The 68th Grammy Awards aired Sunday, February 1 on CBS, honoring achievements across the music industry. Ahead of the primetime broadcast, more than 90 awards were presented during the pre-telecast ceremony, spanning genres and formats from jazz to audiobooks.
Among the early winners was the Dalai Lama, who received the Grammy for Best Audiobook, Narration & Storytelling Recording, defeating several high-profile nominees, including Supreme Court Justice Katanji Brown Jackson. Another historic moment came in the children’s music category where Aura V became the youngest Grammy recipient in history at eight years old after winning Best Children’s Music Album.
Philadelphia artists and collaborators were well-represented among the winners. Philly-based bassist Christian McBride took home awards for Best Jazz Performance and Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. Rock producer Will Yip, also based in Philadelphia, produced “Birds” by Turnstile, which won Best Metal Performance, as well as Turnstile’s album Never Enough, which earned Best Rock Album. Additionally, “Folded,” Kehlani’s Grammy-winning Best R&B Song and R&B Performance, was co-written by Philadelphia native Andre “Dre” Harris.
The televised ceremony opened with a performance of “APT” by Bruno Mars and Rosé, though the song ultimately did not receive any awards. Several other popular tracks left the night without accolades, including “Manchild” by Pennsylvania native Sabrina Carpenter. Carpenter delivered a high–energy and colorful performance featuring vibrant choreography, an airport-themed set, and a live dove that flew around the stage before landing on her hand.
All nominees for Best New Artist were given the opportunity to perform. The segment featured back-to-back performances highlighting a wide range of musical styles, from KATSEYE’s heavily choreographed “Gnarly” to The Marías’s subdued performance of “No One Noticed.” Other performers included Alex Warren, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, Leon Thomas, Addison Rae, and Sombr. The award ultimately went to Olivia Dean, a British R&B and pop singer who rose to prominence with her song “Man I Need.” In her acceptance speech, Dean referenced her immigrant grandparents, stating, “I’m a product of bravery, and I think immigrants deserve to be respected.”
Awards for album categories were distributed throughout the night. Kendrick Lamar won Best Rap Album for GNX, Bad Bunny received Best Música Urbana Album for DeBí TiRAR Mas Fotos, and Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken earned Best Contemporary Country Album.
The ceremony also featured performances by several established artists. Justin Bieber performed “Yukon” with minimal instrumentation, while Bruno Mars delivered “I Just Might” backed by a live band and backup singers. Lady Gaga performed “Abracadabra” with dramatic close-up camerawork. Tyler, the Creator performed a medley of “Thought I Was Dead,” “Like Him,” and “Sugar on My Tongue,” culminating in an onstage explosion. Together, the performances demonstrated the range and creativity of the modern music industry.
In the pop categories, both veteran and emerging artists were recognized. Gaga, whose debut single was released in 2008, won Best Pop Vocal Album for Mayhem. Lola Young, a Best New Artist nominee, won Best Pop Solo Performance for “Messy”. While Young appeared visibly shocked during her acceptance speech, Gaga used her moment to encourage women in the industry, saying, “I urge [women in the music industry] to always listen to yourself and to your ideas.”
After being shut out at last year’s ceremony, Billie Eilish won Song of the Year for “Wildflower,” from her 2024 album Hit Me Hard and Soft, which was released as a single in 2025. Despite a brief misannouncement by presenter Cher, the Record of the Year award went to Kendrick Lamar and SZA for their collaboration “Luther.” With 27 Grammy wins, Lamar now holds the record for most Grammy Awards won by a rapper, surpassing Jay-Z at 25.
The Dr. Dre Global Impact Award was presented to Pharrell Williams, marking him as the fourth recipient of the honor recognizing lasting influence on musical culture. The ceremony’s memorial segment paid tribute to members of the music community who died in the past year, including D’Angelo, Roberta Flack, and Ozzy Ozbourne. Performers included Reba McEntire, Brandy Clark, Lucas Nelson, Lauren Hill, Post Malone, Andrew Watt, Chad Smith, Duff McKagan, and Slash.
The final award of the night, Album of the Year, was presented by Harry Styles and awarded to Bad Bunny for DeBí TiRAR Mas Fotos. Bad Bunny delivered most of his acceptance speech in Spanish, briefly addressing the audience in English to dedicate the award to immigrants pursuing their dreams. He echoed similar sentiments from his earlier acceptance speech, emphasizing love and humanity over hate, stating, “We are not savages, we are not animals, we are not aliens, we are humans, and we are Americans… The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love. So, we need to be different. If we fight, we need to do it with love. We don’t hate them – we love our people, we love our family.” Although he did not perform during the Grammy ceremony, Bad Bunny headlined the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, February 8.
