Music’s biggest night is already under fire – and the backlash poured in all before the 2026 Grammy Awards even started.
The Recording Academy has sparked outrage after confirming that only nine awards will be handed out during the televised Grammys ceremony on Sunday, February 1st.
All remaining categories already presented earlier in the day during a non-televised pre-show.
Typically, around 15 awards are given out during the televised ceremony with the remainder of the trophies handed out in the pre-show.
The unprecedented move has left fans furious, with many branding the change “pointless” and accusing the Academy of delivering a “slap in the face” to artists across multiple genres.
“That’s such a huge slap in the face for people who work years to earn their spot on that stage,” one person wrote.
“What then is the point? Might as well make it a virtual award ceremony at this point,” another complained.
“Whattt?! Why so few? They wasting too much time and doing too much?” a third asked.
“Why even call it the Grammys if almost nothing happens on TV?” one more fan exclaimed.
FOR THE GRAM
For the first time in Grammy history, the main broadcast featured just nine award presentations, scaling back recognition during the primetime ceremony.
Those nine categories include the prestigious big four: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist – along with a small handful of other select genre honors.
Every other Grammy, accounting for the overwhelming majority of the nominees, were distributed earlier during the Premiere Ceremony, which takes place hours before the televised show.
The Premiere Ceremony was not broadcast on network television and many nominees did not attend as they were getting ready for the televised main ceremony.
In total, the Grammys recognize nearly 100 categories, spanning pop, rock, rap, country, jazz, classical, global music, production, and technical fields.
Critics argue the move reinforces long-standing complaints that the Grammys prioritize star power and performances over honoring the full scope of musical achievement.
This can be further proven by the fact that the ceremony runtime is over three hours long – which is the same runtime as past years that allowed for more on-screen awards to be given out.
GRAMMY HISTORY
Traditionally, the Grammys split their awards between a televised ceremony and a pre-telecast event, with some technical and genre-specific categories awarded earlier in the day.
However, in past years, the main broadcast still featured a significantly larger number of award presentations, offering artists across genres a chance to accept trophies live on national television.
This year marks the first time the televised ceremony has been reduced to such a minimal slate – a move that many fans say strips the show of its purpose.
The Recording Academy has previously defended the Premiere Ceremony format, saying it allows winners more time to give speeches and celebrates categories that might otherwise be rushed during the live broadcast.
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