Grammys' launch 'suspicious' new category amid outrage over Sabrina Carpenter's shocking album art
The Grammys has announced a surprising, some say ridiculous, new category for the 2026 Grammy Awards: Best Album Cover, spun out from the broader packaging award.
In an era dominated by streaming, where album art is often just a tiny thumbnail on a screen, this feels like a strange throwback.
But what really makes this timing eyebrow-raising is that it arrives just as Sabrina Carpenter's latest album cover has ignited a storm of backlash online.
Last week, pop-star of the moment, Carpenter unveiled the artwork for her upcoming album Man's Best Friend, and it didn't take long for opinions to explode.
The cover shows the star in a provocative, dog-like pose with an unseen figure pulling her by the hair, which is an image some fans have called demeaning, triggering, and wildly inappropriate. A woman's aid charity has also slammed it. Others argue it's a bold, satirical take on toxic relationships and power dynamics.
Whatever the take, the cover has become a lightning rod for fierce social media debates, thrusting Carpenter back into the headlines amid a slew of recent controversies.
The star's past scandals have included heated arguments over her political views, provocative social media posts, and a reputation for courting attention with boundary-pushing visuals.
This latest album art only adds fuel to the fire, raising questions about where art ends and shock tactics begin.
Against this backdrop, the Grammys' decision to give album covers their own standalone trophy has struck some fans on social media as baffling and encouraging artists to be gratuitously outrageous .
With physical album sales plummeting and streaming ruling the music world, insiders wonder if this is an award anyone really asked for - especially when the first major contender is such a polarising image.
Industry insiders have questioned whether a separate award is really necessary, especially at a moment when the category is spotlighted by a cover that many find deeply divisive.
The last award for Best Recording Package went to Charli XCX's album Brat, whose distinctive cover was widely embraced.
Beyond the album art prize, the Recording Academy is also tweaking other categories, including splitting country music into 'traditional' and 'contemporary' divisions and expanding eligibility for Best New Artist to include featured performers who contributed less than 20% of an album's music.
The 2026 ceremony is set for February 1 in Los Angeles, with nominations announced November 7.
Should Carpenter release Man's Best Friend on August 29 as promised, she'll be the inaugural nominee in this odd new category ensuring that both she and the Grammys will be talking points for months.
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Andrea Williams is an opinion columnist for The Tennessean and curator of the Black Tennessee Voices initiative. She has an extensive background covering country music, sports, race and society. Email her at adwilliams@ or follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @AndreaWillWrite. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: New country category at The Grammy change was long overdue | Opinion
