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History of the Grammy Awards Timeline

(1957 - Present)

The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy, are the most prestigious honors in the music industry. Established in 1957 as the Grammy Awards by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), they were created to recognize outstanding artistic achievement in recorded music. The first ceremony took place on May 4, 1959, honoring musical accomplishments of 1958. Over decades, the Grammys have expanded from 28 categories to over 90, celebrating genres from pop and rock to classical and jazz, and have become a defining benchmark of excellence for artists worldwide. Less

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Ceremony and Broadcast

Eligibility window for the 68th Grammy Awards begins

Aug 31, 2024

The eligibility window for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards opened on August 31, 2024. Recordings, compositions, and artists released from this date through August 30, 2025 would be considered for honors at the ceremony, as chosen by the members of the Recording Academy.

Image source: 68th Annual Grammy Awards

Eligibility window for the 68th Grammy Awards begins

Grammys announce return to ABC beginning in 2027

Oct 30, 2024

On October 30, 2024, the Recording Academy announced that the Grammys would return to ABC and stream on Hulu and Disney+ beginning in 2027, under a ten-year deal, marking a major shift in the awards' long-running broadcast partnership.

Image source: Grammy Awards

Grammys announce return to ABC beginning in 2027

Ten-year ABC broadcast deal secured

Oct 30, 2024

The Recording Academy's October 30, 2024 announcement included a ten-year deal bringing the Grammy Awards to ABC with streaming on Hulu and Disney+ starting in 2027, securing the show's television future for a decade.

Sabrina Carpenter announced as first performer

Jan 20, 2026

On January 20, 2026, Sabrina Carpenter was announced as the first performer for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, kicking off the reveal of the ceremony's performance lineup.

Premiere ceremony performers announced

Jan 28, 2026

On January 28, 2026, the performers for the Grammy Premiere Ceremony were announced, building anticipation for the pre-telecast portion of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards held earlier on ceremony day.

Remaining presenters announced

Jan 29, 2026

On January 29, 2026, the rest of the presenters for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards were announced, completing the lineup of stars who would hand out trophies at the ceremony.

Premiere Ceremony held at Peacock Theater

Feb 1, 2026

The Premiere Ceremony of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Peacock Theater on February 1, 2026, hosted by Darren Criss, where numerous early categories were awarded before the main telecast.

Image source: Peacock Theater

Premiere Ceremony held at Peacock Theater

Last CBS broadcast of the Grammys since 1973 era arrangement

Feb 1, 2026

The 2026 ceremony was broadcast on CBS and available to stream on Paramount+ for what was noted as the last time under the long-running arrangement dating back to 1973, before the show moves to ABC in 2027.

Grammys held at Crypto.com Arena for 23rd year

Feb 1, 2026

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards marked its 23rd year at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, cementing the venue's long-standing role as the home of music's biggest night.

Image source: Crypto.com Arena

Grammys held at Crypto.com Arena for 23rd year

68th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony held

Feb 1, 2026

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards honored the best recordings, compositions, and artists from August 31, 2024, to August 30, 2025, as chosen by the members of the Recording Academy, on February 1, 2026.

Darren Criss named Premiere Ceremony host

Feb 1, 2026

Darren Criss was announced as the host of the Premiere Ceremony at the Peacock Theater on February 1, 2026, alongside the list of other presenters and performers for the pre-telecast event.

Image source: Darren Criss

Darren Criss named Premiere Ceremony host

Rule Changes and Voting

Recording Academy announces category changes for 2026

Jun 12, 2025

On June 12, 2025, the Recording Academy announced several changes for different categories and updates on eligibility rules ahead of the 2026 ceremony, continuing the Academy's practice of periodically refining the Grammy Awards structure.

Eligibility window for the 68th Grammy Awards ends

Aug 30, 2025

The eligibility window for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards closed on August 30, 2025, ending the one-year period during which recordings and compositions released between August 31, 2024 and this date could qualify for consideration.

First round voting for the 68th Grammys opens

Oct 3, 2025

First round voting for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards took place from October 3 to October 15, 2025, during which Recording Academy members determined the nominees across all categories.

First round voting window spans twelve days

Oct 3, 2025 - Oct 15, 2025

The first round of Grammy voting spanned October 3 to October 15, 2025, giving Recording Academy members a twelve-day window to review eligible entries and select nominees for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

First round voting closes

Oct 15, 2025

First round voting concluded on October 15, 2025, wrapping up the twelve-day period in which Recording Academy members cast ballots to determine the nominees for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

Final round voting for the 68th Grammys opens

Dec 12, 2025

Final round voting for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards began on December 12, 2025. Recording Academy members voted among the nominees previously selected in the first round to determine the winners.

Randomized ballot order introduced for 2026 Grammys

Dec 12, 2025

For the 2026 Grammy Awards, ballots were presented in a randomized order for the first time, rather than in alphabetical order, an adjustment intended to reduce positional bias in member voting.

Final round voting window spans late December to early January

Dec 12, 2025 - Jan 5, 2026

Final round voting ran from December 12, 2025 to January 5, 2026, allowing members to choose the winners among nominees across all Grammy categories before results were revealed on February 1, 2026.

Final round voting closes

Jan 5, 2026

Final round voting concluded on January 5, 2026, completing the process by which Recording Academy members determined the winners of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards ahead of the February 1 ceremony.

Membership and Inclusion

Latin Grammy voters invited to join the Recording Academy

Nov 4, 2025

On November 4, 2025, it was announced that, for the first time in Grammy history, members who vote for the Latin Grammy Awards were invited to join the Recording Academy, a landmark move toward broader inclusion in the Grammy voting body.

28% of new Recording Academy members identify as Hispanic or Latino

Nov 4, 2025

As a result of inviting Latin Grammy voters into the Recording Academy for the first time, 28% of all new members in 2025 identified as Hispanic or Latino, significantly diversifying the organization's membership base.

Image source: The Recording Academy

28% of new Recording Academy members identify as Hispanic or Latino

Historic inclusion milestone reached with Latin Grammy voters

Nov 4, 2025

The November 4, 2025 invitation extended to Latin Grammy voters marked a historic inclusion milestone, as it was the first time in Grammy history that these voting members were welcomed into the Recording Academy.

Image source: Latin Grammy Awards

Historic inclusion milestone reached with Latin Grammy voters

Awards and Winners

Best New Artist streak highlights women's dominance

Feb 1, 2026

Olivia Dean's 2026 Best New Artist triumph extended an unprecedented run in which nine consecutive editions of the award went to female artists, a defining storyline of recent Grammy history.

Image source: Grammy Award for Best New Artist

Best New Artist streak highlights women's dominance

New categories debut at the 68th Grammy Awards

Feb 1, 2026

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards featured the debut of two new categories, Best Album Cover and Best Traditional Country Album, with Tyler, The Creator's Chromakopia and Zach Top's Ain't in It for My Health taking home the inaugural honors respectively.

Inaugural Best Traditional Country Album award presented

Feb 1, 2026

Zach Top's Ain't in It for My Health won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Traditional Country Album, a newly created category honoring classic country recordings at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

Tyler, The Creator's Chromakopia wins inaugural Best Album Cover

Feb 1, 2026

Tyler, The Creator's album Chromakopia took home the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Album Cover, recognizing excellence in album artwork for the first time at the 2026 ceremony.

Image source: Chromakopia

Tyler, The Creator's Chromakopia wins inaugural Best Album Cover

First British Best New Artist winner since Dua Lipa

Feb 1, 2026

Olivia Dean's Best New Artist win made her the first British artist to take home the honor since Dua Lipa won it in 2019, continuing a strong tradition of British success in the category.

Image source: Dua Lipa

First British Best New Artist winner since Dua Lipa

Ninth consecutive woman wins Best New Artist

Feb 1, 2026

With Olivia Dean's victory, the Grammy Award for Best New Artist was won by a woman for the ninth year in a row, underscoring a remarkable streak of female winners in the category.

Olivia Dean wins Best New Artist

Feb 1, 2026

At the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, Olivia Dean won Best New Artist, becoming the ninth woman in a row to win the award and the first British winner since Dua Lipa in 2019.

Key Facts

  1. The Recording Academy was founded in 1957, originally called the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).
  2. The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held on May 4, 1959, in Los Angeles, honoring recordings from 1958.
  3. Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald were among the first Grammy Award winners in 1959.
  4. The iconic gramophone trophy is made by hand using a process that takes several months to produce each award.
  5. Beyoncé holds the record for the most Grammy Awards won, with 32 wins as of 2023, surpassing conductor Georg Solti's long-standing record.

Source

This History of the Grammy Awards timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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