The GRAMMYs New Country Category Was Not A Game-Time Decision
The GRAMMYs always celebrate the past year in music, but next year’s event will do much more than that. The 2026 GRAMMYs will better showcase the quickly-changing landscape of the music industry – and more specifically, the country music industry. What may come across as a game-time decision was actually the resolve to a detailed discussion that began nearly a decade ago.
Last week, the Recording Academy® revealed the key dates, deadlines and rule amendments for the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards®, taking place on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with nominations set to be announced on Friday, November 7, 2025. With that announcement, two new GRAMMY categories were revealed: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover. The existing Best Country Album Category has been renamed Best Contemporary Country Album, and the brand-new Best Traditional Country Album GRAMMY Category has been added, which recognizes the genre’s rich diversity, while honoring both its roots along with its ongoing evolution.
“Country music has evolved in a major way over the past decade, with traditional country experiencing a massive resurgence, growing in popularity and volume,” said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. for GRAMMY.com. “This action by our members now opens the door for us to celebrate more artists and a wider range of music. By adding this new category and renaming the Country Album Category, we’re creating more space for all the diverse artists who are shaping the future of country music.”
As with any major changes, rumors often spew. The significant addition of Best Traditional Country Album was not prompted by Beyoncé’s big win at the 2025 event, nor by any other single happening. It was the decision made after nearly ten years of on and off discussion between passionate industry members, fans and the like. In April of 2022, a staff member of the Academy had asked Connie Collingsworth, Co-Owner of La Honda Records, “How can we help open doors for not only artists like those on your label but of similar sound as well?” Collingsworth answered by simply saying, “You can’t when there is no door for country-western and traditional country artists to even knock on.” The statement really spoke to the valid concern that certain country artists were underrepresented because of the then current structure of the awards – especially with the ongoing rise in interest towards those styles of country music. But as with any large organization, decisions are rarely made overnight.
Between multiple petitions, which gave countless individuals a place to be heard, and the relaying and discussion of information amongst the ranks of the Academy and beyond, three years later the decision was made, leaving its mark in country music history. The news marks a notable turning point in the industry, as it shines a light on the undeniable rising demand for traditional country music that has been slowly but surely growing for quite some time now. Plus, the new category allows for more nominees and winners to be celebrated year after year.
With streaming numbers through the roof, momentous collaborations announced and ticket sales on the rise, this area of the overarching genre can no longer be overlooked, and it’s with great hopes that other award ceremonies follow suit in becoming more inclusive of all that country music has to offer.
For more on this year’s category updates, including insights from Recording Academy CEO, Harvey Mason jr., click here.
