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- Nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards were announced Friday morning.
- For the first time since 2018, Taylor Swift won't be competing for any Grammys.
- Swift's new album, "The Life of a Showgirl," was released after the eligibility period had ended.
On the heels of her record-breaking album, "The Life of a Showgirl," Taylor Swift came up noticeably empty-handed when nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards were announced Friday morning.
Just nine months ago, Swift lost every award at the 2025 Grammys, despite netting six nominations. So, what gives? Should fans take her second shutout of the year as proof that Swift is losing favor among voters?
Well, not exactly. Although it's true that "Showgirl" received mixed reviews, we'll need to wait until next year to find out how Swift's peers in the music industry will judge the album's merits.
"Showgirl" was released on October 3, 2025, over a month after the eligibility period for the 2026 Grammys had ended. The forthcoming ceremony will recognize music released between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025.
Swift didn't release any new music during this window, making her ineligible for nomination this year.
It's the first time Swift has been absent from the nominee pool since the 2018 awards. Her then-newest album, 2017's "Reputation," was similarly released too late in the year, making it eligible for the 2019 Grammys instead. (When the time came, "Reputation" received one nomination for best pop vocal album.)
In fact, in the nearly two decades since Swift was nominated for best new artist at the 2008 Grammys, she has only been absent from the nominee pool four times. She has received 58 nominations across her career and won 14 Grammys, including four album of the year awards, more than any other artist in history.
This year, other superstars, including Lady Gaga ("Mayhem"), Bad Bunny ("Debí Tirar Más Fotos"), Kendrick Lamar ("GNX"), and Sabrina Carpenter ("Man's Best Friend"), will compete in the top categories on music's biggest night.
The 68th annual Grammy Awards will air live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 1, 2026.
