The 2026 Grammy nominations are out, bringing surprises and celebrating artists like Kendrick Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter. However, fans noticed the absence of two major stars: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. The reason is not a snub by voters but a matter of calendar dates. Their latest albums missed the eligibility window by just a few weeks.
The Fixed Eligibility Period
The Recording Academy sets a specific one-year period during which music must be released to be considered for the Grammys. For the 2026 awards, officially known as the 68th Grammy Awards, that window ran from August 31, 2024, to August 30, 2025. Any album or song released before or after those dates is not eligible for this particular ceremony.
This schedule has been consistent for the last few years, closing on August 30th to give the Academy more flexibility in planning the Grammy Week events and the nomination announcement timeline.
Why Taylor Swift and Beyoncé Missed Out
Taylor Swift’s latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” was released on October 3, 2025. This was over a month after the eligibility period ended on August 30, 2025. Her album will instead be a contender for the 2027 Grammys.
While the search results do not mention a new Beyoncé album, her absence from the nominee list suggests she also did not release eligible music within the August 2024 to August 2025 window. Any project she released after August 30, 2025, would fall into the next Grammy cycle.
Who Is Nominated Instead
With the field open, a mix of established and new artists received recognition. The leading nominees include:
- Kendrick Lamar with nine nominations for his album “GNX” and his song “Luther” with SZA.
- Lady Gaga with seven nominations for her album “Mayhem” and its single “Abracadabra.”
- Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, and Leon Thomas, who each earned six nominations.
The Album of the Year category features projects that were all released within the eligibility period, including albums from Justin Bieber, Tyler, the Creator, and the duo Clipse.
How Grammy Eligibility Works
The Grammy Awards process is strict about deadlines. The journey to a nomination begins with the Online Entry Process, when recordings are formally submitted for consideration. For the 2026 awards, this period ran from July 16 to August 29, 2025.
After submissions are vetted for eligibility, Recording Academy voting members participate in two rounds of voting to decide first the nominees and then the winners. The entire system relies on releases being available to the public within the defined eligibility year.
Looking to the 2027 Grammys
For artists like Taylor Swift who released music in the fall of 2025, the next opportunity for Grammy recognition is the 69th Grammy Awards in 2027. The eligibility period for those awards started on August 31, 2025, and will run through the end of August 2026.
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