, songwriters (Nine Inch Nails)

Golden (From 'KPop Demon Hunters') — EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)

I Lied to You (From 'Sinners') — Ludwig Göransson & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Miles Caton)

Never Too Late (From 'Elton John: Never Too Late') — Brandi Carlile, Elton John, Bernie Taupin & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Elton John, Brandi Carlile)

Pale, Pale Moon (From 'Sinners') — Ludwig Göransson & Brittany Howard, songwriters (Jayme Lawson)

Sinners (From 'Sinners') — Leonard Denisenko, Rodarius Green, Travis Harrington, Tarkan Kozluklu, Kyris Mingo & Darius Povilinus, songwriters (Rod Wave)

Best Music Video

Young Lion — Sade, Sophie Muller, video director; Sade & Aaron Taylor Dean, video producers

Manchild — Sabrina Carpenter, Vania Heymann & Gal Muggia, video directors; Aiden Magarian, Nathan Scherrer & Natan Schottenfels, video producers

So Be It — Clipse, Hannan Hussain, video director; Daniel Order, video producer

Anxiety — Doechii, James Mackel, video director; Pablo Feldman, Jolene Mendes & Sophia Sabella, video producers

Love — OK Go, Aaron Duffy, Miguel Espada & Damian Kulash Jr., video directors; Petra Ahmann, video producer

Best Music Film

Devo — Devo, Chris Smith, video director; Danny Gabai, Anita Greenspan, Chris Holmes & Chris Smith, video producers

Live at the Royal Albert Hall — RAYE, Paul Dugdale, video director; Stefan Demetriou & Amy James, video producers

Relentless — Diane Warren, Bess Kargman, video director; Peggy Drexler, Michele Farinola & Kat Nguyen, video producers

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 & Justin Wilkes, video producers

Piece By Piece— Pharrell Williams, Morgan Neville, video director; Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers, Mimi Valdes & Pharrell Williams, video producers

Best Recording Package

And The Adjacent Possible — Hà Trinh Quoc Bao, Damian Kulash, Jr., Claudio Ripol, Wombi Rose & Yuri Suzuki, art directors (OK Go)

Balloonerism — Bráulio Amado & Alim Smith, art directors (Mac Miller)

Danse Macabre: De Luxe — Rory McCartney, art director (Duran Duran)

Loud Is As — Farbod Kokabi & Emily Sneddon, art directors (Tsunami)

Sequoia — Tim Breen & Ken Shipley, art directors (Various Artists)

The Spins (Picture Disc Vinyl) — Miller McCormick, art director (Mac Miller)

Tracks II: The Lost Albums — Meghan Foley & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen)

Best Album Cover

CHROMAKOPIA — Shaun Llewellyn & Luis "Panch" Perez, art directors (Tyler, The Creator)

The Crux — William Wesley II, art director (Djo)

Debí Tirar Más Fotos — Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, art director (Bad Bunny)

Glory — Cody Critcheloe & Andrew J.S., art directors (Perfume Genius)

Moisturizer — Hester Chambers, Ellis Durand, Henry Holmes, Matt de Jong, Jamie-James Medina, Joshua Mobaraki & Rhian Teasdale, art directors (Wet Leg)

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Kendrick Lamar has made a surprise drop of a new single on social media. Today (12^th September), the rapper revealed the track on Instagram. While it hasn’t appeared on streaming platforms yet, Variety reports it is titled ‘Watch The Party Die’. This release is Lamar’s first new music since ‘Not Like Us’ amid his ongoing feud with Drake.

The accompanying video features a photo of scuffed black Air Force 1s, a nod to Drake’s ‘Push Ups’, in which the Canadian artist mocked Lamar’s shoe size. Additionally, the song includes references to Drake supporter DJ Akademiks.

“The radio personality pushing propaganda for salary / Let me know when they turn up as a casualty.”

Image Courtesy: Vermilion County First

Kendrick Lamar also raps a bar hinting that his feud with Drake might not be fully resolved: “Just walked that man down, that’ll do everyone a solid / It’s love but tough love, sometimes you gotta result in violence.”

Kendrick Lamar has recently been announced as the headliner for the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show: “I don’t want you to miss it. Meet me in New Orleans, February 9, 2025. Wear your best dress too, even if you’re watching from home. Let’s go.”

Following Kendrick Lamar's announcement as the headliner for next year's Super Bowl Halftime Show, Jay-Z voiced his enthusiastic support, stating that Kendrick is truly a once-in-a-generation talent and performer. His profound passion for hip-hop and culture shapes his artistic vision, and he possesses an unmatched ability to influence global culture. Kendrick’s contributions go beyond music, leaving a lasting impact for years to come.

Image Courtesy: uDiscover Music

However, the choice of Lamar has sparked some controversy. A conspiracy theory suggests that his feud with Drake may have influenced his selection for the halftime show. DJ Akademiks proposed that Jay-Z’s lingering resentment towards Drake, stemming from his refusal to join the Tidal streaming service, could be a factor.

Also Read: Greek and Roman Mythology in Modern Literature and Film

In the wake of Lamar’s headlining announcement, there has been significant support for Lil Wayne from various rappers. Many believe that the New Orleans native should have been chosen for the spot instead.

--Silviya.Y

André 3000 expressed his disappointment over the Kendrick-Drake feud, saying it left him feeling somewhat sad. The OutKast icon, who ventured into instrumental jazz with his album ‘New Blue Sun’ last year, shared his thoughts in a recent interview with Crack. He reflected on how rap battles have evolved, noting that while early rap battles were simple contests between kids in the park, today’s conflicts involve livelihoods, empires, and companies, making them far more consequential. He questioned the value of such feuds for artists who have already achieved success.

André 3000 isn't the only hip-hop icon to voice concerns about the Kendrick-Drake feud—Questlove likened it to a "wrestling match level mudslinging," while Jay Electronica and Vince Staples have also shared their thoughts.

Last month, André reflected on the current generation of rappers, suggesting many "sound the same." He reminisced about OutKast's time with the Dungeon Family, led by the late Organized Noize legend Rico Wade, who passed away in April from heart failure. André believes that today’s artists lack the time to truly develop their unique voices, arguing that if OutKast had debuted when they initially felt ready, they would have sounded like everyone else and wouldn’t have lasted.

He further explained that while the immediacy of jumping on a microphone today is beneficial, it doesn’t allow artists to hone their identities. André also clarified his previous comments about feeling "inauthentic" returning to rapping, noting that while it's important to rap as long as it's within you, he prefers to explore new directions rather than rely on past styles.

André 3000 is set to perform two intimate shows at London’s Jazz Cafe on August 16, before appearing at All Points East the next day. These performances, titled ‘New Blue Sun Live In Concert,’ will showcase his latest jazz endeavours.

--Silviya.Y

Drake quoted rival Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ in response to an impersonator dancing to ‘Hotline Bling’.

Over the past weekend, a video of a Drake impersonator dancing to ‘Hotline Bling’ at a boxing event in New York went viral on social media. The real Drake soon reacted to the clip on social media, quoting a lyric from Lamar’s diss track ‘Not Like Us.’

“Sometimes you gotta pop out,” Drake wrote in an Instagram Story

Drake has remained active since his diss track exchange with Kendrick Lamar earlier this year. In a recent interview with People, Drake’s collaborator Gordo commented on the situation, stating that the rapper remained unfazed by it all.

Drake recently featured on two new songs from Gordo’s latest album ‘Diamante’, titled ‘Sideways’ and ‘Healing’.

Last week, Drake shared footage of his flooded mansion after torrential rain hit Toronto. This news came shortly after the rapper had allowed fans to take a virtual tour of his residence through a new feature on his merch website.

Earlier this year, his home also made headlines when a man was arrested for attempting to break into the building, just a day after a shooting occurred outside the residence. This incident followed the house being featured on the cover of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’.

In other news, Nick Mason has expressed his desire to use AI to create new Pink Floyd songs. In a recent interview with The Sunday Mirror (via Music News), the drummer discussed the potential for an AI-assisted Pink Floyd reunion. David Gilmour had declared the band to be over in 2015, saying that the iconic prog-rock group had “run its course.”

Also Read: Nick Mason Plans to Use AI to Craft New Pink Floyd Tracks

Mason mentioned the intrigue of seeing what AI could achieve with new music and suggested the possibility of an AI scenario where David Gilmour and Roger Waters reconcile. He likened the idea to ABBA’s virtual performances.

--Silviya.Y

Lupe Fiasco has clarified rumours of a supposed feud with Kendrick Lamar, insisting there is no bad blood between them.

During an X/Twitter Spaces event over the weekend, the 'Superstar' singer was asked about his alleged beef with the 'Swimming Pools' rapper. Fiasco, whose real name is Wasalu Jaco, responded by stating that there is no feud between them.

Lupe Fiasco expressed his admiration for Kendrick Lamar, highlighting his creativity, conceptualization, and positive impact on Black culture. He emphasized that despite not liking all of Lamar's songs, he respects his cultural influence and would never disparage him. Fiasco also mentioned a similar respect for Drake, valuing their contributions to the culture above personal musical preferences.

Fiasco then challenged the fan to provide evidence of any disdain he showed towards Lamar, asserting that he has no issue with him. During the event, the ‘Paris, Tokyo’ singer also expressed envy, wishing he had access to a creative environment like Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), the label that represented Lamar early in his career.

Earlier this year, Fiasco and Kid Cudi publicly ended their feud, announcing they are friends again after a disagreement stemming from a story Cudi shared about Fiasco visiting a BAPE store he worked at before becoming famous.

In other news, DJ Akademiks recently claimed that Drake is writing his next response to Lamar. The internet personality made this claim on his Rumble channel last week, stating he has been in close contact with the Canadian rapper throughout his feud with Lamar.

Lupe Fiasco’s recent comments dismissing any feud with Kendrick Lamar highlight his deep respect for Lamar's creativity and cultural impact. Fiasco's admiration extends despite not being a fan of all of Lamar’s music, underscoring the significance he places on Lamar’s influence within the Black community. His envy of the collaborative environment at TDE suggests a desire for similar artistic support. Meanwhile, Fiasco’s reconciliation with Kid Cudi and DJ Akademiks' claims about Drake’s response to Lamar add layers to the dynamic interactions within the hip-hop community, reflecting both respect and competition among top artists.

--Silviya.Y

DJ Akademiks has alleged that Drake is preparing his next response to Kendrick Lamar. Akademiks shared this news on his Rumble channel on 18th July, where he has reportedly been in frequent contact with the Canadian rapper during his ongoing feud with Lamar.

The dispute between Drake and Lamar flared up again in March when Lamar featured on a track from Metro Boomin and Future’s collaborative album, ‘We Don’t Trust You’. Lamar's verse was a rebuttal to a previous J. Cole and Drake collaboration where Cole referred to himself, Drake, and Lamar as “the big three.”

Akademiks has now suggested that it's "sneak dissing time," emphasizing that the feud is far from over and expressing anticipation for the first subtle jabs in Drake's response.

Akademiks hinted that he won't reveal specifics but suggested that Drake's initial subtle diss aimed at Kendrick Lamar will be intriguing based on how it is presented.

Earlier this month, Akademiks teased upcoming Drake music, promising that it would be fire.

The feud has prompted various celebrities to take sides. Former Fifth Harmony member Camila Cabello expressed her frustration with the criticism directed at Drake, while Serena Williams took a playful jab at Drake during the ESPYs. Williams humorously remarked that, based on her experiences this year, no one—including herself—should ever engage in a conflict with Kendrick Lamar.

In other news, Drake has posted a video showing his mansion flooded due to heavy rainfall in Toronto.

The ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar continues to captivate, with DJ Akademiks fuelling the fire by suggesting Drake is preparing a subtle yet intriguing response. Akademiks' promise of great new music only heightens the anticipation. The involvement of celebrities like Camila Cabello, who has voiced frustration over the criticism of Drake, and Serena Williams, who playfully warned against challenging Kendrick Lamar, adds a layer of public interest to the drama. Meanwhile, Drake's flooded mansion due to Toronto's severe weather serves as a stark reminder of his current personal challenges amid the feud.

Also Read: Halsey Reveals Britney Spears Gave Her Blessing For ‘Lucky’

---Silviya.Y

Sounwave, a collaborator with Kendrick Lamar, says they are beginning work on Lamar's upcoming album 'Now'.

The follow-up to Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, which was released earlier this year in May, is already in the works, according to Sounwave, who has produced every Lamar record since his debut self-titled EP in 2019.

When asked about the duo's creative process, Sounwave said that he and Lamar started working on the upcoming album as soon as 'Mr. Morale' was released.

“Like, we’re starting on the next one now,” he said, adding, “That’s never going to change, all the way from the Kendrick Lamar EP. The next day, we started on Section.80. It’s just the ideas never stopped.”

The producer added that the collaborative method keeps him and Lamar excited to work with each other, noting that he accompanies Lamar on tour to ensure the creative flow continues unhindered. He explained: “We’re like kids in a candy shop.”

In other parts of the conversation, Sounwave talked about his favourite albums with Lamar, citing Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers as his current favourite while revealing that his choices fluctuate.

In response to a viral video showing a security officer wiping away tears at one of his concerts, Lamar commented, "...it's what music makes you feel, you know, how it makes you feel."

“At the end of the day that’s how you want everyone to receive your music, you know, make them feel good, make them feel like a moment they’re attached to can live forever.”

The North American leg of Lamar's 'Big Steppers' world tour, which began in late July, is currently underway. In November, he will start the UK/Ireland leg of his 2022 global tour.

--Silviya.Y

In Oklahoma, Kendrick Lamar began his 'The Big Steppers' world tour and performed a number of songs from it. At the Paycom Center, the rapper debuted seven songs from ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ for the first time, and he also worked with Baby Keem on the song 'Family Ties.'

He gave the live debuts of ‘Worldwide Steppers,’ ‘Father Time,’ ‘Purple Hearts,’ ‘Die Hard,’ ‘Auntie Diaries,’ ‘Crown’ and ‘Mr. Morale’ during the performance. On the latter song, the rapper featured Tanna Leone. You may view footage below.

Lamar performed at the first of many US gigs before touring the UK and Europe in October and November, including two shows at London's The O2 on 7th and 8th November.

The performance comes shortly after Lamar performed as the headliner at Glastonbury, where he chanted "Godspeed for women's rights" in response to the US Supreme Court's recent ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade.

A night later, he appeared on stage with Baby Keem at the latter's performance in London. They collaborated on the songs ‘Family Ties’ and ‘Vent’ off Keem's September 2021 debut album, ‘The Melodic Blue.’

The Moody Center in Austin will host Lamar's tour stop on 21st July.

Kendrick Lamar played:

‘United In Grief’

‘N95’

‘ELEMENT’

‘Worldwide Steppers’

‘Backseat Freestyle’

‘Rich’ 

‘Rich Spirit’

‘HUMBLE’

‘Father Time’

‘m.A.A.d city’

‘We Cry Together’

‘Purple Hearts’

‘Alright’

‘Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe’

‘Die Hard’

‘LUST’

‘DNA’

‘Money Trees’

‘LOVE’

‘Family Ties’

‘Mirror’

‘LOYALTY’

‘Auntie Diaries’

‘Silent Hill’

‘Crown’

‘Mr. Morale’

‘Count Me Out’

‘Savior’

NME gave Lamar's latest album five stars and called it a "cathartic, soul-bearing autobiography" in their review.

--Silviya.Y

The 2022 edition of Rolling Loud New York will feature Nicki Minaj, A$AP Rocky and Future as headliners.

From 23^rd to 25^th September, the travelling roadshow festival will be in New York for three nights at Citi Field in Queens. On the first night, Minaj will headline, followed by Rocky on 24^th September and Future closing things up the following night. Pusha T, DaBaby, Busta Rhymes, Abra and others are among the artists on the line-up.

The three-day Rolling Loud Miami festival in July will include Kanye West (billed under his legal name, Ye), Future and Kendrick Lamar as headliners. Playboi Carti, Lil Durk, Three 6 Mafia, Lil Uzi Vert, Gucci Mane, Lil Baby, Kodak Black, Baby Keem, Trippie Redd and others will perform at this year's event, which will take place from 22nd-24^th July at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.

Notably, DaBaby will return to the Rolling Loud Miami stage this year, almost exactly a year after the rapper stirred outrage at the event for making homophobic statements and disrespectful remarks about individuals living with HIV.

Next month will also see the debut of Rolling Loud Portugal, which will feature J. Cole, A$AP Rocky and Future headlining the three-day festival, which will take place at Praia De Rocha Beach in Portimo, Portugal's Algarve, from 6th to 8th July this year.

--Shantala

'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers', Kendrick Lamar's new album, has debuted at number one on the US Billboard album charts, with the highest first-week sales in 2022 so far. It's the rapper's fourth number one album on the Billboard 200 chart.

The album was released on 13th May and nearly lost out to Florence + The Machine's 'Dance Fever' for the UK Number One album after a fierce chart war. In the United States, 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers' became Lamar's fourth number one album on the Billboard 200, and the year's fastest-selling album. According to Billboard, the album smashes the previous week's record, which was set by Bad Bunny's new album 'Un Verano Sin Ti.'

It also made an impression on Eminem, who described it to be ‘f****** ridiculous’, and also mentioned that it left him speechless.

Lamar's 'The Big Steppers' tour will take him throughout the world later this year. The tour will begin on 19th July with a string of US dates before heading to Europe and the United Kingdom in October and November, with two gigs at The O2 in London from 7th to 8th November.

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers was described by NME as a ‘ cathartic, soul-baring autobiography’ that ‘serves up stories about what it's like to be a Black adult whose trauma still haunts them’ in a five-star review.

--Shantala

Eminem has praised Kendrick Lamar's fifth studio album, 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers,' and lauded the rapper's monumental achievement. Eminem's comments come just a few months after he and Lamar joined Dre, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige onstage for this year's Super Bowl LVI halftime show in February.

Eminem's effect on Lamar as an artist has been well-documented. Some of Lamar's most forceful vocal performances, such as the third verse on 'Backstreet Freestyle' from 2012's 'Good Kid, M.A.A.D City,' demonstrate this.

In a 2016 interview with GQ, Lamar discussed how Eminem's approach to words had influenced him. He said that when he was a kid, he acquired his clarity through studying Eminem and that it was pure curiosity that led him to the studio. Lamar also told the outlet that he had a passion for the music, but it was curiosity.

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers was released on 13^th May, with no previous singles (save for the non-album tune 'The Heart Part 5'). The 18-track double album follows up on 2017's 'DAMN' and features Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Ghostface Killah, Sampha, Baby Keem and actress Taylour Paige.

This year, Lamar will embark on a globe tour with 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.' The global tour begins in July in North America, continues through August and September in Europe, and concludes in October and November in the United Kingdom. The tour will conclude in December with a series of performances in Australia and New Zealand.

--Shantala

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers' cover art has been revealed by Kendrick Lamar ahead of the album's release on 13^th May. The new cover features Lamar with a blank look, similar to the artwork for its predecessor, 2017's Pulitzer-winning 'DAMN.'

However, there's more of a scene to enjoy this time: Lamar stands with his back to the camera, looking wistfully out the window of what appears to be his family's bedroom. He's dressed in a white tee and muted pants, with a revolver dangling from his belt and a thorny crown on his head.

Lamar is pictured cradling a young girl who stares piercingly at the viewer of the cover, as a woman breastfeeds a newborn baby on the bed in front of him. It's a beautiful image of rich browns and beige, with a distinct theme of family, shot by New York photographer Renell Medrano.

Check out the cover below:

‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ will be released on 13^th May via pgLang / Top Dawg / Aftermath / Interscope. Lamar announced it just a month ago, cheekily doing so by responding to a fan who erroneously declared that, Kendrick Lamar is officially retired.

The album's first and seemingly only single, 'The Heart Part 5,' was released earlier this week. It was renowned for its divisive video, which featured "cameos" from Kanye West, Will Smith, OJ Simpson and the late Nipsey Hussle thanks to deepfake technology. It was also notable for being his first headlined release since 2018 – when he released 'All The Stars,' the first song from his self-curated Black Panther soundtrack, starring SZA.

Fans, coworkers and the entertainment industry all praised the song and video. Lauren London, Hussle's partner, called the video "strong art," referring to it as the start of a collaboration between Lamar and South Park directors, Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

--Shantala

Kendrick Lamar has released the first track from his
upcoming fifth studio album, 'Mr. Morale And The Big Steppers,' titled 'The
Heart Part 5.'

The song is Lamar's first solo track since 2018's 'All The Stars,' which featured SZA and was the lead single from the Black Panther soundtrack curated by Lamar. 'The Heart Part 5' is the latest installment in a series of songs Lamar has released over the course of his career - parts one and two were released in 2010, part three in 2012 and part four in 2017.

A music video for the tune has been released, which was
co-directed by Dave Free and Lamar himself. Lamar raps the song in front of a
crimson backdrop before his face is altered to resemble Kanye West, Kid
Cudi and Will Smith using deepfake technology. Trey Parker and Matt Stone,
the creators of South Park, are given "special thanks" in the video's
credits.

Check out the video for 'The Heart Part 5':

In late 2021, Lamar returned to music after a nearly three-year hiatus, performing on two tracks on his cousin Baby Keem's debut album, 'The Melodic Blue,' titled 'Family Ties' and 'Range Brothers.' Last month at Coachella, the two performed 'Family Ties' and 'Vent' together.

Last month, the follow-up to 2017's 'DAMN.' was announced:
'Mr. Morale And The Big Steppers.' In a further teaser, Lamar was seen carrying
two CDs and a book with the album's title emblazoned on it, implying that the
release could be a double album with an accompanying written piece.

--Silviya.Y

Details of 'Mr Morale & The Big
Steppers', Kendrick Lamar's next album, was
announced on 18th April. The rapper, who will headline alongside
Paul McCartney and Billie Eilish at Glastonbury this summer, tweeted a new link
to his Oklahoma website, where he disclosed the album's new title and release
date. On 13th May, the new album will be released.

The record will follow Lamar's Pulitzer-winning 2017 album, 'DAMN,' which acquired four stars by NME and was described as "a powerful, potent look inside the troubled mind of a genius". He's also curated the Black Panther soundtrack since then.

PGLang, the company that Lamar and his
business partner Dave Free launched in 2020, also revealed the follow-up to
'DAMN.' On Instagram, Lamar posted a photo of this.

On Twitter, Lamar announced the news by linking to information about the new album and quote tweeting someone who said he was "officially retired."

Lamar had previously teased the album last
year. “May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid
creators. As I continue to pursue my life’s calling,” he wrote last August.
“There’s beauty in completion. And always faith in the unknown.” He signed this
note ‘Oklahoma’.

Lamar registered a slew of new songs with
ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) last September,
stoking rumours that a new album was on the way.

Songs listed with the not-for-profit
performance-rights organisation include ‘Before The Hangman’s Noose’,
‘Comfortable’, ‘Director’, ‘Fighter Thief In The Night’, ‘Fade To Black’,
‘Erika Kane’, ‘End Of The Line’, ‘Of Paupers And Poets’, ‘Believe’, ‘Driving
Down The Darkness’, ‘End Of The Line’ and ‘Fell For You’.

The new album's track list is yet to be
revealed. Meanwhile, following his performance at this year's Super Bowl
Halftime Show, Kendrick has announced details of a new summer headline show in
Milan, Italy.

--Silviya.Y

Kanye West (billed under his legal name, Ye), Future, and Kendrick Lamar will headline the three-day Rolling Loud Miami festival in July 2022, according to the festival's organizers.

Playboi Carti, Lil Durk, Three 6 Mafia, Lil Uzi Vert, Gucci Mane, Lil Baby, Kodak Black, Baby Keem, Trippie Redd, and others will perform at this year's event, which will take place from July 22-24 at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.

Future has been announced to headline a US Rolling Loud event for the second year in a row, following his performance at last year's Rolling Loud California, where he brought Kanye West out for a surprise appearance during his set.

DaBaby will return to the Rolling Loud Miami stage this year, almost exactly a year after the rapper stirred outrage at the event for making homophobic statements and disrespectful remarks about individuals living with HIV.

DaBaby's remarks drew outrage from Elton John and Dua Lipa, the rapper's 'Levitating' collaborator, and he was subsequently dropped from events such as Lollapalooza, Governors Ball, and Austin City Limits.

Later, during a virtual meeting with them, DaBaby apologized. In a joint statement released after the meeting, community leaders and attendance stated the rapper "apologised for the false and insensitive comments he made about persons living with HIV."

The rapper announced his first tour since the scandal in November, a set of US performances put on by Rolling Loud. A Rolling Loud spokeswoman told NME at the time that the festival's organisers "welcome second chances" and that "DaBaby has grown and learned from his experience." DaBaby then played as part of Rolling Loud California the following month.

J. Cole, A$AP Rocky, and Future were confirmed as the headliners for the inaugural Rolling Loud Portugal back in January. The event is slated to make its European debut in July, after being forced to cancel both their 2020 and 2021 openings owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

---Aditi Manjunath

The Super Bowl Halftime
Show lineup didn't get much more star-studded than Eminem, Dr. Dre, Kendrick
Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and surprise artists 50 Cent and
Anderson.Paak, who took the stage at LA's SoFi Stadium on 13^th February.
With a group of true legends like that performing, it seemed improbable that
this year's Super Bowl Halftime Show would fall flat, and it didn't. The
musicians collaborated for 15 minutes to take us on a nostalgic journey through
some of hip-hop and R&B's most classic hits — these are the highlights from
the event.

Eminem takes the knee

Before the Super Bowl
started, there were rumours of censoring (which the NFL denied), but if they
were true, the artists paid little notice. Eminem knelt on top of the little
building he was performing from after giving a performance of 8 Mile's
"Lose Yourself," a copy of Colin Kaepernick's protest against racial
inequality and police brutality in America. After his protests sparked a
divisive reaction among fans – and drew Donald Trump's ire – the former 49ers
quarterback was all but driven out of the NFL, so Eminem giving him the nod
during probably the most important sporting event of the year was a bold move.

Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg belt out the classics

The Super Bowl Halftime
Show was bookended by performances from Dre and Snoop, who initially performed
‘The Next Episode’ and a version of 2Pac’s ‘California Love’. The pair returned
for a version of 'Still D.R.E.' after the rest of the night's stars had had
their turn in the spotlight. The latter was significant for yet another
instance of the stars allegedly violating the NFL - according to reports, the
league had warned Dre not to rap the lyric "still not loving police,"
but he did it anyway.

Kendrick Lamar makes a
statement with ‘Alright’

After its release in
2015, Kendrick Lamar's record "Alright" quickly became a positive
anthem of resistance, being chanted in protests against police brutality in the
United States as a sign of defiance and hope. After launching his section of
the halftime concert with 'm.A.A.d City,' the rapper shared a rendition of the
song, adding another layer of political commentary to the night's events
alongside Eminem and Dre's actions.

Anderson .Paak pops up on
‘Lose Yourself’

During 'Lose Yourself,' a
familiar face flashed on the screen before Eminem took the knee. Anderson is a
fictional character. Paak appeared on the single in a low-key manner, playing
the drums and rapping along with a big smile on his face. Though .Paak didn't
get a chance to get on the mic, yet it provided a nice link between the headliners'
classic west coast hip-hop and the newer generation pushing the sound forward.

50 Cent makes a surprise appearance

Fans were treated to a
stunning surprise early in the halftime show when the camera swooped down from
the roof where Dre and Snoop were performing to reveal 50 Cent hanging upside
down a floor below. The dramatic entrance was a nod to his video for the
massive 2003 hit 'In Da Club,' which he performed while suspended from the
rafters, with dancers recreating a club scene underneath him. After a few
lines, he slowly descended from the ceiling and resumed his act in the upright
position.

Fiddy's unusual beginning
to his segment has rapidly become a meme, with the rapper being compared to
everyone from Spider-Man to a vampire bat.

Mary J. Blige delivers a power packed performance

Mary J. Blige, more than made the stage her own with a two-song set full of powerful vocals. For a rendition of 2001's 'Family Affair,' the actress was joined by dancers dressed in sparkling silver attire that matched her own, before being left to dominate the stage alone for the legendary 'No More Drama.' The latter saw her bring out the acrobatic ad-libs, demonstrating why she's regarded as a legendary figure in R&B, as Missy Elliott herself tweeted.

----Silviya.Y

The leading stars like Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg are going to headline the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show. The show marks the first time these five multi-award-winning artists will perform together on stage, holding a special significance for the greater Los Angeles community. 

Pepsi dropped The Call today, an epic “official trailer” for the halftime show directed by Straight Outta Compton filmmaker, F. Gary Gray.

The just under four-minute trailer features Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar answering “the call,” from Dr. Dre, who’s seen moving pieces around a chessboard as his hand-picked version of hip-hop’s Avengers assemble.

According to the official announcement of the show, the five artists have never before appeared together onstage. Among them, they have 43 Grammys and 22 No. 1 albums on the Billboard charts.

The spot rolls through an energetic compilation of iconic tracks from each artist: “Rap God,” “The Next Episode,” “Family Affair,” “HUMBLE.,” “Still D.R.E.” and “California Love,” before it ends with all of them outside the SoFi stadium, where the game will be held next month.

This year’s 12-minute halftime show is sponsored by Pepsi, marking its 11th year supporting the event.

Previous artists featured in the collaboration were the Weeknd in 2021 and Jennifer Lopez and Shakira in 2020. Marking the third year of this collaboration, Pepsi, the NFL and Roc Nation are excited to bring these genre-defining artists together for a larger-than-life performance of hits from their deep collective catalog. 

---Apeksha Priya

The NFL and Roc Nation announced that three Southern California natives and
rap titans — Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar would share headlining duties with
Eminem and Mary J. Blige at the 2022 Super
Bowl halftime show. Super Bowl LVI
will be televised live on NBC on Sunday, February 13, 2022 at SoFi Stadium
in Inglewood, CA. It can also be streamed live with Peacock and the NBC Sports App.

The
celebration of West Coast hip-hop in one of music’s most visible gigs is
fitting for Super Bowl LVI, which will be held in Los Angeles for the first
time in nearly three decades.

“The
opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, and to do it in my own
backyard, will be one of the biggest thrills of my career,” Dre said in a
statement, vowing “an unforgettable cultural moment.” 

“Artists like Dr. Dre and
Snoop Dogg were at the forefront of the West Coast hip hop revolution, so to be
able to bring them back to L.A., where it all began alongside Eminem, Mary J.
Blige and Kendrick Lamar will prove to be an epic, unforgettable celebration of
the impact hip hop has today,” Todd Kaplan, vice president of marketing at
Pepsi (which is once again sponsoring the halftime show) added to Variety. “We are thrilled to bring together such an
incredible array of talented, record-breaking musicians to put on a performance
for the ages.”

The event will not only be the
first time that hip-hop truly takes center stage for football’s biggest night,
but it’s also the first time that this particular line-up of stars has ever
performed together on the same stage.

Jay-Z, who produces the halftime show with Roc Nation, gushed about the roster, “Dr. Dre, a musical visionary from Compton, Snoop Dogg, an icon from Long Beach and Kendrick Lamar, a young musical pioneer in his own right, also from Compton, will take center field for a performance of a lifetime. They will be joined by the lyrical genius Eminem and the timeless Queen Mary J. Blige… This is history in the making.”

Most
Super Bowl Halftime Show performances run about 15 minutes long, although the
actual halftime (between when the Super Bowl’s second quarter ends and third
quarter kicks off) tends to last 20 to 30 minutes.

Fans were generally stoked at the line-up. The five music artists have a
combined 44 Grammys. Eminem has the most with 15.

Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Blige and Lamar join a list of celebrated musicians who have played during Super Bowl half-time shows, including Beyonce, Madonna, Coldplay, Katy Perry, U2, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and most recently The Weeknd.

The halftime show for
Super Bowl 56 will be the third produced by Roc Nation, the entertainment and
sports company started by the music impresario Jay-Z, as the N.F.L. pushes to
modernize the show and appeal to a more diverse audience. The Super Bowl
is typically the most watched broadcast of the year, despite ratings declining
in five of the past six years.

It remains uncertain what the exact set list will be when Dre, Lamar, Eminem,
Mary J. and Snoop perform together at halftime. That said, we might expect a
medley featuring all of the artists’ biggest hits that Dre produced or
collaborated on with them as a rapper. These may include Blige’s “Family
Affair,” Eminem’s “Forgot About Dre,” Lamar’s “The Recipe,” and any number of
songs with Snoop, including “Gin and Juice” and “What’s My Name?”

---Silviya. Y

As we begin a new decade this year, we look back at some of the classic blockbuster album releases that will turn 10 years old in 2021.

The year 2011 really was a good year for music. Join us in reminiscing some great memories (teenage grunge phase, anyone?), as we go over these great records.

All images are sourced from respective artists' social media.

By: Anjana Sathyanarayan