The Grammys Add New Country Category for 2026
Country music is getting a new Grammy category: best traditional country album. It is the only new music category being added for the 68th annual Grammy Awards in 2026.
To reflect the change, the existing best country album category has been renamed best contemporary country album. The new category will join the 13 other categories in Field 5, four of which are specifically dedicated to country, while the others cover American roots, Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk and regional roots music.
More from Billboard
Here's When the Eligibility Period for 2026 Grammys Will End & Other Key Dates
DJ Akademiks Denies Taking Payola From Drake During Kendrick Battle
Raekwon and Ghostface Killah Release Trailer for 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx' Documentary
New categories are considered from proposals submitted to the Recording Academy's Awards & Nominations committee, which are then voted on by the Academy's board of trustees. 'The community of people that are making country music in all different subgenres came to us with a proposal and said we would like to have more variety in how our music is honored,' Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. tells Billboard. 'They said, we think we need more space for our music to be celebrated and honored.' Mason said the proposal had been submitted a number of times previously before passing this year.
The move helps bring the country categories more in line with other genres which separate contemporary and traditional albums or performances, including R&B, pop and blues.
'It makes country parallel with what's happening in other genres,' Mason says, 'But it is also creating space for where this genre is going.'
The definition for the new category reads, in part, 'This category recognizes excellence in albums of traditional country music, both vocal and instrumental. Traditional country includes 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. It also includes sub-genres such as Western, Western Swing, and Outlaw country.'
The hope is that the new category benefits artists who fall outside of mainstream, commercial country music, such as Charley Crockett, Sierra Ferrell, Colter Wall and Noeline Hoffman, who have previously been nominated into the Americana and American roots categories. (Both Crockett and Ferrell were nominated for best Americana album for the 2025 Grammy Awards, with Ferrell's Trail of Flowers taking home the Grammy.)
'The issues have been, traditionally, a lot of people that weren't sure whether [an album] was Americana or roots or folk or country were just jamming everything into one category,' Mason says. 'There are obviously nuances between the different genres. Those experts in those genres understand those nuances, and I'm quite certain now you're going to see the right people going into Americana versus folk versus traditional country. [The change] gives us an opportunity to put things in more specific categories.'
As all subgenres of country grow in popularity, Mason says the addition of a new category gives more chances to share the wealth. 'People from that community are making more music, it's more varied, there's different styles of writing and performing,' he says. 'I'm hopeful that that community understands that the academy is doing what it always does, which is stay in tune with what's happening in their genre.'
Best of Billboard
Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1
Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits
H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pro-Trump Christian artist issues ‘Confession' after several men accuse him of sexual assault
In a statement released to social media, Grammy Award-winning singer Michael Tait admits to abusing drugs and touching men without their consent. Grammy-winning contemporary Christian recording artist Michael Tait is coming clean after being accused of sexually assaulting several men, including young, male musicians. Tait, a former member of the Christian music groups DC Talk and Newsboys, released 'My Confession' in a statement posted to social media. 'Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity, are sadly, largely true,' said Tait, who has supported both presidential campaigns of President Donald Trump. 'I am ashamed of my life choices and actions. I will simply call it what God calls it–sin.' Tait, a 59-year-old native of Washington, D.C., is wildly successful in the Christian music industry, having sold 18 million albums and won four Grammy Awards. Much of his music has encouraged young Christian listeners to resist liberalism and live a life of sobriety, abstinence, and heterosexuality, reports The Guardian, which published an in-depth investigation of his alleged sexual misconduct and drug abuse. Tait's music was also part of the soundtrack to Trump's right-wing Make America Great Again, or MAGA, political movement. His song with Newsboys, 'God's Not Dead,' became a MAGA fixture. The 2011 song's popularity emerged during the conservative evangelical resistance to Barack Obama's presidency. Tait is credited with helping to connect Trump to white evangelical voters, who played a significant role in his 2016 election. During the 2016 election cycle, Tait, invited by Trump's friend Pastor Paula White, was among a group of Christians who prayed over Trump before a Florida campaign stop. Newsboys also notably performed for Trump at the White House in 2019. 'I love you, I support you, and I'm one of the growing number of African Americans who love you,' Tait once told Trump during a 2019 video expressing his support for Trump's prison reform policies. According to The Guardian, Tait is accused of engaging in a pattern of manipulative and abusive behavior with young male musicians in the early 2000s. Some of the alleged victims claim Tait offered the 'possibility of career or artistic opportunities.' When some men rebuffed him, Tait allegedly cut off all contact with them. The singer is accused of hosting parties at his home in Nashville, where he would encourage the men to drink alcohol and use drugs before he allegedly made sexual advances. At least two men said they were secretly drugged and were left in and out of consciousness, and were unable to consent to sexual acts. The alleged male victims claim Tait touched them without their permission. In his 'Confession,' Tait admits to once drinking 'far too much alcohol' and touching men in 'an unwanted sensual way.' He revealed that in early January, he spent six weeks in a Utah treatment center for his cocaine abuse and has been sober for six months. The Christian artist said he was 'ashamed' for living a double life and lying to his family, friends and fans. 'I have hurt so many people in so many ways, and I will live with that shameful reality for the rest of my life,' he wrote. 'I accept the consequences of my sin and am committed to continuing the hard work of repentance and healing work.' More must-reads: Owner of Dominican club whose roof collapsed and killed 236 is arrested along with his sister Israeli strikes on Iran lead to new test of Trump's ability to deliver on 'America first' agenda As legal fight over Guard deployment plays out, Noem vows to continue Trump's immigration crackdown
CNBC
3 hours ago
- CNBC
Miley Cyrus shares the first big purchase she ever made: 'I still have it to this day'
Miley Cyrus still remembers the first purchase she ever made upon making "a little money." It was "a black perforated Alaia belt," Cyrus, 32, told The New York Times in an interview that published on May 31. "I do still have it, and that's why I'm so emotionally attached to Alaia." Perforated Alaia belts currently run for $850 to $1,750 each, according to the French design house's site. Cyrus, who wore a custom crop top and skirt made by the brand at the 2025 Met Gala on May 5, is perhaps best-known today as a three-time Grammy-winning recording artist. But she first attained public recognition and wealth as a child actor — playing the titular character on the Disney Channel's TV show, "Hannah Montana." The show first aired in 2006, when Cyrus was 13 years old, and ran until 2011. Cyrus' affinity for high-end fashion hasn't gone away: In December, she purchased a vintage Bob Mackie dress at auction that was previously estimated to sell for up to $8,000, according to the Hollywood Reporter. (The actual price Cyrus paid remains undisclosed.) Clothing is a popular choice among newly minted celebrities, looking to spend their first big paycheck. NFL star Travis Kelce spent around $10,000 on a limited edition pair of Nike Air MAGs, he said on his "New Heights" podcast, in an episode that aired in May 2023. "Saturday Night Live" star Bowen Yang bought a pair of Gucci shoes with his first paycheck from the TV show, he told New York magazine in a video published on Dec. 4. "The kind that everyone got, and the kind I wouldn't feel super cool wearing out now," Yang high-profile first big-money purchases include homes, sometimes for family members, or cars. Retired NBA star Shaquille O'Neal did both: He spent his first $1 million within hours on paying off his mom's house, three Mercedes Benzes — for himself, his dad and his mom — and "rings and diamonds and earrings," he told Business Insider in November 2017. If you ever receive a windfall of money — whether that's winning the lottery or landing a job with a major pay raise — don't be hasty, financial experts advise. Working with estate and tax advisors can help you avoid unnecessary taxes, Warren Racusin, a wealth planning attorney and partner at Lowenstein Sandler, told CNBC in December 2023. Those financial experts can especially help you prevent regrettable spending decisions. At age 24, for example, comedian and actor Kevin Hart shelled out for a series of throwback jerseys from athletes like Julius Ervin, Reggie White, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, he told CNBC Make It in October 2018. He declined to share how much he spent. "If I had to put a number on it, I would say it was stupid plus stupid, which equals stupid, OK? I don't even feel comfortable talking about it," Hart said, adding: "In my defense, so many people don't understand the value of money until they have it ... When you have it and lose it, you understand the value of it and its importance."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Materialists' Is Nothing Like Your Average Rom-Com
Midway through screening 'Materialists,' the follow-up to Celine Song's Oscar-nominated 'Past Lives,' I realize I have the A24 romantic comedy all wrong — partly because the movie is a bit too serious to fit, say, the Nora Ephron standard of rom-coms. Another reason is that the film's vague synopsis hardly does justice to the poignant commentary you discover at the heart of it. In 'Materialists,' a young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself caught between Mr. Right and an imperfect ex. That premise plays out clearly in the film's glittering trailer, which stars Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans in a simmering love triangle that looks like it would swell to the typical dramatic stakes most would expect from a romantic drama. At least that's what I thought. But after watching 'Materialists,' I found that a far more compelling narrative side-stepped that familiar trope — one that thoughtfully explores the perils of love and relationships, as well as the shift in today's dating culture. That was a smart move on Song's part, saving the film's strongest elements for the full viewing experience (something I wish more contemporary movie trailers would do). The initial draw of 'Materialists' obviously lies in its charming lead cast and the allure of a new American romance that's been grossly missing from theaters. However, the deeper story that unfolds within it is just as engrossing, and more importantly, subversive to the romance genre, offering profound self-reflection in addition to the anticipated happily-ever-after. 'Materialists' follows lowly paid matchmaker Lucy (Johnson) on her quest to help her elite New York City clientele of moneyed professionals find their perfect love matches (a storyline hatched from Song's own stint as a matchmaker). Lucy's process is something like negotiating a corporate deal, which requires noting every pesky detail her clients are looking for in a prospective partner — the ideal physique, shared interests and hobbies, a college degree, a six-figure salary and 6-foot height to match for some — among other superficial traits almost too ridiculous to list. One client, a middle-aged Black woman, demands a partner who is a through-and-through conservative Republican. Another, a white man close to his 50s, refuses to budge on his maximum age requirement, because a woman in her 30s and 40s is way too old for his taste, he says (even 29 is pushing it). A 27-year-old is more his speed. Lucy tolerates her clients' shameless requests with a nod and a smile, because that's the nature of her gig: fulfill the fantasy, supply the demand and find the best possible person to get the deal done. Because matchmaking, by her high-end agency's standards, is the business of finding value in a person's best qualities, mostly those physical and financial. In a sense, Lucy knows it's a demoralizing approach to finding love, but she herself has a contradictory relationship with the concept. At an office party thrown by her co-workers to celebrate her nine-marriage success rate, Lucy credits her skills to the golden matchmaker's rule: 'If a girl asks for a tall drink of water with a salary over $500,000, you deliver.' Funny enough, Lucy is just as materialistic in her own love life. She refuses to settle down until she meets the man of her dreams — someone who's painfully, 'achingly' rich. However, she brushes off the first 'unicorn,' as she calls such handsome and wealthy rarities, she meets at a client's wedding. The unicorn in question is Harry (Pascal), a handsome, charming, tall drink of water who's very, very rich — and only has eyes for Lucy. The problem is, she doesn't think she deserves the private equity broker's money or affections (or $12 million apartment) because, in her mind, she's worthless and has nothing better to offer but her winning matchmaking services. A failed actress in debt and only raking in $80,000 a year, Lucy is convinced that Harry can do better. He thinks otherwise. Lucy offers to introduce the eligible Manhattan bachelor to other women he'd be perfect for, but, in classic rom-dram fashion, Harry is determined to court only her. But there's a fork in his plan when Lucy's complicated waiter ex, John (Evans), crashes the party. In a flashback, we learn just how much history runs deep between the matchmaker and the struggling actor: They were together for five years to be exact, according to an anniversary date that went from bad to worse. It's while running late to dinner reservations (which come with a costly no-show fee) in John's old hoopty that Lucy realizes she's tired of being a broke woman dating a broke man in New York City (with roommates). So, they break up — but now this wedding is their chance at a reunion. It's unspoken when John and Lucy embrace, having gone years without seeing each other, but there's still unfinished business between the two. And just as Lucy is making a decent living helping others find love, John swoops in to remind her who introduced her to it in the first place. That's when you think 'Materialists' is going to veer off to follow a tangled affair between Lucy and her two suitors, faced with having to choose between a promising new love and an old flame. A tale as old as time. For the most part, this plotline continues throughout the remainder of the movie. I'll skip ahead to avoid major spoilers — just know Lucy makes a choice and gets her happy ending, even if it's not the conventional one she always imagined. That's not even the most interesting half of 'Materialists.' In fact, it pales in comparison to what Song really tries to get at in her sophomore feature film: how true soul connections rebuke the shallowness of the modern dating world, where singles are more concerned with finding an aspirational kind of love that looks good on paper. 'The things that are in the movie came from the truth I learned,' Song said in the film's production notes, referencing her time as a dating consultant. 'That there is a very funny, very dark objectification of each other's humanity, and therefore a very real commodification of each other, as we go through this thing that we call dating. But it's supposed to be in pursuit of love.' That's a message the writer-director drives home in the opening scene of 'Materialists,' which shows a prehistoric cave couple exploring what could be the first human marriage, as they wordlessly exchange a flower ring symbolic of today's diamond ring proposal. But there are no expensive gems to gawk at or flashy jewelry to show off to friends, family and, in today's time, social media — just two people in love. The disconnect between that and today's superficial box-checking culture, as well as the way love is nowadays in constant conversation with money, is something Song is particularly interested in probing in 'Materialists' — even if it takes a while to round out her point. Speaking on her film's intention, Song told the Los Angeles Times: 'We're not just showing up here to be in love and beautiful and get to be in a rom-com. We're also going to take this opportunity to talk about something. Because that's the power of the genre. Our favorite rom-coms are the ones where we get to start a conversation about something.' That dialogue finally takes shape in 'Materialists' after the indulgence of a tangled love triangle, when an unthinkable client crisis bursts Lucy's bubble about her line of work. At the start of the film, we meet the matchmaker's toughest client, Sophie (Zoë Winters). Not tough because she's difficult to please, or unattractive, or not a great catch — she just desperately wants to meet a nice guy who likes her for who she is. But that breed is seemingly hard to find in NYC, as Lucy struggles to find Sophie the perfect guy. Still, her client subjects herself to the indignities of futile dates in hopes of striking gold. However, the reality of that smacks Lucy in the face when she learns that one match she sent Sophie on a date with sexually assaulted her. Lucy's boss (Marin Ireland) breaks the news, instructing her not to reach out to Sophie or get too hung up on the assault. According to Lucy's boss, if you stay in the matchmaking business long enough, sexual violence becomes pretty common. Bleak, yet true to the ugliness of the real world. Song does something bold here by venturing into darker territory. However, I struggled to understand her point of using sexual trauma as a narrative device to awaken Lucy from her own callousness and expose the exploits of an industry. It's not enough to call attention to a social issue as sensitive as this without a proper resolution. While that sobering plot helps explain why Lucy is at a crossroads in her love liaison gig, it doesn't bring much clarity to her love life. That mystery lingers at the end of the film, when Lucy finally confronts her superficial ideologies of love. Maybe it's a soul-bearing declaration from John that pushes her to that point. Or perhaps an awkward encounter with Harry about an unbelievable cosmetic surgery — seriously, you have to hear the ridiculous explanation that lives up to the movie's title. Either way, 'Materialists' leaves us with a lot to ponder after the credits roll. The film puts itself in conversation with many of its references, from 'Sense and Sensibility' to 'Pride & Prejudice,' yet still manages to contribute to the romance canon with a unique modern lens. It doesn't hinge on the gamble of love as much as it does on the observation of what many perceive love to be. Whether it's finding financial security, the ideal person to grow old with, or a soulmate you can't live without, 'Materialists' offers no easy answers there. Only a disquieting truth that the concept will always be deeply misunderstood. 'Past Lives' Will Quietly Surprise You At Every Turn 'Picture This' Doesn't Work As A Comedy Or Romance 'The Idea Of You' Is A Pretty Underwhelming Book-To-Movie Adaptation
