The Grammy Awards see familiar faces and new paths alike.

Grammy winners returned to the Recording Academy and took over new categories. The 68th Annual Grammy Awards recognized deserving projects, surprising many viewers and breaking patterns when it came to its winners.

Read on for the Daily Bruin’s reactions to the latest additions to the Grammy hall of fame.

Album Of The Year: “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” by Bad Bunny

For one of the few times in its 68-year history, the Grammys chose the correct Album Of The Year.

Bad Bunny claimed his sixth career Grammy for his chart-topping LP “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.” The Puerto Rican superstar’s win is worth celebrating – not just for the quality of his 17-track project, but because it is the first entirely Spanish-language album to prevail in the Grammys’ biggest category. Where recent winners – like Harry Styles and Taylor Swift – were rewarded for generic pop, Bad Bunny’s win and last year’s trophy for Beyoncé’s “COWBOY CARTER” suggest the Grammys are becoming more open to honoring music that pushes boundaries.

Of course, Bad Bunny’s victory comes at the expense of two A-list artists whose most recent releases were also deserving of the Grammys’ biggest prize. Kendrick Lamar’s hit-packed “GNX” was his seventh Album Of The Year nomination, though this loss is not as egregious as the baffling snubs for past LPs such as “To Pimp A Butterfly” and “DAMN.” Likewise, Lady Gaga’s maximalist “MAYHEM” was her fifth nod in the category when she deserved to win for “The Fame Monster.” Still, Lamar won five awards, and Gaga collected two Sunday night, so “GNX” and “MAYHEM” were still rightfully acknowledged.

By awarding the resilience and musical dynamism of “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” the Grammys are finally catching up to the times.

– Reid Sperisen

[Related: Grammys 2026 Q&A: Grammy-nominated musicians, songwriters discuss projects, collaboration processes]

Record Of The Year: “luther” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA

Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s tribute song, “luther,” took home Record of the Year in one of the most stacked categories.

While the category’s win from this year’s Grammy Awards was far from shocking on paper, it still felt like a conservative choice in a field bursting with more culturally immediate records. In a year where pop and alternative all pushed into fascinating new territory, rewarding “luther” read less as a bold statement and more as a safe bet on Lamar’s prestige.

There is no denying the song was a hit, but that polish may be the problem. Compared to the left-turn ambition of Chappell Roan’s “The Subway” or the global scale of Bad Bunny’s “DtMF, “luther” feels muted. Even among pop juggernauts such as Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” or Lady Gaga’s maximalist “Abracadabra, the winning track fades into the background rather than defining the moment.

This year’s Record of the Year says more about what the industry feels comfortable rewarding than what truly moved the year forward.

– Caitlin Brockenbrow

Best New Artist: Olivia Dean

Choosing the year’s Best New Artist is always a daunting task, but the Recording Academy knew 2026’s answer was “So Easy.”

British pop star Olivia Dean claimed the coveted award – her very first Grammy – Sunday night. With a wide range of standout talents, including powerhouse performers KATSEYE and the night’s two-time R&B winner Leon Thomas, the category’s fierce competition ensured Dean’s trophy was never a guarantee. In comparison to her fellow nominees, Dean’s music is not wildly experimental or bold – but that doesn’t mean she was a safe choice. As evidenced by her captivating performance, Dean has brought a breath of fresh air to the industry, and her victory represents progress that extends far beyond herself.

With her 2025 sophomore album, “The Art of Loving,” Dean made a name for herself with jazzy, timeless tracks such as “Man I Need” and “Nice To Each Other.” As a multiracial woman, she has taken pride in blending genres and defying the industry’s urge to box her in one sound. The London-based artist used Sunday’s victory speech to celebrate immigrants amid the height of ICE raids in the United States. And to top it off, Grammys host Trevor Noah took time during the ceremony to applaud Dean for her fight to make ticket prices affordable on her upcoming tour. All of this is to say, Dean’s positive impact on the music scene is undeniable – and it’s about more than just her sound.

The Grammys got a lot right this year, and Dean’s golden gramophone is no exception.

– Victoria Munck

[Related: Grammys 2026 Q&A: Award winners discuss creative inspiration, impact of academy recognition]

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Defying Gravity” by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande

The Grammys held space for Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as they took home Grammy gold for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

With this shocking win, Grande earned her third Grammy Award, while Erivo secured her second. The category featured strong competition, including KATSEYE’s “Gabriela” and “Golden” from the film “KPop Demon Hunters.” Despite the success of the other nominees, the Recording Academy took a step in the right direction by awarding Grande and Erivo’s “Defying Gravity” – a collaboration that recognizes not only popularity, but also penmanship and performance.

As a song from the 2024 film “Wicked,” “Defying Gravity” emerged as the Grammy’s pick in a category often dominated by viral hits such as “APT.” by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars. Rather than awarding what was simply expected, this year, the Grammys acknowledged the emotional weight, storytelling and powerhouse vocals the winning track showcases, especially with Erivo’s iconic battle cry as Elphaba. Moments like this are rare, but not unprecedented, at the Grammys – “Shallow” from the film “A Star Is Born” took home the same award in 2019. This year, it seems the Grammys are finally starting to get with the program, as this award for Erivo and Grande feels deserved.

As “Defying Gravity” defies Grammy norms, this win for Grande and Erivo suggests the Grammys may be changing for the better, and perhaps, for good.

– Kemyron McCoy

Best Music Video: “Anxiety” by Doechii

Doechii can say goodbye to any pre-Grammys “Anxiety” after she took home the award for Best Music Video.

Originally posted on YouTube in the midst of lockdowns, “Anxiety” recently gained traction on TikTok, prompting the artist to officially release the single. The track samples Gotye and Kimbra’s song titled “Somebody That I Used to Know” – a familiar tune that lays the foundation for Doechii’s Grammy-winning hit. Although not part of her Grammy-winning album, “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” the song received five nominations this year, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year, and ultimately won Best Music Video – for good reason.

The “Anxiety” music video begins by recreating Doechii’s original YouTube video of her recording in her bed over the sample – a full-circle moment for fans who have been with her since the beginning. Then, with the shattering of her bedroom window, the singer’s entire world devolves into chaos, with an ensemble of dancers and plenty of eye-catching effects. This sends viewers on a cinematic journey through the world inside her head. The video culminates with a flash mob-style sequence in the street just before we’re taken back to the original bedroom scene. With a shattered window, the cycle repeats itself.

For the second year in a row, the swamp princess keeps her crown with another Grammy victory.

– Kai Echeverria