2026 Grammys

Why the Grammys Matter to a Music Teacher

I’ve always been someone who watches snippets of the Grammys — a performance here, an acceptance speech there. But last year, I decided to sit down and watch the entire show from start to finish, and I didn’t expect how emotional it would make me. I found myself tearing up watching brand‑new artists accept their very first awards, and also seeing artists who have been grinding for years finally have their moment. It was a powerful reminder of how long the road can be in music, and how meaningful recognition can feel when it finally arrives.

As a music teacher, the Grammys hit a little differently. A big part of my job is staying aware of what’s happening in the industry, even when that means teaching songs or styles I wouldn’t normally listen to on my own. Knowing current artists, trends, and sounds helps me better serve my students. It informs how I talk about vocal technique, songwriting, production choices, and even performance style. 

I don’t think every single performance needs a deep dive, but a few moments really stood out to me.

Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter delivered great vocals and a visually strong performance. The airplane set just fit her brand perfectly! I really enjoyed her most recent album, and she was nominated six times this year, though she didn’t take home any wins. As strong as the vocals were, the music felt like a continuation of her earlier work. Her first album made huge waves and pulled in a massive audience (Espresso, anyone?), and while this one was solid, I think she’ll need to take an even bigger creative leap to truly dominate in future years.

Best New Artist Performances

One of my favorite parts of the night was getting to see all the Best New Artist nominees perform. It felt like a showcase of where pop and alternative music are heading.

Addison Rae’s performance was fun and very pop-forward. It immediately reminded me of early Britney Spears. Lola Young stood out emotionally; her performance at the piano was raw, grounded, and vocally compelling. Katseye had a lot going on visually and choreographically. They're clearly strong dancers, even if the song choice didn’t fully land for me (and honestly, I couldn’t do what they do physically). 

Alex Warren is arguably the most well-known of the group in terms of streaming numbers (Ordinary), but unfortunately he couldn’t hear himself on stage. You could tell he was frustrated, and as someone who has performed, my heart really went out to him. Technical issues can completely derail a moment you’ve worked so hard for. Leon Thomas is undeniably talented, but the performance itself didn’t feel especially memorable, and I wasn’t thrilled with the decision to record that particular song with Chris Brown.

I was genuinely excited to see The Marías nominated. I’ve been listening to them for years and love their sound, even though I didn’t expect them to win. Sombr has some solid songs, but I haven’t been impressed by what I’ve heard from his live performances or tours.

Olivia Dean gave a beautiful, tasteful performance, and she was the one I was personally rooting for. In the end, she took home Best New Artist and for me, it felt well deserved. Across vocals, songwriting, and production, her music feels thoughtful, grounded, and timeless. As I was watching, it was hard to tell if she would actually win, or if my perspective was slightly clouded simply because her artistry resonated with me so deeply.

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber’s performance was interesting. He performed in boxers with a guitar, a MIDI keyboard, and a loop pedal. It gave strong Ed Sheeran energy, but it also brought me back to his early YouTube days where it was just him, a guitar, and a song. While I appreciated the stripped-down approach, the song itself never fully went anywhere.

Song of the Year & Other Notable Performances

Song of the Year went to “Wildflower” by Billie Eilish, and I loved that choice. Billie and Finneas continue to push songwriting boundaries, and this song in particular avoids the typical pop structure in a really refreshing way. “Abracadabra” was another favorite of mine. I was surprised that “Golden” didn’t win, but this felt like one of those moments where you could tell musicians, not the general public, were doing the voting. The most popular song doesn’t always take the prize, and that’s not a bad thing.

Tyler, The Creator and Lady Gaga both gave standout performances, each in completely different ways. I also appreciated the Grammys splitting the country category into contemporary and traditional country — a smart move, given how much the genre has evolved. Pop has been doing this for years, and it makes sense to apply that same thinking elsewhere. Along those lines, Laufey winning Traditional Pop and Lady Gaga having albums recognized in multiple pop categories felt like a reflection of how fluid genres have become.

Album of the Year

One of the most meaningful moments of the night for me was Bad Bunny’s acceptance speech. He won Album of the Year, marking the first time an album entirely in Spanish has won that award. That felt like a huge and important moment for the industry.

Closing Thoughts

Watching the Grammys this way reminded me why I love music. It’s exciting to see artists I respect recognized, and equally exciting to discover new voices and songs I hadn’t heard before. Experiencing different styles and approaches is inspiring, and it always gives me fresh ideas for how to explore music with my students.