It seems as if every year post-Grammy Awards the conversation centres on what the public believe to be the wrong choices. In the wake of the 2026 Grammys, attention has once again focused on the egregious snubs of this season, and those of the past.
With 68 years of history, the Grammys have produced numerous noteworthy moments and well-deserved wins. However, for many artists — such as Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande — having a great performance during the ceremony doesn’t guarantee a win, even with multiple nominations. Carpenter received six nominations this year, yet walked away with zero trophies. Additionally, her elaborate performance of the hit single ‘Manchild’ mirrored Ariana Grande’s 2020 Grammys experience; despite being a main performer and receiving five nominations, Grande also went home empty-handed. However, while Eternal Sunshine and Man’s Best Friend may not have been winners, they undeniably made an impact on the music industry, and the public, with their pop-forward beats, catchy lyrics, and strong vocals.
One of the most noteworthy snubs from past years is Lorde’s Melodrama, which lost Album of the Year in 2018. Her previous album Pure Heroine won two out of four nominations back in 2015, however Melodrama failed to win its sole nomination. Melodrama — although not as culturally impactful as Pure Heroine — dove deeper into the emotions of being 19 and the struggles of transitioning from your teenage years into adulthood. The synth pop album lost to Bruno Mars’ album 24K Magic, which was ultimately more significant in the music world throughout 2017 and 2018. Unfortunately, while both albums were deserving the award, only one could win.
Despite holding the record for most Grammy nominations as well as being the most decorated winner with 99 nominations and 35 wins, Beyoncé has also suffered some of the greatest losses in the industry. Beginning with Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé received her first Grammy nomination in 2000 and has consistently been highly nominated since then. Her solo career proved to be even more lucrative than her time with Destiny’s Child, earning her numerous awards in categories for R&B, rap, country, pop, and electronic dance. However, until Cowboy Carter in 2025, she had never won the most coveted award: Album of the Year. While many of her albums such as Renaissance or Beyoncé were certainly deserving of the award, none was more worthy than her 2016 album Lemonade.
Lemonade diverged from Beyoncé’s previous discography in the best ways, laying the groundwork for her following two albums. The blending of R&B, country, blues, pop, rock, hip-hop, and gospel created a unique work about finding strength in sadness and gain from loss. The Recording Academy has often been accused of discrimination, and Adele’s win for Album of the Year over Beyoncé in 2018 only served to fuel fan speculation that the voting system was unfairly biased. Even though she is the most awarded Grammy winner of all time, her wins are generally well deserved, while many of her losses are often inexplicable. However, her success as a black woman in a music industry that does not favour women or people of colour is a further testament to her talent as a songwriter, singer, and performer.
Ultimately, the Grammys, like most other award shows, are subjective, and the dissatisfaction of artists and fans is inevitable. The future likely holds more undeserved wins and losses, but it is important to prioritise fairness and equity within voting systems and hold the Recording Academy accountable when necessary.
“Grammy Statuettes” by Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view is licensed under CC BY 2.0.