2026 Grammy Nominations announced

The 2026 Grammy Award nominations which were announced on Friday, including categories for jazz, soul and blues. British star Olivia Dean is nominated for best newcomer alongside soul hero Leon Thomas. Chick Corea has been posthumously honoured in two categories for his final live performance, while there’s also nods for Saxophonists Immanuel Wilkins and Lakecia Benjamin, while Dee Dee Bridgewater, Samara Joy and Michael Mayo are all up for best jazz vocal performance. Multi-Grammy winner Jon Batiste is nominated again this year in the best American Roots categories, and Laufey and Laila Biali are both up for best traditional pop vocal performance. The Grammys themselves take place in Los Angeles on February 1st.

Here are the rest of the nominations from the world of jazz, soul and blues:

Best New Artist

Olivia Dean

Leon Thomas

Best Jazz Performance

Noble Rise Lakecia Benjamin Featuring Immanuel Wilkins & Mark Whitfield

Windows – Live Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade

Peace Of Mind / Dreams Come True Samara Joy

Four Michael Mayo

All Stars Lead To You – Live Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold & Rachel Eckroth

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Elemental Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap

We Insist 2025! Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell

Portrait Samara Joy

Fly Michael Mayo

Live at Vic's Las Vegas Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold & Rachel Eckroth

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Trilogy 3 (Live) Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade

Southern Nights Sullivan Fortner Featuring Peter Washington & Marcus Gilmore

Belonging Branford Marsalis Quartet

Spirit Fall John Patitucci Featuring Chris Potter & Brian Blade

Fasten Up Yellowjackets

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Orchestrator Emulator The 8-Bit Big Band

Without Further Ado, Vol 1 Christian McBride Big Band

Lumen Danilo Pérez & Bohuslän Big Band

Basie Rocks! Deborah Silver & The Count Basie Orchestra

Lights on a Satellite Sun Ra Arkestra

Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores Kenny Wheeler Legacy Featuring The Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra & Frost Jazz Orchestra

Best Latin Jazz Album

La Fleur de Cayenne Paquito D'Rivera & Madrid-New York Connection Band

The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Featuring Pedrito Martinez, Daymé Arocena, Jon Faddis, Donald Harrison & Melvis Santa

Mundoagua - Celebrating Carla Bley Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yainer Horta & Joey Calveiro

Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard Miguel Zenón Quartet

Best Alternative Jazz Album

honey from a winter stone Ambrose Akinmusire

Keys To The City Volume One Robert Glasper

Ride into the Sun Brad Mehldau

LIVE-ACTION Nate Smith

Blues Blood Immanuel Wilkins

Best Traditional R&B Performance

UPTOWN Lalah Hathaway

LOVE YOU TOO Ledisi

VIBES DON'T LIE Leon Thomas

Best Progressive R&B Album

Adjust Brightness Bilal

Come As You Are Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon

Best R&B Album

The Crown Ledisi

MUTT Leon Thomas

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Wintersongs Laila Biali

A Matter Of Time Laufey

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

Brightside ARKAI

Ones & Twos Gerald Clayton

BEATrio Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez

Just Us Bob James & Dave Koz

Shayan Charu Suri

Best American Roots Performance

LONELY AVENUE Jon Batiste Featuring Randy Newman

Beautiful Strangers Mavis Staples

Best American Roots Song

BIG MONEY Jon Batiste

Best Americana Album

BIG MONEY Jon Batiste

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 Regional Roots Music Album

Live At Vaughan’s Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet

For Fat Man Preservation Brass & Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Church Of New Orleans Kyle Roussel

Second Line Sunday Trombone Shorty And New Breed Brass Band

A Tribute To The King Of Zydeco (Various Artists)

Best Roots Gospel Album

Back To My Roots Candi Staton

Best Music Video

Young Lion - Sade

Best Album Notes

After The Last Sky Adam Shatz, album notes writer (Anouar Brahem, Anja Lechner, Django Bates, Dave Holland)

The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967 Alec Palao, album notes writer (Sly & The Family Stone)

Miles '55: The Prestige Recordings Ashley Kahn, album notes writer (Miles Davis)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

That Wasn't A Dream Pino Palladino, Blake Mills

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

How Did She Look? Nelson Riddle, arranger (Seth MacFarlane)

Keep An Eye On Summer Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier)

What A Wonderful World Cody Fry, arranger (Cody Fry)