The Brief

Kendrick Lamar's reign continues: The Los Angeles rapper has received nine Grammy nominations for the 2026 awards, following a triumphant sweep earlier this year in which he took home more golden Gramophones than any other artist — including record of the year and song of the year for his mic-dropping "Not Like Us." On Friday, Lamar received nods in three major categories. He could repeat in record of the year and song of the year and add album of the year to his trophy case in 2026, with potential wins in the rap and pop duo/group performance categories, too.

The bulk of Lamar's nominations are for his record-breaking album GNX and the single "Luther (feat. SZA)," both of which topped multiple Billboard charts. Beyond his own album and singles, the Recording Academy also recognized the rapper for additional collaborations with SZA and Clipse. At this time last year, Lamar was in the midst of a remarkable run that culminated in his Super Bowl halftime performance, multiple Grammy wins and a victory in his rap beef with Drake by unanimous decision.

At the 68th annual Grammy Awards, which will be presented at a ceremony on February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, competition for the top awards will also include Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter and Bad Bunny. Gaga trails behind Lamar with seven nominations, including best pop solo performance ("Disease") and best pop vocal album (MAYHEM). Canadian record producer Cirkut, who co-produced Gaga's album, also has seven nominations, as does Jack Antonoff, who's recognized for his work with Lamar and Carpenter. Bad Bunny has six nominations. So does the breakout star of last year's Grammys — Carpenter — and the newcomer with most nominations this year, including best new artist — Leon Thomas.

The 32-year-old Thomas — who just landed his first Top 10 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 chart this week — is in the running for several R&B categories (including for a song recorded during his NPR Tiny Desk concert), as well as album of the year (MUTT). Joining Thomas among the nominees for best new artist are girl group KATSEYE, soul-pop singer Olivia Dean (who also cracked the Top 10 this week), indie-pop band The Marías, English singer Lola Young, Gen-Z rocker sombr and two TikTok creators turned pop stars: Alex Warren and Addison Rae.

In the rap categories, the Recording Academy embraced the highly-touted return of the duo Clipse, following a 16-year hiatus. The Thornton brothers, a.k.a. Malice and Pusha T, received five nominations for their album Let God Sort Em Out. Doechii, who delivered one of last year's most electric Grammys performances, also received five nominations for her single "Anxiety." (Although the song originally came out in 2019, the Swamp Princess re-recorded and re-released "Anxiety" this year after it went viral on TikTok). Tyler, the Creator — who has publicly called out the Academy for how it categorizes rap — is once again nominated for best rap album (CHROMAKOPIA) and best rap song ("Sticky feat. GloRilla, Lil Wayne, Sexyy Red"). He's also up for best alternative album (DON'T TAP THE GLASS), album of the year (CHROMAKOPIA) and best album cover (CHROMAKOPIA).

The 68th annual Grammy Awards will feature 95 categories total, highlighting a multitude of genres as well as behind-the-scenes figures like songwriters and producers. This year, the Recording Academy will introduce two new categories. The first is for best album cover. Nominees include Bad Bunny (DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS), alt-rocker Djo (The Crux) and the English band Wet Leg (moisturizer). The second debuting category is for best traditional country album. The first nominees include father and son Lukas Nelson (American Romance) and Willie Nelson (Oh What A Beautiful World), as well as Zach Top (Ain't In It For My Health), Charley Crockett (Dollar A Day) and Margo Price (Hard Headed Woman).

Read the complete list of nominees below:

1. Record of the Year

• "DtMF" by Bad Bunny
• "Manchild" by Sabrina Carpenter
• "Anxiety" by Doechii
• "WILDFLOWER" by Billie Eilish
• "Abracadabra" by Lady Gaga
• "luther" by Kendrick Lamar with SZA
• "The Subway" by Chappell Roan
• "APT." by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
  

1. Album of the Year

• DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny
• SWAG by Justin Bieber
• Man's Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter
• Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse, Pusha T & Malice
• MAYHEM by Lady Gaga 
• GNX by Kendrick Lamar
• MUTT by Leon Thomas
• CHROMAKOPIA by Tyler, The Creator
  

1. Song of the Year

• "Abracadabra" – Henry Walter, Lady Gaga & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
• "Anxiety" – Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii)
• "APT." – Amy Allen, Christopher Brody Brown, Rogét Chahayed, Henry Walter, Omer Fedi, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Chae Young Park & Theron Thomas, songwriters (ROSÉ, Bruno Mars)
• "DtMF" – Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Scott Dittrich, Benjamin Falik, Roberto José Rosado Torres, Marco Daniel Borrero, Hugo René Sención Sanabria & Tyler Thomas Spry, songwriters (Bad Bunny)
• "Golden" [From KPop Demon Hunters] — EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)
• "luther" — Jack Antonoff, Roshwita Larisha Bacha, Matthew Bernard, Ink, Scott Bridgeway, Sam Dew, Kendrick Lamar, Mark Anthony Spears, Solána Rowe & Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar With SZA)
• "Manchild" — Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter, songwriters (Sabrina Carpenter)
• "WILDFLOWER" — Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
  

1. Best New Artist

• Olivia Dean
• KATSEYE
• The Marias
• Addison Rae
• sombr
• Leon Thomas 
• Alex Warren
• Lola Young
  

1. Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

• Dan Auerbach
• Cirkut
• Dijon
• Blake Mills
• Sounwave
  

1. Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical

• Amy Allen
• Edgar Barrera
• Jessie Jo Dillon
• Tobias Jesso Jr.
• Laura Veltz
  

1. Best Pop Solo Performance

• "DAISIES" by Justin Bieber
• "Manchild" by Sabrina Carpenter
• "Disease" by Lady Gaga
• "The Subway" by Chappell Roan
• "Messy" by Lola Young
  

1. Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

• "Defying Gravity" by Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande
• "Golden" [From KPop Demon Hunters] by HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI
• "Gabriela" by KATSEYE
• "APT." by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
• "30 For 30" by SZA with Kendrick Lamar
  

1. Best Pop Vocal Album

• SWAG by Justin Bieber
• Man's Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter
• Something Beautiful by Miley Cyrus
• MAYHEM by Lady Gaga 
• I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2) by Teddy Swims
  

1. Best Dance/Electronic Recording

• "No Cap" by Disclosure & Anderson .Paak
• "Victory Lap" by Fred Again.., Skepta, & PlaqueBoyMax
• "SPACE INVADER" by KAYTRANADA
• "VOLTAGE" by Skrillex
• "End of Summer" by Tame Impala
  

1. Best Dance Pop Recording

• "Bluest Flame" by Selena Gomez & benny blanco
• "Abracadabra" by Lady Gaga
• "Midnight Sun" by Zara Larsson
• "Just Keep Watching" [From F1 The Movie] by Tate McRae
• "Illegal" by PinkPantheress

1. Best Dance/Electronic Album

• EUSEXUA by FKA twigs
• Ten Days by Fred Again..
• Fancy That by PinkPantheress
• Inhale / Exhale by RÜFÜS DU SOL
• F*** U SKRILLEX YOU THINK UR ANDY WARHOL BUT UR NOT!! <3 by Skrillex
  

1. Best Remixed Recording

• "Abracadabra (Gesaffelstein Remix)"  – Gesaffelstein, remixer (Lady Gaga, Gesaffelstein)
• "Don't Forget About Us" – KAYTRANADA, remixer (Mariah Carey & KAYTRANADA)
• "A Dreams A Dream - Ron Trent Remix" – Ron Trent, remixer (Soul II Soul)
• "Galvanize" – Chris Lake, remixer (The Chemical Brothers & Chris Lake)
• "Golden - David Guetta REM/X" – David Guetta, remixer (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)
  

1. Best Rock Performance 

• "U Should Not Be Doing That" by Amyl and The Sniffers
• "The Emptiness Machine" by Linkin Park
• "NEVER ENOUGH" by Turnstile
• "Mirtazapine" by Hayley Williams
• "Changes (Live From Villa Park/ Back To The Beginning)" by YUNGBLUD feat. Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello, Adam Wakeman, II
  

1. Best Metal Performance

• "Night Terror" by Dream Theater
• "Lachryma" by Ghost
• "Emergence" by Sleep Token
• "Soft Spine" by Spiritbox
• "BIRDS" by Turnstile 
  

1. Best Rock Song

• "As Alive As You Need Me To Be" – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, songwriters (Nine Inch Nails)
• "Caramel" – Vessel1 & Vessel2, songwriters (Sleep Token)
• "Glum" – Daniel James & Hayley Williams, songwriters (Hayley Williams)
• "NEVER ENOUGH" – Daniel Fang, Franz Lyons, Pat McCrory, Meg Mills & Brendan Yates, songwriters (Turnstile)
• "Zombie" – Dominic Harrison & Matt Schwartz, songwriters (YUNGBLUD)
  

1. Best Rock Album

• private music by Deftones
• I quit by HAIM
• From Zero by Linkin Park
• NEVER ENOUGH by Turnstile
• Idols by YUNGBLUD
  

1. Best Alternative Music Performance

• "Everything Is Peaceful Love" by Bon Iver
• "Alone" by The Cure
• "SEEIN' STARS" by Turnstile 
• "mangetout" by Wet Leg
• "Parachute" by Hayley Williams
  

1. Best Alternative Music Album

• SABLE, fABLE by Bon Iver
• Songs Of A Lost World by The Cure
• DON'T TAP THE GLASS by Tyler, The Creator
• moisturizer by Wet Leg
• Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams
  

1. Best R&B Performance

• "YUKON" by Justin Bieber
• "It Depends" by Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller
• "Folded" by Kehlani
• "MUTT" (Live from NPR's Tiny Desk) by Leon Thomas
• "Heart Of A Woman" by Summer Walker

1. Best Traditional R&B Performance

• "Here We Are" by Durand Bernarr
• "UPTOWN" by Lalah Hathaway
• "LOVE YOU TOO" by Ledisi
• "Crybaby" by SZA
• "VIBES DON'T LIE" by Leon Thomas 
  

1. Best R&B Song

• "Folded" – Darius Dixson, Andre Harris, Kehlani Parrish, Donovan Knight, Don Mills, Khris Riddick-Tynes & Dawit Kamal Wilson, songwriters (Kehlani)
• "Heart Of A Woman" – David Bishop & Summer Walker, songwriters (Summer Walker)
• "It Depends" – Nico Baran, Chris Brown, Ant Clemons, Ephrem Lopez Jr., Ryan Press, Bryson Tiller, Elliott Trent & Dewain Whitmore Jr., songwriters (Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller)
• "Overqualified" – James John Abrahart Jr & Durand Bernarr, songwriters (Durand Bernarr)
• "YES IT IS" – Jariuce Banks, Lazaro Andres Camejo, Mike Hector, Peter Lee Johnson, Rodney Jones Jr., Ali Prawl & Leon Thomas, songwriters (Leon Thomas)
  

1. Best Progressive R&B Album

• BLOOM by Durand Bernarr
• Adjust Brightness by Bilal 
• LOVE ON DIGITAL by Destin Conrad
• Access All Areas by FLO
• Come As You Are by Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon
  

1. Best R&B Album

• BELOVED by GIVĒON
• Why Not More? by Coco Jones
• The Crown by Ledisi
• Escape Room by Teyana Taylor
• MUTT by Leon Thomas
  

1. Best Rap Performance

• "Outside" by Cardi B
• "Chains & Whips" by Clipse, Pusha T & Malice feat. Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams
• "Anxiety" by Doechii
• "tv off" by Kendrick Lamar feat. Lefty Gunplay
• "Darling, I" by Tyler, The Creator feat. Teezo Touchdown
  

1. Best Melodic Rap Performance

• "Proud Of Me" by Fridayy feat. Meek Mill
• "Wholeheartedly" by JID feat. Ty Dolla $ign & 6Lack
• "luther" by Kendrick Lamar with SZA
• "WeMaj" by Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon Featuring Rapsody
• "SOMEBODY LOVES ME" by PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake
  

1. Best Rap Song

• "Anxiety" – Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii)
• "The Birds Don't Sing" – Gene Elliott Thornton Jr., Terrence Thornton, Pharrell
• Williams & Stevie Wonder, songwriters (Clipse, Pusha T & Malice feat. John Legend & Voices Of Fire)
• "Sticky" – Aaron Bolton, Dudley Alexander Duverne, Gloria Woods, Dwayne Carter, Jr., Janae Wherry, Tyler Okonma & Rex Zamor, songwriters (Tyler, The Creator feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne)
• "TGIF" – Lucas Alegria, Dillon Brophy, Yakki Davis, Gloria Woods, Jess Jackson, Ronnie Jackson, Mario Mims & Jorge M. Taveras, songwriters (GloRilla)
• "tv off" –  Jack Antonoff, Larry Jayy, Kendrick Lamar, Dijon McFarlane, Sean Momberger, Mark Anthony Spears & Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar feat. Lefty Gunplay)

1. Best Rap Album

• Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse, Pusha T & Malice
• GLORIOUS by GloRilla
• God Does Like Ugly by JID
• GNX by Kendrick Lamar
• CHROMAKOPIA by Tyler, The Creator
  

1. Best Spoken Word Poetry Album

• A Hurricane in Heels: healed people don't act like that (partially recorded live @City Winery & other places) by Queen Sheba
• Black Shaman by Marc Marcel
• Pages by Omari Hardwick & Anthony Hamilton
• Saul Williams meets Carlos Niño & Friends At Treepeople by Saul Williams, Carlos Niño & Friends 
• Words For Days Vol. 1 by Mad Skillz
  

1. Best Jazz Performance

• "Noble Rise" by Lakecia Benjamin Featuring Immanuel Wilkins & Mark Whitfield

• "Windows - Live" by Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade
• "Peace Of Mind/Dreams Come True" bySamara Joy
• "Four" by Michael Mayo
• "All Stars Lead To You - Live" by Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold & Rachel Eckroth
  

1. Best Jazz Vocal Album

• Elemental by Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap
• We Insist 2025! by Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell
• Portrait by Samara Joy
• Fly by Michael Mayo
• Live at Vic's Las Vegas by Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold & Rachel Eckroth
  

1. Best Jazz Instrumental Album

• Trilogy 3 (Live) by Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade
• Southern Nights by Sullivan Fortner Featuring Peter Washington & Marcus Gilmore
• Belonging by Branford Marsalis Quartet
• Spirit Fall by John Patitucci Featuring Chris Potter & Brian Blade
• Fasten Up by Yellowjackets
  

1. Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

• Orchestrator Emulator by The 8-Bit Big Band
• Without Further Ado, Vol 1 by Christian McBride Big Band
• Lumen by Danilo Pérez & Bohuslän Big Band
• Basie Rocks! by Deborah Silver & The Count Basie Orchestra
• Lights on a Satellite by Sun Ra Arkestra
• Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores by Kenny Wheeler Legacy Featuring The Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra & Frost Jazz Orchestra
  

1. Best Latin Jazz Album

• La Fleur de Cayenne by Paquito D'Rivera & Madrid-New York Connection Band

• The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico by Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra feat. Pedrito Martinez, Daymé Arocena, Jon Faddis, Donald Harrison & Melvis Santa
• Mundoagua - Celebrating Carla Bley by Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
• A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole by Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yainer Horta & Joey Calveiro
•  Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard by Miguel Zenón Quartet

1. Best Alternative Jazz Album

• honey from a winter stone by Ambrose Akinmusire
• Keys To The City Volume One by Robert Glasper
• Ride into the Sun by Brad Mehldau
• LIVE-ACTION by Nate Smith
• Blues Blood by Immanuel Wilkins
  

1. Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

• Wintersongs by Laila Biali
• The Gift Of Love by Jennifer Hudson
• Who Believes In Angels? by Elton John & Brandi Carlile
• Harlequin by Lady Gaga
• A Matter Of Time by Laufey
• The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume 2 by Barbra Streisand
  

1. Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

• Brightside by ARKAI
• Ones & Twos by Gerald Clayton
• BEATrio by Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez
• Just Us by Bob James & Dave Koz
• Shayan by Charu Suri
  

1. Best Musical Theater Album

• Buena Vista Social Club
• Death Becomes Her
• Gypsy
• Just In Time
• Maybe Happy Ending
  

1. Best Country Solo Performance 

• "Nose On The Grindstone" by Tyler Childers
• "Good News" by Shaboozey
• "Bad As I Used To Be" [From F1 The Movie] by Chris Stapleton
• "I Never Lie" by Zach Top
• "Somewhere Over Laredo" by Lainey Wilson
  

1. Best Country Duo/Group Performance 

• "A Song To Sing" by Miranda Lambert And Chris Stapleton
• "Trailblazer" by Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson
• "Love Me Like You Used To Do" by Margo Price & Tyler Childers
• "Amen" by Shaboozey & Jelly Roll
• "Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame" by George Strait, Chris Stapleton
  

1. Best Country Song

• "Bitin' List" – Tyler Childers, songwriter (Tyler Childers)
• "Good News" – Michael Ross Pollack, Sam Elliot Roman & Jacob Torrey, songwriters (Shaboozey)
• "I Never Lie" – Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols & Zach Top, songwriters (Zach Top)
• "Somewhere Over Laredo" – Andy Albert, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson & Lainey Wilson, songwriters (Lainey Wilson)
• "A Song To Sing" – Jenee Fleenor, Jesse Frasure, Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton)
  

1. Best Traditional Country Album

• Dollar A Day by Charley Crockett
• American Romance by Lukas Nelson
• Oh What A Beautiful World by Willie Nelson
• Hard Headed Woman by Margo Price
• Ain't In It For My Health by Zach Top

1. Best Contemporary Country Album

• Patterns by Kelsea Ballerini
• Snipe Hunter by Tyler Childers
• Evangeline Vs. The Machine by Eric Church
• Beautifully Broken by Jelly Roll
• Postcards From Texas by Miranda Lambert
  

1. Best American Roots Performance 

• "LONELY AVENUE" by Jon Batiste feat. Randy Newman
• "Ancient Light" by I'm With Her
• "Crimson And Clay" by Jason Isbell
• "Richmond On The James" by Alison Krauss & Union Station
• "Beautiful Strangers" by Mavis Staples
  

1. Best Americana Performance

• "Boom" by Sierra Hull
• "Poison In My Well" by Maggie Rose & Grace Potter
• "Godspeed" by Mavis Staples
• "That's Gonna Leave A Mark" by Molly Tuttle
• "Horses" by Jesse Welles
  

1. Best American Roots Song

• "Ancient Light" – Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan & Sara Watkins, songwriters (I'm With Her)
• "BIG MONEY" – Jon Batiste, Mike Elizondo & Steve McEwan, songwriters (Jon Batiste)
• "Foxes In The Snow" – Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell)
• "Middle" – Jesse Welles, songwriter (Jesse Welles)
• "Spitfire" – Sierra Hull, songwriter (Sierra Hull)
  

1. Best Americana Album

• BIG MONEY by Jon Batiste
• Bloom by Larkin Poe
• Last Leaf On The Tree by Willie Nelson 
• So Long Little Miss Sunshine by Molly Tuttle
• Middle by Jesse Welles
  

1. Best Bluegrass Album

• Carter & Cleveland by Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter
• A Tip Toe High Wire by Sierra Hull
• Arcadia by Alison Krauss & Union Station
• Outrun byThe Steeldrivers
• Highway Prayers by Billy Strings
  

1. Best Traditional Blues Album

• Ain't Done With The Blues by Buddy Guy
• Room On The Porch by Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo
• One Hour Mama: The Blues Of Victoria Spivey by Maria Muldaur
• Look Out Highway by Charlie Musselwhite
• Young Fashioned Ways by Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Bobby Rush
  

1. Best Contemporary Blues Album

• Breakthrough by Joe Bonamassa
• Paper Doll by Samantha Fish
• A Tribute to LJK by Eric Gales
• Preacher Kids by Robert Randolph
• Family by Southern Avenue
  

1. Best Folk Album

• What Did The Blackbird Say To The Crow by Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson
• Crown Of Roses by Patty Griffin
• Wild And Clear And Blue by I'm With Her
• Foxes In The Snow by Jason Isbell
• Under The Powerlines (April 24 – September 24) by Jesse Welles
  

1. Best Regional Roots Music Album

• Live At Vaughan's by Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet
• For Fat Man by Preservation Brass & Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• Church Of New Orleans by Kyle Roussel
• Second Line Sunday by Trombone Shorty And New Breed Brass Band
• A Tribute To The King Of Zydeco by (Various Artists)
  

1. Best Gospel Performance/Song

• "Do It Again" by Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter 
• "Church" by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, John Legend; Anthony S. Brown, Brunes Charles, Annatoria Chitapa, Kenneth Leonard, Jr., Tasha Cobbs Leonard & Jonas Myrin, songwriters
• "Still (Live)" by Jonathan McReynolds & Jamal Roberts; Britney Delagraentiss, Jonathan McReynolds, David Lamar Outing III, Orlando Joel Palmer & Terrell Demetrius Wilson, songwriters
• "Amen" by Pastor Mike Jr.; Adia Andrews, Michael McClure Jr., David Lamar Outing II & Terrell Anthony Pettus, songwriters
• "Come Jesus Come" by Cece Winans Featuring Shirley Caesar
  

1. Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

• "I Know A Name" by Elevation Worship, Chris Brown, Brandon Lake; Hank Bentley, Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake & Jacob Sooter, songwriters
• "YOUR WAY'S BETTER" by Forrest Frank; Forrest Frank & PERA, songwriters
• "Hard Fought Hallelujah" by Brandon Lake With Jelly Roll; Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Benjamin William Hastings, Jason Bradley Deford & Brandon Lake, songwriters
• "Headphones" by Lecrae, Killer Mike, T.I.; Tyshane Thompson, Bongo ByTheWay, Michael Render, Lecrae Moore, William Roderick Miller & Clifford Harris, songwriters
• "Amazing" by Darrel Walls, PJ Morton; PJ Morton & Darrel Walls, songwriters
  

1. Best Gospel Album

• Sunny Days by Yolanda Adams
• Tasha by Tasha Cobbs Leonard
• Live Breathe Fight by Tamela Mann
• Only On The Road (Live) by Tye Tribbett
• Heart of Mine by Darrel Walls, PJ Morton
  

1. Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

• CHILD OF GOD II by Forrest Frank
• Coritos Vol. 1 by Israel & New Breed
• King Of Hearts by Brandon Lake
• Reconstruction by Lecrae
• Let The Church Sing by Tauren Wells
  

1. Best Roots Gospel Album

• I Will Not Be Moved (Live) by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
• Then Came The Morning by Gaither Vocal Band
• Praise & Worship: More Than A Hollow Hallelujah by The Isaacs
• Good Answers by Karen Peck & New River
• Back To My Roots by Candi Staton
  

1. Best Latin Pop Album

• Cosa Nuestra by Rauw Alejandro 
• BOGOTÁ (DELUXE) by Andrés Cepeda
• Tropicoqueta by Karol G
• Cancionera by Natalia Lafourcade
• ¿Y ahora qué? by Alejandro Sanz
  

1. Best Música Urbana Album

• DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny
• Mixteip by J Balvin
• FERXXO VOL X: Sagrado by Feid
• NAIKI by Nicki Nicole
• EUB DELUXE by Trueno
• SINFÓNICO (En Vivo) by Yandel
  

1. Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

• Genes Rebeldes by Aterciopelados
• ASTROPICAL by Bomba Estéreo, Rawayana, ASTROPICAL
• PAPOTA by CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso
• ALGORHYTHM by Los Wizzards
• Novela by Fito Paez
  

1. Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)

• MALA MÍA by Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera
• Y Lo Que Viene by Grupo Frontera
• Sin Rodeos by Paola Jara
• Palabra De To's (Seca) by Carín León
• Bobby Pulido & Friends Una Tuya Y Una Mía - Por La Puerta Grande (En Vivo) by Bobby Pulido
  

1. Best Tropical Latin Album

• Fotografías by Rubén Blades, Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
• Raíces by Gloria Estefan
• Clásicos 1.0 by Grupo Niche
• Bingo by Alain Pérez
• Debut y Segunda Tanda, Vol. 2 by Gilberto Santa Rosa
  

1. Best Global Music Performance 

• "EoO" by Bad Bunny
• "Cantando en el Camino" by Ciro Hurtado
• "JERUSALEMA" by Angélique Kidjo
• "Inmigrante Y Que?" by Yeisy Rojas
• "Shrini's Dream (Live)" by Shakti
• "Daybreak" by Anoushka Shankar Featuring Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar
  

1. Best African Music Performance

• "Love" by Burna Boy
• "With You" Davido feat. Omah Lay
• "Hope & Love" by Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin
• "Gimme Dat" by Ayra Starr feat. Wizkid
• "PUSH 2 START" by Tyla
  

1. Best Global Music Album

• Sounds of Kumbha by Siddhant Bhatia
• No Sign of Weakness by Burna Boy
• Eclairer le monde - Light the World by Youssou N'Dour
• Mind Explosion (50th Anniversary Tour Live) by Shakti
• Chapter III: We Return to Light by Anoushka Shankar feat. Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar
• Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo by Caetano Veloso And Maria Bethânia
  

1. Best Reggae Album 

• Treasure Self Love by Lila Iké
• Heart & Soul by Vybz Kartel
• BLXXD & FYAH by Keznamdi
• From Within by Mortimer
• No Place Like Home by Jesse Royal
  

1. Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album

• Kuruvinda by Kirsten Agresta-Copely
• According To The Moon by Cheryl B. Engelhardt, GEM, Dallas String Quartet
• Into The Forest by Jahnavi Harrison
• Nomadica by Carla Patullo Featuring The Scorchio Quartet & Tonality
• The Colors In My Mind by Chris Redding
  

1. Best Children's Music Album

• Ageless: 100 Years Young by Joanie Leeds & Joya
• Buddy's Magic Tree House by Mega Ran
• Harmony by FYÜTCH & Aura V
• Herstory by Flor Bromley
• The Music Of Tori And The Muses by Tori Amos
  

1. Best Comedy Album 

• Drop Dead Years by Bill Burr
• PostMortem by Sarah Silverman
• Single Lady by Ali Wong
• What Had Happened Was… by Jamie Foxx
• Your Friend, Nate Bargatze by Nate Bargatze
  

1. Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording

• Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story – Kathy Garver
• Into The Uncut Grass – Trevor Noah
• Lovely One: A Memoir – Ketanji Brown Jackson
• Meditations: The Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama – Dalai Lama
• You Know It's True: The Real Story Of Milli Vanilli – Fab Morvan
  

1. Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media

• A Complete Unknown (Timothée Chalamet)
• F1 The Album (Various Artists)
• KPop Demon Hunters (Various Artists)
• Sinners (Various Artists)
• Wicked (Various Artists)
  

1. Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

• How To Train Your Dragon – John Powell, composer
• Severance: Season 2 – Theodore Shapiro, composer
• Sinners – Ludwig Göransson, composer
• Wicked – John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, composers
• The Wild Robot – Kris Bowers, composer
  

1. Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media

• Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - Secrets of the Spires – Pinar Toprak, composer
• Helldivers 2 – Wilbert Roget, II, composer
• Indiana Jones And The Great Circle – Gordy Haab, composer
• Star Wars Outlaws: Wild Card & A Pirate's Fortune – Cody Matthew Johnson & Wilbert Roget, II, composers
• Sword of the Sea – Austin Wintory, composer
  

1. Best Song Written for Visual Media

• "As Alive As You Need Me To Be" [From TRON: Ares] – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, songwriters (Nine Inch Nails)
• "Golden" [From KPop Demon Hunters] –  EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)
• "I Lied to You" [From Sinners] – Ludwig Göransson & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Miles Caton)
• "Never Too Late" [From Elton John: Never Too Late] – Brandi Carlile, Elton John, Bernie Taupin & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Elton John, Brandi Carlile)
• "Pale, Pale Moon" [From Sinners] – Ludwig Göransson & Brittany Howard, songwriters (Jayme Lawson)
• "Sinners" [From Sinners] – Leonard Denisenko, Rodarius Green, Travis Harrington, Tarkan Kozluklu, Kyris Mingo & Darius Povilinus, songwriters (Rod Wave)
  

1. Best Music Video

• "Young Lion" by Sade; Sophie Muller, video director; Sade & Aaron Taylor Dean, video producers
• "Manchild" by Sabrina Carpenter; Vania Heymann & Gal Muggia, video directors; Aiden Magarian, Nathan Scherrer & Natan Schottenfels, video producers
• "So Be It" by Clipse; Hannan Hussain, video director; Daniel Order, video producer
• "Anxiety" by Doechii; James Mackel, video director; Pablo Feldman, Jolene Mendes & Sophia Sabella, video producers
• "Love" by OK Go; Aaron Duffy, Miguel Espada & Damian Kulash Jr., video directors; Petra Ahmann, video producer
  

1. Best Music Film

• Devo (Devo) – Chris Smith, video director; Danny Gabai, Anita Greenspan, Chris Holmes & Chris Smith, video producers
• Live At The Royal Albert Hall (RAYE) – Paul Dugdale, video director; Stefan Demetriou & Amy James, video producers
• Relentless (Diane Warren) – Bess Kargman, video director; Peggy Drexler, Michele, Farinola & Kat Nguyen, video producers
• Music By John Williams (John Williams) – Laurent Bouzereau, video director; Sara Bernstein, Laurent Bouzereau, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Meredith Kaulfers, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg & Justin Wilkes, video producers
• Piece By Piece (Pharrell Williams) – Morgan Neville, video director; Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers, Mimi Valdes & Pharrell Williams, video producers
  

1. Best Recording Package

• And The Adjacent Possible – Hà Trinh Quoc Bao, Damian Kulash, Jr., Claudio Ripol, Wombi Rose & Yuri Suzuki, art directors (OK Go)
• Balloonerism – Bráulio Amado & Alim Smith, art directors (Mac Miller)
• Danse Macabre: De Luxe – Rory McCartney, art director (Duran Duran)
• Loud Is As – Farbod Kokabi & Emily Sneddon, art directors (Tsunami)
• Sequoia – Tim Breen & Ken Shipley, art directors (Various Artists)
• The Spins (Picture Disc Vinyl) – Miller McCormick, art director (Mac Miller)
• Tracks II: The Lost Albums – Meghan Foley & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen)
  

1. Best Album Cover

• CHROMAKOPIA – Shaun Llewellyn & Luis "Panch" Perez, art directors (Tyler, The Creator)
• The Crux – William Wesley II, art director (Djo)
• DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, art director (Bad Bunny)
• Glory – Cody Critcheloe & Andrew J.S., art directors (Perfume Genius)
• moisturizer – Hester Chambers, Ellis Durand, Henry Holmes, Matt de Jong, Jamie-James Medina, Joshua Mobaraki & Rhian Teasdale, art directors (Wet Leg)
  

1. Best Album Notes

• Adios, Farewell, Goodbye, Good Luck, So Long: On Stage 1964-1974 – Scott B. Bomar, album notes writer (Buck Owens And His Buckaroos)
• After The Last Sky – Adam Shatz, album notes writer (Anouar Brahem, Anja Lechner, Django Bates, Dave Holland)
• Árabe – Amanda Ekery, album notes writer (Amanda Ekery)
• The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967 – Alec Palao, album notes writer (Sly & The Family Stone)
• A Ghost Is Born (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) – Bob Mehr, album notes writer (Wilco)
• Miles '55: The Prestige Recordings – Ashley Kahn, album notes writer (Miles Davis)
  

1. Best Historical Album

• Joni Mitchell Archives - Volume 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) — Patrick Milligan & Joni Mitchell, compilation producers; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Joni Mitchell)
• The Making Of Five Leaves Left — Cally Callomon & Johnny Chandler, compilation producers; Simon Heyworth & John Wood, mastering engineers (Nick Drake)
• Roots Rocking Zimbabwe - The Modern Sound Of Harare' Townships 1975-1980 (Analog Africa No.41) — Samy Ben Redjeb, compilation producer; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
• Super Disco Pirata - De Tepito Para El Mundo 1965-1980 (Analog Africa No. 39) – Samy Ben Redjeb, compilation producer; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
• You Can't Hip A Square: The Doc Pomus Songwriting Demos – Will Bratton,Sharyn Felder & Cheryl Pawelski, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Doc Pomus)
  

1. Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

• All Things Light – Jesse Brock, Jon Castelli, Tyler Johnson, Nick Lobel, Simon Maartensson, Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell, Anders Mouridsen, Ryan Nasci, Ernesto Olivera-Lapier, Ethan Schneiderman & Owen Stoutt, engineers; Dale Becker, mastering engineer (Cam)
• Arcadia – Neal Cappellino & Gary Paczosa, engineers; Brad Blackwood, mastering engineer (Alison Krauss & Union Station)
• For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) – Joseph Lorge, Blake Mills & Sebastian Reunert, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (Japanese Breakfast)
• That Wasn't A Dream – Joseph Lorge & Blake Mills, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (Pino Palladino, Blake Mills)
  

1. Best Engineered Album, Classical

• Cerrone: Don't Look Down – Mike Tierney, engineer; Alan Silverman, mastering engineer (Sandbox Percussion)
• Eastman: Symphony No. 2; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 – Gintas Norvila, engineer; Jennifer Nulsen, mastering engineer (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra)
• Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth Of The Mtsensk District – Shawn Murphy & Nick Squire, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Andris Nelsons, Kristine Opolais, Günther Groissböck, Peter Hoare, Brenden Gunnell & Boston Symphony Orchestra)
• Standard Stoppages – Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, Bill Maylone, Judith Sherman & David Skidmore, engineers; Joe Lambert, mastering engineer (Third Coast Percussion)
• Yule – Morten Lindberg, engineer; Morten Lindberg, mastering engineer (Trio Mediæval)
  

1. Producer of the Year, Classical

• Blanton Alspaugh
• Sergei Kvitko
• Morten Lindberg
• Dmitriy Lipay 
• Elaine Martone
  

1. Best Immersive Audio Album

• All American F***boy – Andrew Law, immersive mix engineer (Duckwrth)
• Immersed – Justin Gray, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Justin Gray, Drew Jurecka & Morten Lindberg, immersive producers (Justin Gray)
• An Immersive Tribute To Astor Piazzolla (Live) – Andrés Mayo & Martín Muscatello, immersive mix engineers; Andrés Mayo & Martín Muscatello, immersive producers (Various Artists)
• Tearjerkers – Hans-Martin Buff, immersive mix engineer; Hans-Martin Buff, immersive producer (Tearjerkers)
• Yule – Morten Lindberg, immersive mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive mastering engineer; Arve Henriksen & Morten Lindberg, immersive producers (Trio Mediæval)
  

1. Best Instrumental Composition

• "First Snow" – Remy Le Boeuf, composer (Nordkraft Big Band, Remy Le Boeuf & Danielle Wertz)
• "Live Life This Day: Movement I" – Miho Hazama, composer (Miho Hazama, Danish Radio Big Band & Danish National Symphony Orchestra)
• "Lord, That's A Long Way" – Sierra Hull, composer (Sierra Hull)
• "Opening" – Zain Effendi, composer (Zain Effendi)
• "Train To Emerald City" – John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, composers (John Powell & Stephen Schwartz)
• "Why You Here / Before The Sun Went Down" – Ludwig Göransson, composer (Ludwig Göransson feat. Miles Caton)
  

1. Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

• "Be Okay" – Cynthia Erivo, arranger (Cynthia Erivo)
• "A Child Is Born" – Remy Le Boeuf, arranger (Nordkraft Big Band & Remy Le Boeuf)
• "Fight On" – Andy Clausen, Addison Maye-Saxon, Riley Mulherkar & Chloe Rowlands, arrangers (The Westerlies)
• "Super Mario Praise Break" – Bryan Carter, Charlie Rosen & Matthew Whitaker, arrangers (The 8-Bit Big Band)
  

1. Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

• "Big Fish" – Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick, Nate Smith & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (Nate Smith feat. säje)
• "How Did She Look?" – Nelson Riddle, arranger (Seth MacFarlane)
• "Keep An Eye On Summer" – Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier)
• "Something In The Water (Acoustic-Ish)" – Clyde Lawrence, Gracie Lawrence & Linus Lawrence, arrangers (Lawrence)
• "What A Wonderful World" – Cody Fry, arranger (Cody Fry)
  

1. Best Orchestral Performance

• Coleridge-Taylor: Toussaint L'Ouverture; Ballade Op. 4; Suites From '24 Negro Melodies' – Michael Repper, conductor (National Philharmonic)
• Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie – Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
• Ravel: Boléro, M. 81 – Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra Of Venezuela)
• Still & Bonds – Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (The Philadelphia Orchestra)
• Stravinsky: Symphony In Three Movements – Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)
  

1. Best Opera Recording

• Heggie: Intelligence – Kwamé Ryan, conductor; Jamie Barton, J'Nai Bridges & Janai Brugger; Blanton Alspaugh, producer (Houston Grand Opera; Gene Scheer)
• Huang Ruo: An American Soldier – Carolyn Kuan, conductor; Hannah Cho, Alex DeSocio, Nina Yoshida Nelsen & Brian Vu; Adam Abeshouse, Silas Brown & Doron Schachter, producers (American Composers Orchestra; David Henry Hwang
• Kouyoumdjian: Adoration – Alan Pierson, conductor; Miriam Khalil, Marc Kudisch, David Adam Moore, Omar Najmi, Naomi Louisa O'Connell & Karim Sulayman; Mary Kouyoumdjian, producer (Silvana Quartet; The Choir Of Trinity Wall Street)
• O'Halloran: Trade & Mary Motorhead – Elaine Kelly, conductor; Oisín Ó Dálaigh & John Molloy; Alex Dowling & Emma O'Halloran, producers (Irish National Opera Orchestra; Mark O'Halloran)
• Tesori: Grounded – Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Ben Bliss, Emily D'Angelo, Greer Grimsley & Kyle Miller; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus; George Brant)
  

1. Best Choral Performance

• Advena - Liturgies For A Broken World – Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Simon Barrad, Emily Yocum Black & Michael Hawes; Conspirare)
• Childs: In The Arms Of The Beloved – Grant Gershon, conductor (Billy Childs, Dan Chmlellnskl, Christian Euman, Larry Koonse, Lyris Quartet, Anne Akiko Meyers, Carol Robbins & Luciana Souza; Los Angeles Master Chorale)
• Lang: Poor Hymnal – Donald Nally, conductor (Steven Bradshaw, Michael Hawes, Lauren Kelly, Rebecca Siler & Elisa Sutherland; The Crossing)
• Ortiz: Yanga – Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Grant Gershon, chorus master (Los Angeles Philharmonic & Tambuco Percussion Ensemble; Los Angeles Master Chorale)
• Requiem Of Light – Steven Fox, conductor; Emily Drennan & Patti Drennan, chorus masters (Brian Giebler & Sangeeta Kaur; The Clarion Choir)
  

1. Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

• Dennehy: Land Of Winter – Alan Pierson & Alarm Will Sound
• La Mer - French Piano Trios – Neave Trio
• Lullabies For The Brokenhearted – Lili Haydn & Paul Cantelon 
• Slavic Sessions – Mak Grgić & Mateusz Kowalski
• Standard Stoppages – Third Coast Percussion
  

1. Best Classical Instrumental Solo

• Coleridge-Taylor: 3 Selections From '24 Negro Melodies' by Curtis Stewart; Michael Repper, conductor (National Philharmonic)
• Hope Orchestrated by Mary Dawood Catlin; Jesús David Medina & Raniero Palm, conductors (Venezuela Strings Recording Ensemble)
• Inheritances by Adam Tendler
• Price: Piano Concerto In One Movement In D Minor by Han Chen; John Jeter, conductor (Malmö Opera Orchestra)
• Shostakovich: The Cello Concertos by Yo-Yo Ma; Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
• Shostakovich: The Piano Concertos; Solo Works by Yuja Wang; Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
  

1. Best Classical Solo Album

• Alike - My Mother's Dream – Allison Charney, soloist; Benjamin Loeb, conductor (National Symphonia Orchestra)
• Black Pierrot – Sidney Outlaw, soloist; Warren Jones, pianist
• In This Short Life – Devony Smith, soloist; Danny Zelibor, pianist; Michael Nicolas, accompanist
• Kurtág: Kafka Fragments – Susan Narucki, soloist; Curtis Macomber, accompanist
• Schubert Beatles – Theo Hoffman, soloist; Steven Blier, pianist (Rupert Boyd, Julia Bullock, Alex Levine, Andrew Owens, Rubén Rengel & Sam Weber)
• Telemann: Ino - Opera Arias For Soprano – Amanda Forsythe, soloist; Robert Mealy, Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors (Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra)
  

1. Best Classical Compendium

• Cerrone: Don't Look Down – Sandbox Percussion; Jonathan Allen, Victor Caccese, Christopher Cerrone, Ian Rosenbaum, Terry Sweeney & Mike Tierney, producers
• The Dunbar/Moore Sessions, Vol. II – Will Liverman; Jonathan Estabrooks, producer
• Ortiz: Yanga – Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer
• Seven Seasons – Janai Brugger, Isolde Fair, MB Gordy & Starr Parodi; Nicholas Dodd, conductor; Jeff Fair, Starr Parodi & Kitt Wakeley, producers
• Tombeaux – Christina Sandsengen; Shaun Drew & Christina Sandsengen, producers
  

1. Best Contemporary Classical Composition

• Cerrone: Don't Look Down – Christopher Cerrone, composer (Conor Hanick & Sandbox Percussion)
• Dennehy: Land Of Winter – Donnacha Dennehy, composer (Alan Pierson & Alarm Will Sound)
• León: Raíces (Origins) – Tania León, composer (Edward Gardner & London Philharmonic Orchestra)
• Okpebholo: Songs In Flight – Shawn E. Okpebholo, composer (Will Liverman, Paul Sánchez & Various Artists)
• Ortiz: Dzonot – Gabriela Ortiz, composer (Alisa Weilerstein, Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)

Copyright 2025 NPR

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

Companies backing data center construction are flooding Sacramento with cash, hoping to stop or defang seven bills that would regulate the facilities as they head toward approval in the California Legislature this week.

The pro-data-center spenders include Big Tech companies like Amazon and AI titan Anthropic. But they are led, dollar-wise, by old school utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric, which earlier this year clocked its second biggest lobbying quarter since 1999.

The financial push comes a year after four bills that attempted to regulate data centers died or were diluted after lobbying from the industry. But as artificial intelligence fuels an unprecedented facility buildout, public backlash is transforming data center construction into a major issue for candidates in upcoming elections.

A May Gallup poll found seven in 10 Americans oppose data center construction in their communities, while a Public Policy Institute of California poll in July found similar opposition statewide. Rising public anxiety over utility costs, water use, and grid strain has driven California lawmakers to propose strict new data center rules — igniting a high-stakes lobbying push by the industry.

Hundreds of cities have considered or passed project bans this year, including in Monterey Park, where voters passed a ballot measure to permanently ban data centers, and Bay Area cities like Pittsburg, which backtracked on approvals following public outcry.

State law requires businesses and groups that engage in lobbying to report their overall quarterly spending, but does not require a breakdown of exactly how much is being spent on each bill. An analysis by CalMatters of lobbying activity for the first six months of 2026 found that utilities, tech companies and their proxies have spent millions of dollars lobbying state lawmakers, with data center bills emerging as a primary focus.

By Monday, it will be clear which bills made it out of the Legislature and onto Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature or veto by the end of September.

The fate of the measures could have far-reaching consequences, affecting not only data center development but environmental regulation, utility rates, and how freely California’s tech giants can operate in the state. Nationally, advocates and lawmakers agree that California’s regulation around data centers could be an important bellwether for how similar fights will play out elsewhere.

“The level of awareness is through the roof, and the level of concern and sensitivity is through the roof — it's bipartisan, it's national, and it's across the board,” California Sen. Steve Padilla, a Democrat from Chula Vista who is author of two pending data center bills, told CalMatters.

Who is lobbying on data centers?

During the first half of 2026, Amazon paid more than $500,000 to lobby lawmakers on 33 pieces of legislation, including several data center bills and matters related to antitrust and artificial intelligence. Amazon spent more than $1.7 million lobbying in California last year.

Meanwhile, AI company Anthropic, which sent its first lobbyists to Sacramento last year, has spent nearly $90,000 to influence decisions made by the California Legislature so far this year and, according to the Financial Times, nearly tripled its federal lobbying spend in the same time period. Last year, Anthropic spent over $200,000 lobbying in the state.

Although Anthropic paid a lobbyist to influence lawmakers decisionmaking on data centers, a spokesperson said the company does not support or oppose any specific bills in California. The company, the spokesperson said, is also interested in working with lawmakers “on AI safety and other relevant issues." Representatives for Amazon did not respond to a request for comment from CalMatters.

Utility giant PG&E’s latest filing shows that it spent $2.86 million lobbying in California between April and June — its second highest quarter since 1999 (only surpassed since then by 2018, the year of the deadliest wildfire in state history, later linked to its equipment). A spokesperson for PG&E said the company has engaged on a “broad scope” of issues facing the industry during this legislative session, adding that “less than 5% of our spending was on data-center related issues,” amounting to approximately $143,000.

Groups acting as proxies for data center operators and tech companies have been especially active this year in California’s capitol, critics say. Business interests say they are trying to ground policy conversations in reality.

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Fred Greaves

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CalMatters

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Other utilities, like Southern California Edison, and unions representing utility workers, like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, have also invested in lobbying efforts on the bills.

Utilities providers are particularly motivated to influence bills because the development of new data centers represents a historic opportunity for expansion and grid upgrades, according to Matthew Freedman, senior staff attorney for The Utility Reform Network. Under the current regulatory framework, he said, the cost of expanding transmission lines is spread across all grid users, which means everyday consumers foot the bill.

But several of this year’s data center bills would change that, shifting costs back toward data center operators. “The groups that have been the strongest opponents of the bills this year include the proxies for the data centers and the tech companies,” Freedman said, referring to industry groups such as the Data Center Coalition, Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the California Chamber of Commerce. “They serve as a mouthpiece for the tech industry.”

Filings do not show that tech giants like Google, OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft are lobbying lawmakers directly on data centers this session. Instead, the business groups Freedman referenced, which represent the Big Tech firms, carry the weight.

Silicon Valley Leadership Group, which represents companies including Apple and Amazon, has so far spent over $100,000 lobbying on bills including the various data center measures this year and is on track for its highest annual lobbying spend since tracking began in 2005.

The Data Center Coalition, which counts companies like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI among its members, has logged its second and third highest-ever spending quarters so far this year. It has spent roughly $60,000 lobbying state lawmakers and the governor’s office to voice opposition to nearly every bill that would regulate data centers.

The bills and the backlash 

The measures before the Legislature this session include:

• Bills to shift electric infrastructure costs toward data center operators and away from residential customers: SB 1168, SB 886 and AB 2383.
• Bills mandating disclosures or estimates of water usage (and sometimes usage of other resources): AB 2619 and two bills that cleared the Legislature Thursday, AB 1577 and AB 2469.
• SB 887, which would require all data center projects to undergo environmental reviews and offer fast-tracked approval for facilities that meet standards for water and energy conservation.

Business interests opposed to the bills argue they would stifle tech companies’ ability to innovate and compete, tie up critical infrastructure in red tape and unfairly burden the construction of data centers versus the construction of other types of projects.

Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Ahmad Thomas told CalMatters that he sees public debate over data centers as fueled by “strong anti-AI sentiment,” and that industry groups like his aim to “ground the conversation in reality” about the ways consumers rely on data center infrastructure for everyday services.

Advocacy groups counter that transparency is vital to protect the environment and public resources, and that everyday consumers should not be affected by increased infrastructure and utilities costs.

Britt Smith, who is part of a community group organizing against a controversial $2 billion Amazon data center project in Gilroy south of San Jose, said corporate opponents of the bills are “spending so much because there’s so much at stake,” adding, “Our future, our safety, is not for sale.”

This robust fight stands in stark contrast to last year, when the only bill signed into law was stripped down to just a requirement for state energy regulators to publish an environmental impact study on data centers’ electricity demand. Newsom also vetoed a water usage disclosure bill, citing concerns that regulation could stifle AI growth.

Whether this year's intensified lobbying will yield similar results remains uncertain, but lawmakers say shifting voter sentiment heading into the midterms has altered the political landscape.

“When you're looking down the barrel of public outcry that says we don't want [data centers] at all, and you've got localities that are saying they’re going to ban them, then you know the atmosphere has changed,” Assemblymember Diane Papan, a San Mateo Democrat who authored two of the bills, told CalMatters. “We are in a totally different environment this year.”

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

Topline:

Why oysters? Oysters filter and improve water quality … and can help prevent coastal erosion. Yet native species have been nearly wiped out since the Gold Rush era sparked overharvesting and coastal development. The nonprofit Orange County Coastkeeper has been working to restore oysterbeds along the OC coast for more than a decade.

What to expect: Oysterpalooza will feature speakers highlighting the group’s restoration efforts, as well as local food, beer and sustainable product vendors. Of course, there will be oyster tasting too!

The details: You can join a beach cleanup beforehand at 9 a.m., or just get straight to the party, which starts Saturday at 11 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. at Sunset Beach Community Center in Huntington Beach. Sign up for the beach cleanup and get full festival details here.

Go deeper: Your shucked oysters could help shore up the Orange County coast

After opening a modern Korean pub called Yi Cha in 2025, chef Debbie Lee decided to pay homage to her heritage with Mokja, this time serving Korean goods and convenience.

Lee sat down with AirTalk Friday host Austin Cross to talk about her vision for gourmet Korean style snacks in L.A.

Grab-and-go convenience with a twist

Lee says the idea behind Mokja was to take the model of American convenience stores and blend it with Korean flavors.

It’s a place for people who want to grab something for the road, stop by for a quick snack or even meal prep for the week. The store also partnered with Frank and Michele La, creators of Be Bright Coffee, to offer Korean-style coffee drinks to pair with the snacks.

Daru Yu, Frank La, Debbie Lee and Michelle La

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Stan Lee

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The Korean word Mokja translates to "let's eat."

“If your mom or your grandma was calling you over the table, they'd say, ‘Bali Mokja,’ which means, ‘Hurry, let's eat’”

What you’ll find at Mokja

One of the quick, to-go items you’ll find is Lee’s northern style mandu dumplings, stuffed with fatty pork and shrimp and inspired by her grandmother’s recipe.

Build your own ramen tray

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Stan Lee

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Build your own Ramen station

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Stan Lee

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Grab n' Go Banchan

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Stan Lee

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For optimal convenience, the king-sized dumplings are offered in the grab-and-go fridge. Lee recommends popping them in the microwave at the store and enjoying them with a coffee.

Mokja also features a make-your-own ramen station, which Lee says has become incredibly popular for families with kids.

Korean hand pies with southern flair

One of the highlights on the menu is the oxtail hand pie, which features a braised Korean-style oxtail known as kkori-jjim. It’s inspired by southern soul food influences her parents picked up on.

Braised Oxtail aka “Gori Jjim” Hand Pie

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Stan Lee

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“My mom learned how to cook from the Black cooks in Jackson, Mississippi, and she learned good old soul Southern food.”

Kimchee Cheese Biscuits

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Stan Lee

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Yuja Cha Ice Box Pie

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Stan Lee

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Lee said Mokja is all about telling the story through food.

The restaurant also features other Korean/Southern fusion, including a Yuju cha ice box pie and Kimchi cheese biscuits.

State lawmakers have reached a deal that would provide school districts some relief from the costs of childhood sexual abuse lawsuits filed after a 2020 law allowed victims to sue for abuse by public employees going back decades, EdSource has learned.

It was not immediately clear Thursday afternoon whether the last-minute deal, brokered days before the legislative session is set to end on Aug. 31, has enough support to reach Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.

At issue is Assembly Bill 218, a law that lifted the statute of limitations to sue for childhood sexual abuse and enabled a blitz of costly litigation against schools and public agencies. In some cases, victims have received tens of millions of dollars for sexual assaults and abuses they say took place decades ago at the hands of teachers and other public employees.

Details of the deal are included in amendments made to Senate Bill 577 co-authored by Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz. According to the amended bill text, the deal would raise the legal standard required for people who are 40 years or older to sue for sexual assaults that occurred before Jan. 1, 2024. It also calls for schools and other agencies to have sexual assault prevention plans and codes of conduct.

“California stands with survivors, whose voices have shaped this process every step of the way, and the Legislature is taking action to defend and preserve survivors’ path to justice — that is not negotiable,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, said in a statement. “With this solution, the state is safeguarding schools and public services, while investing in prevention and protecting against future abuse. California is committed to the safety of every child.”

The amendments do not appear to address a limit or cap on jury awards or settlement amounts for childhood sexual abuse cases in the state. Caps were a major demand from public agencies, including schools, counties and obscure agencies called joint powers authorities that serve as insurance pools for school districts.

Laird, who had attempted to pass an AB 218 reform bill last year, said in a phone interview Thursday evening that the negotiations that led to the compromise were difficult. Putting a complete cap on settlement amounts “was a bridge too far” for many lawmakers, Laird said.

Troy Flint, spokesperson for the California School Boards Association, said the group was grateful for lawmakers’ efforts, but added that it’s “highly questionable” whether the deal would do enough to prevent school districts from getting slammed with seven-figure settlements.

“We’re grateful to Speaker Rivas and Pro Tem (Monique) Limón for their efforts to address this issue,” Ben Adler, director of public affairs for the California State Association of Counties, said in a statement. “It’s clear the status quo is broken, and the unintended consequences have grown out of control.”