2026 Grammy Nominees for Record & Song of the Year are Nearly Identical. How Unusual Is That?

As Recording Academy voters pore over the 2026 nominations list before final-round voting closes on Jan. 5, they are sure to notice that the nominees for record and song of the year are nearly identical. Seven of the eight record of the year nominees are also up for song of the year. Image Credit: CBS via Getty Images The only difference between the two lists is that Chappell Roan’s “The Subway” is nominated for record of the year but not song of the year, and HUNTR/X’s “Golden” is nominated for song of the year but not record of the year. Other than that, the lineups overlap exactly: Bad Bunny’s “DtMF,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” Doechii’s “Anxiety,” Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower,” Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” Kendrick Lamar with SZA’s “luther” and Rosé & Bruno Mars’ “APT.” It’s the first time in 11 years that there is just one difference in the lineups for record and song of the year. You probably know, but to refresh you: Record of the year honors a specific recording of a song; song of the year honors the song itself. Record of the year is awarded to the artist and producer(s), recording engineer(s) and/or mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s), if other than the artist. Song of the year is awarded solely to the songwriters. Since the first Grammy ceremony in 1959, there was just one year when the record and song of the year nominees overlapped 100%. That was at the 1973 ceremony. Here’s a complete list of all the times there was no more than one difference between the rosters of record and song of the year nominees. The years shown are the years of the Grammy ceremonies. 1959 Image Credit: CBS via Getty Images Nominated for Record, not Song: The Chipmunks’ “The Chipmunk Song” Nominated for Song, Not Record: “Gigi,” written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe Hot 100 stats: “The Chipmunk Song” was No. 1 for four weeks. Crooner Vic Damone had the only recording of “Gigi” to crack the chart. It peaked at No. 88. Notes: “Gigi” won the Oscar for best original song. It was one of nine Oscars the film won - which established a new record at the time. 1968 Nominated for Record, not Song: Nancy & Frank Sinatra’s “Somethin’ Stupid” Nominated for Song, Not Record: “Gentle on My Mind,” written by John Hartford Hot 100 stats: “Somethin’ Stupid,” which was written by C. Carson Parks, was No. 1 for four weeks. Glen Campbell had the highest-charting version of “Gentle on My Mind” (No. 39). Notes: Campbell was nominated for record of the year that year with “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.” Grammy rules allow just one record per artist to be nominated in this category (unless the artist shares billing on the second). Hartford won two Grammys for “Gentle on My Mind” - best Country & Western song (it was the last year the Recording Academy used that dated term) and best folk performance for his recording of his...

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