ASCAP Family Wins 51 Categories at 2026 Grammys

The 2026 GRAMMYs were incredible for ASCAP members, with our global creative family taking home trophies in 51 categories across all genres of music.

 

Amy Allen won Songwriter of the Year for the second year in a row, for co-writing top hits like “APT.” and “Manchild.” Cirkut took Producer of the Year, Non-Classical for his work with Lady Gaga, ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, The Weeknd and more. English singer-songwriter Olivia Dean was crowned Best New Artist. Winning two GRAMMYs apiece was a cavalcade of ASCAP greats from across the spectrum: super producer Jack Antonoff and modern jazz great Kamasi Washington (for their work on Kendrick Lamar’s GNX), goth rockers The Cure, renowned conductor Gustavo Dudamel, folk trio I’m With Her, R&B superstars Kehlani and Leon Thomas and jazz drummer/composer Nate Smith.

 

The ASCAP family was all over the GRAMMYs as presenters and performers, as well. From Darren Criss hosting the pre-show, to Cher presenting the final category; from Justin Bieber’s spotlit solo performance of “Yukon” to Reba McEntire and Brandy Clark’s moving performance of “Trailblazer” during the In Memoriam segment.

 

One major highlight was the tribute to two ASCAP legends, D’Angelo and Roberta Flack, led by a third, Ms. Lauryn Hill. Hill brought up all-star after all-star to sing D’Angelo and Flack favorites, including ASCAP members Raphael Saadiq, Leon Thomas and Chaka Khan. ASCAP Board member Jon Batiste (fresh from a GRAMMY victory in the Best Americana Album category) joined Hill for D’Angelo’s “Africa” and Flack’s “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” And on the risers behind him, you could see Batiste’s fellow ASCAP Board member Marcus Miller, playing bass throughout the tribute. The entire thing closed down with the climactic reunion of Hill with her Fugees bandmate, ASCAP member Wyclef Jean, on their immortal version of Flack’s “Killing Me Softly with His Song.” It was an unforgettable segment.

 

We are also thrilled to congratulate our Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients Chaka Khan, Cher, Fela Kuti and Whitney Houston; Trustees Award recipient Bernie Taupin and Technical Grammy Award recipient John M. Chowning. These awards were presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony on January 31 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. 

Congratulations to all of the ASCAP fam on their GRAMMY victories! 

Album of the Year 

DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Antonio Caraballo & Luis Amed Irizarry, engineers/mixers (Bad Bunny)  

Best Spoken Word Poetry Album 

Words For Days Vol. 1
Mad Skillz 

Best Jazz Vocal Album 

Portrait
Samara Joy 

Best Latin Jazz Album 

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

Best Alternative Jazz Album 

LIVE-ACTION
Nate Smith 

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album 

A Matter Of Time
Laufey 

Best Musical Theater Album 

Buena Vista Social Club
Dean Sharenow, producer (Original Broadway Cast) 

Best Country Solo Performance 

Bad As I Used To Be [From F1® The Movie]
Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance 

Amen
Shaboozey 

Best American Roots Song 

Ancient Light
Aoife O'Donovan & Sara Watkins, songwriters (I'm With Her) 

Best Americana Album 

BIG MONEY
Jon Batiste 

Best Folk Album 

Wild And Clear And Blue
I'm With Her 

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song 

Hard Fought Hallelujah
Brandon Lake; Brandon Lake, songwriter  

Best Roots Gospel Album 

I Will Not Be Moved (Live)
The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Best Latin Pop Album 

Cancionera
Natalia Lafourcade  

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album 

PAPOTA
CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso 

Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano) 

Palabra De To's (Seca)
Carín León 

Best African Music Performance

PUSH 2 START
Tyla 

Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album 

NOMADICA
Featuring The Scorchio Quartet & Tonality 

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media 

Sinners
(Various Artists)

Ryan Coogler, compilation producer 

Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media 

Sword of the Sea
Austin Wintory, composer

Best Song Written For Visual Media 

Golden [From KPop Demon Hunters]
EJAE, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Teddy Park, Jeong Hoon Seo & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI)    

Best Historical Album

Joni Mitchell Archives - Volume 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980)
Joni Mitchell, compilation producer (Joni Mitchell)

Best Engineered Album, Classical 

Cerrone: Don't Look Down
Mike Tierney, engineer (Sandbox Percussion) 

Best Immersive Audio Album

Immersed
Justin Gray, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Justin Gray & Drew Jurecka, immersive producers (Justin Gray) 

Best Instrumental Composition 

First Snow
Remy Le Boeuf, composer (Nordkraft Big Band, Remy Le Boeuf & Danielle Wertz) 

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella 

Super Mario Praise Break
Bryan Carter, Charlie Rosen & Matthew Whitaker, arrangers (The 8-Bit Big Band)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals 

Big Fish
Johnaye Kendrick & Nate Smith, arrangers (Nate Smith Featuring säje) 

Best Opera Recording 

Jake Heggie: Intelligence
Kwamé Ryan, conductor; Gene Scheer, librettist (Houston Grand Opera) 

Best Choral Performance 

Ortiz: Yanga
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic; Los Angeles Master Chorale) 

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance 

Dennehy: Land Of Winter
Alarm Will Sound  

Best Classical Instrumental Solo 

Shostakovich: The Cello Concertos
Yo-Yo Ma (Boston Symphony Orchestra) 

Best Classical Compendium 

Ortiz: Yanga
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor