Music’s biggest night has arrived, and stars are bringing their A-game to the red carpet.
The 68th Grammy Awards are unfolding at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, and this year’s ceremony promises drama, surprises, and some serious fashion moments.
With Kendrick Lamar leading the pack with nine nominations and Lady Gaga hot on his heels with seven, the competition is fierce.
But before any awards get handed out, celebrities are making their statements on the red carpet—and the looks are already turning heads.
Kendrick Lamar Dominates Nominations Again
Fresh off taking home five trophies at last year’s ceremony, rap icon Kendrick Lamar has returned with nine nominations for 2025. His late 2024 album “GNX” is competing for the coveted album of the year award.
He’s facing stiff competition from an eclectic mix of artists. Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” Justin Bieber’s “Swag,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Man’s Best Friend,” and Tyler, the Creator’s “Chromakopia” are all vying for the same honor.
Lamar’s collaboration with SZA, “Luther,” appears in multiple categories including song of the year and record of the year. The track has become one of 2024’s defining musical moments.
Lady Gaga Makes Grammy History
Lady Gaga isn’t just attending the Grammys—she’s making history. With seven nominations, she’s shattered her previous personal record of six from 2010.
Her nominations span an impressive range of categories. She’s competing for album of the year, record of the year, and song of the year simultaneously—a rare trifecta that demonstrates her versatility.
Gaga also earned nods for best pop solo performance, best pop vocal album, best dance pop recording, and best traditional pop vocal album. Her album “Meyhem” and single “Abracadabra” are generating serious buzz heading into the ceremony.
She’s tied with producers Jack Antonoff and Cirkut for second-most nominations of the night.
Breakout Stars and Surprising Contenders
Third place turned into a four-way battle. Leon Thomas, Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, and audio engineer Serban Ghenea each scored six nominations.
For Thomas, this marks a stunning breakthrough moment. Going from relative obscurity to Grammy contender overnight is the kind of story music fans live for.
Carpenter’s “Man’s Best Friend” album and her single “Manchild” have positioned her as one of pop’s rising forces. She’s competing directly against established superstars in multiple major categories.
Netflix Crashes the Music Industry Party
Perhaps the night’s most unexpected storyline? Netflix scored a major Grammy nomination.
“Golden,” from the streaming platform’s animated series “KPop Demon Hunters,” is competing for best song. It’s facing off against heavyweight tracks from established artists.
The song of the year category features an impressive lineup:
- Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra”
- Doechii’s “Anxiety”
- Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “APT.”
- Bad Bunny’s “DtMF”
- Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther”
- Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild”
- Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower”
This Netflix nomination signals a major shift in how music is discovered and consumed. Streaming platforms are no longer just distributors—they’re becoming music creators themselves.
Record of the Year: The Night’s Biggest Battle
Record of the year always sparks debate, and 2025 is no exception. Bad Bunny’s “DtMF” goes head-to-head with Carpenter’s “Manchild,” Doechii’s “Anxiety,” and Eilish’s “Wildflower.”
Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” the Lamar-SZA collaboration “Luther,” Chappell Roan’s “The Subway,” and the Rosé-Bruno Mars collab “APT.” round out the competitive field.
Each track represents a different sonic direction. From Bad Bunny’s reggaeton influence to Eilish’s atmospheric pop, voters face genuinely difficult choices.
What These Nominations Tell Us About Music in 2025
Genre boundaries continue dissolving. Latin music, K-pop influences, traditional pop, and experimental hip-hop all share space in major categories.
Collaboration is king. Multiple nominated tracks feature partnerships between artists from different musical worlds. Mars and Rosé, Lamar and SZA—these pairings create magic that solo work sometimes can’t achieve.
Behind-the-scenes talent gets recognition. Serban Ghenea’s six nominations highlight how crucial engineers and mixers are to modern music production.
The ceremony kicks off at 5 p.m. PT, and anticipation is building. With so many competitive categories and deserving artists, predicting winners feels nearly impossible.
As stars continue arriving on the red carpet, one thing is certain: tonight will deliver memorable moments, whether through fashion statements, acceptance speeches, or surprise performances. Music’s biggest celebration is just getting started.