Grammys 2026: 5 Biggest Upsets & Surprises That Left Fans Stunned, From Kendrick Lamar To Lola Young

By Arunava Chakrabarty

The 68th Grammy Awards delivered a few surprises. Kendrick Lamar won big, becoming the most awarded rapper in Grammy history, and Bad Bunny secured a historic Album of the Year win. However, there were several moments throughout the ceremony that aligned both with expectations and raised eyebrows at the same time. Here are the top five biggest surprises and upsets at the 2026 Grammys.

1. Bad Bunny Wins Album of the Year for ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’

This comes as the biggest surprise and upset. Bad Bunny, the Latino rap star, edged out fellow megastars Kendrick Lamar, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, and Lady Gaga to win the top Grammy prize this Sunday. The 31-year-old clinched the Album of the Year award for ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos,’ a first for a Spanish-language album.

Bad Bunny was emotional and couldn’t believe he won the Grammy for
ALBUM OF THE YEAR ???? #GRAMMYs2026

-‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ by Bad Bunny pic.twitter.com/Pfyo9jmU77

— Junior (@RIDDICK325) February 2, 2026

2. Lola Young Wins Best Pop Solo Performance For “Messy”

This under-the-radar upset just highlights the unpredictability of music’s biggest night. Despite being named in a category stacked with the most celebrated singers of this generation, such as Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Sabrina Carpenter, 25-year-old Lola Young emerged as the winner with Best Solo Performance for ‘Messy.’ Young’s triumph also showed the Academy’s occasional preference for new international talent, instead of going with the usual known hard-hitters.

Full performance of ‘Messy’ by Lola Young at the #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/N2ELtKtfa0

— ؘ (@HitsAndCharts) February 2, 2026