As the Grammy nominations were announced, both excitement and frustration quickly surfaced among fans. This year marks the 68th annual Grammy Awards, an event recognizing outstanding artistic and technical achievements in music. Presented by the Recording Academy, the ceremony honors more than 25 different genres, with major categories including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. For many musicians, these awards are not only a career milestone but also a powerful boost to their careers.
“I’m already excited for the awards and they’re still so far away. My favorite category is always Best New Artist, and I’m really hoping Leon Thomas can win,” freshman Joshua Varghese said.
However, with every list of nominations comes a wave of snubs, with this year being no different. Major artists such as The Weeknd, Gracie Abrams and Lorde received no nominations. The Weeknd, who previously boycotted the Grammys after “Blinding Lights” earned zero nominations, reconciled with the Recording Academy in 2025, but still found himself shut out. His album Hurry Up Tomorrow, considered by Billboard and Rolling Stone to be a top contender for Album of the Year, failed to receive even a single nomination.
“I just don’t understand how you can have such a big-name artist who released good music this year not be nominated for any category,” seventh grader Zachary Silver said.
Gracie Abrams, who earned nominations over the past two years, was also surprisingly overlooked. After rising to fame as a Best New Artist nominee in 2024, her hit single “That’s So True” became her first song to surpass a billion streams on Spotify and stayed in the Billboard Top 10 for multiple weeks. Despite this success, it was absent from the nominee list.
Lorde, who released her fourth album “Virgin,” experienced a similar disappointment. The album, praised by critics for its bold style shift and strong writing, did not receive any recognition. Lorde’s relationship with the Grammys has long been complicated—she became the youngest songwriter ever to win Song of the Year, yet in 2018 she was denied a solo performance slot while several male artists in her category were invited to perform.
“I’m not really into music, but it seems like the Recording Academy has some issues with Lorde, especially since she openly said the Academy was sexist in 2018,” junior Keith Luu said.
Despite the inevitable controversies each year, many fans still find reasons to celebrate the nominations. Some artists continue to break boundaries and bring fresh energy to the music scene.
“Personally, I was pretty happy to hear that in the rock category, bands like Deftones, Turnstile, Sleep Token and Nine Inch Nails were nominated. Any one of these bands getting an award would be huge for the entire rock genre,” art teacher Ms. Livoti said.
In the end, fans have mixed feelings about which artists deserved nominations, especially when top-charting artists are being left out. While snubs tend to drive conversations, many fans still celebrate the spotlight of artists who are pushing boundaries and reviving genres. Whether viewers are tuned in to support their favorite artists or debate about those overshadowed, the Grammys continue to be a cultural moment.
