LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Bad Bunny won album of the year at the for his critically-acclaimed closing out a surprising and history-making night. It is the has taken home the top prize.
鈥淧uerto Rico, believe me when I tell you that we are much bigger than 100 by 35,鈥� he said in his acceptance speech in Spanish, referring to a Puerto Rican colloquialism about the island’s small size. 鈥淎nd there is nothing we can鈥檛 achieve. Thank God, thank you to the Academy, thank you to all the people who have believed in me throughout my career.
鈥淭o all the people who worked on this album, thank you mami for giving birth to me in Puerto Rico, I love you,鈥� he continued.
Then he switched to English: 鈥淚 want to dedicate this award to all the people who had to leave their homeland to follow their dreams.鈥�
Harry Styles presented the award 鈥� the English singer previously took home the top prize in 2023 for 鈥淗arry鈥檚 House.鈥� He beat that year, who was nominated for 鈥淯n Verano Sin Ti鈥� — the first Spanish-language album to be up in the category.
Anti-ICE messages from the stage
Billie Eilish won song of the year for 鈥淲ildflower鈥� and used the moment to add her voice to the chorus of musicians criticizing immigration authorities Sunday.
鈥淣o one is illegal on stolen land,鈥� she said while accepting the award for the song from her 2024 album “(Expletive) ICE is all I want to say.鈥�
Immigration was a central theme of the night. The first time Bad Bunny was on stage 鈥� after winning the award for m煤sica urbana album 鈥� he used his speech to share an anti-ICE message, highlighting the humanity of all people.
鈥淏efore I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,鈥� he said, starting out his speech in English to huge applause. 鈥淲e’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.鈥�
Before that, best new artist.
鈥淚 never really imagined that I would be up here,鈥� she said, receiving her first Grammy while wiping away tears. 鈥淚’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant. I wouldn’t be here 鈥� I am a product of bravery, and I think that those people deserve to be celebrated.鈥�
Those statements all aired live on the CBS telecast. Earlier in the day, at the Premiere Ceremony where 86 Grammys are handed out, artists were equally as pointed about ICE and immigration enforcement.
Shaboozey accepted the award for country duo/group performance with tears in his eyes. 鈥淚 want to thank my mother, who as of today, has retired from her job of 30 years 鈥� working as a registered nurse in a psych ward 鈥� as an immigrant in this country. Thank you, mom.
鈥淚mmigrants built this country, literally, actually. So, this for them,鈥� he concluded. 鈥淭hank you for bring your culture, your music and your stories.鈥�
Kehlani, after winning her first Grammy, ended her acceptance speech with 鈥淚mma leave this and say, (expletive) ICE.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 scared,鈥� Gloria Estefan said of the current political moment backstage at the Grammys. 鈥淭here are hundreds of children in detention centers. 鈥� I don鈥檛 recognize my country in this moment right now.鈥�
Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Jelly Roll and more win big
Kendrick Lamar and SZA won record of the year at an Sunday night for 鈥淟uther.鈥�
Cher presented the award and mistakenly said it goes to 鈥淟uther Vandross鈥� instead of Kendrick Lamar and SZA.
One of the song鈥檚 producers, Sounwave, began the acceptance speech by saying, 鈥淟et鈥檚 give a shoutout to the late and great Luther Vandross.鈥�
Lamar also won the first televised award of the night, rap album for 鈥淕NX,鈥� accepting the trophy from Queen Latifah and Doechii.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to be here,鈥� he said in his acceptance speech. 鈥淗ip-hop is always going to be right here 鈥� We鈥檙e gonna be having the culture with us.鈥�
The victory means Lamar to become the rapper with the most career Grammys. Jay-Z has 25; after he took home rap album and record of the year, Lamar鈥檚 total is 27.
Pop vocal album went to Lady Gaga for 鈥淢ayhem,鈥� while pop solo performance went to Lola Young for 鈥淢essy,鈥� whose speech playfully lived up to the song鈥檚 spirit.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what to say,鈥� she joked about 鈥渙bviously鈥� not having a speech prepared. 鈥淚鈥檓 very, very grateful for this.鈥�
The inaugural contemporary country album category went to Jelly Roll for 鈥淏eautifully Broken.鈥�
This year, the Grammys renamed country album and added a traditional country album category, a distinction that exists in other genres. But the news arrived right after Beyonc茅鈥檚 鈥淐owboy Carter鈥� won best country album, inspiring backlash online.
鈥淚 believe music had the power to change my life,鈥� Jelly Roll said in his acceptance speech, which he spent the majority of thanking God.
Pharrell Williams received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award.
鈥淭o everyone in this room who believes in the power of Black music,鈥� he said, 鈥渢hank you so much.鈥�
A live concert experience
A powerful in memoriam segment celebrated the and at the 68th annual ceremony Sunday night.
appeared on the Grammy stage for the first time since 1999, when she became the first hip-hop artist to win album of the year for her 鈥淭he Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.鈥�
The D鈥橝ngelo tribute was first: A medley of several songs, among them 鈥淏rown Sugar鈥� with Lucky Daye, 鈥淟ady鈥� with Raphael Saadiq and Anthony Hamilton and 鈥淒evil鈥檚 Pie鈥� with Leon Thomas.
Then, Hill focused her attention on Roberta Flack: 鈥淔irst Time Ever I Saw Your Face鈥� with Jon Batiste, 鈥淲here Is The Love鈥� with John Legend and Chaka Khan, and a mesh of 鈥淔eel Like Makin鈥� Love鈥� and 鈥淜illing Me Softly with His Song鈥� with her Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean.
If there was one set that felt like an avant-garde artistic performance piece on Sunday night, it was Tyler, the Creator鈥檚 medley of 鈥淭hought I Was Dead,鈥� 鈥淟ike Him,鈥� (in which he was joined by Regina King) and 鈥淪ugar On My Tongue.鈥� It played out like theater: others would be wise to take note.
All eight nominees in the best new artist category participated in a medley at the award show across multiple stages, the back halls of the arena and even the venue鈥檚 loading dock. It was an interesting and impressive mod-podge of different styles, from the British soul of Young and Dean to Addison Rae and Katseye鈥檚 hypnotic pop. The Mar铆as kicked things off with their dreamy indie rock; sombr offered their radio hits 鈥� 鈥�12 to 12鈥� and 鈥淥rdinary鈥� respectively. Leon Thomas reminded the audience why he鈥檚 the only nominee also up for album of the year with his fully formed R&B.
The hits arrived fast and furious in the show’s first hour. Ros茅 and Bruno Mars’ opened Grammys with an electric rendition of their multicultural pop smash, 鈥淎PT.”; the Blackpink singer channeled a pop-punk Gwen Stefani in her tie and platinum blond hair. Sabrina Carpenter with her 鈥淢anchild鈥� kiss-off. Justin Bieber slowed things down with 鈥淵ukon鈥� from his comeback record 鈥淪wag.鈥� Lady Gaga reimagined her hit 鈥淎bracadabra鈥� as an electro-rock song.
First-time winners were abundant 鈥� even before the show started
During the Premiere Ceremony, won his first Grammy for audio book, narration and storytelling recording, beating out Supreme Court Justice . You read that correctly.
鈥淕olden鈥� from 鈥淜Pop Demon Hunters鈥� won song written for visual media at the Premiere Ceremony, marking has won a Grammy. Songwriters delivered their acceptance speech in both English and Korean, highlighting the song鈥檚 bilingual appeal.
Music film went to 鈥淢usic for John Williams,鈥� which means director Steven Spielberg has officially . That makes him an EGOT winner 鈥� an artist with an Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Oscar.
___
Associated Press Writer Berenice Bautista contributed to this report.
___
For more coverage of this year鈥檚 Grammy Awards, visit:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
