The 2025 Grammy Awards featured Beyoncé‘s Cowboy Carter winning both Album of the Year and Best Country Album. The Recording Academy has just announced new changes for the 2026 Grammys, including the introduction of a new category, Best Contemporary Country Album, while Best Traditional Country Album will now replace the previous Best Country Album category. The Traditional Country Album category will include “country recordings that adhere to the more traditional sound structures of the country genre, as well as traditional country instrumentation.”

While the Best Contemporary Country Album will “recognize country music that remains reminiscent and relevant to the legacy of country music’s culture, while also engaging in more contemporary music forms,” featuring entries that “create a sensibility that reflects the broad spectrum of contemporary country style and culture.” “It’s so important that our rules and guidelines are fair and equitable for musicians of all crafts and varying expertise, and that the Grammy Awards truly reflect and honor the full spectrum of music creators,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement. The 2026 Grammy Awards are set for February 1, 2026. (Rolling Stone)