The Recording Academy has announced the introduction of two new categories for the 2026 Grammys, and fans are speculating that Beyoncé’s 2025 win may have something to do with it
The 2026 Grammys will see the introduction of two brand-new award categories, as well as the renaming of one of the biggest awards of the night. The Recording Academy announced the Grammy Awards will now include two new categories: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover. The existing best country album category will be renamed Best Contemporary Country Album.
They say the updates are part of an effort to “recognise as many deserving creators as possible” but some fans are speculating that Beyonce’s historic 2025 win may have something to do with it.
In 2025, Beyoncé became the first Black female artist to win the Best Country Album award at the Grammys in her first year being nominated in the category. The moment was particularly poignant for fans as the Houston-native’s song Daddy Lessons about her childhood in Texas was controversially rejected by the country music committee in 2016.
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The Academy’s distinction between ‘traditional’ and ‘contemporary’ has fans speculating that Beyoncé’s historic entrance and dominance in country music motivated the decision. Fans shared their speculation in the comments section of the Grammy’s X post announcing the update.
“A black woman won best country album, NOW we need two categories? Interesting”, wrote one user on X. “OH! BEYONCE GOT THEM SHOOK,” wrote another user.
One commenter pointed out that this isn’t the case for categories where black-artists traditionally dominate. “Do they have Best Traditional Rap and a Best Contemporary Rap album categories?”
According to Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, the new country categories would actually put the genre in alignment with others which separate contemporary and traditional albums or performances, like R&B, pop and blues.
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Speaking to Billboard, Mason said: “It makes country parallel with what’s happening in other genres. But it is also creating space for where this genre is going.”
The new traditional country category will focus on: “country recordings that adhere to the more traditional sound structures of the country genre, including rhythm and singing style, lyrical content, as well as traditional country instrumentation such as acoustic guitar, steel guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, piano, electric guitar, and live drums.”
Mason also told Billboard that the proposal for the new category had been submitted a number of times previously, before passing this year.
Two other key changes to the 2026 Grammys include the expanded eligibility for Best New Artist to include artists who have been previously nominated in Album Of The Year, but whose contributions fell below the current 20 percent playing time threshold.
This update allows acts who were credited as featured artists on projects that were Grammy nominated for Album Of The Year in a previous awards cycle to be eligible for Best New Artist consideration.
Additionally, the existing Best Recording Package and Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package Categories have been combined into one single category: Best Recording Package. A new Category, Best Album Cover, has also been added.
The 2026 Grammys nominations will be announced on Friday, November 7, 2025 with the ceremony taking place on Sunday, February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles.