How to watch the 2026 Grammy Awards with or without cable, including free options

You are going to want to turn up the volume on your television sets. It’s time for the 68th Grammy Awards, which take place on Sunday, February 1.

The movers, shakers, and singers of the Recording Academy are primed to put on one heck of a concert at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Let’s take a look at the host, nominations, and upcoming changes before we dive into how to tune in and jam.

Who is hosting the 2026 Grammy Awards?

Trevor Noah is back for his sixth consecutive year as the master of ceremonies. This is going to be his last hurrah, though. In fact, he almost didn’t do the honors this year.

Executive producer Ben Winston told the Los Angeles Times that he had to creatively implore Noah to do one more show. “I went back and begged—like, literally sent him a video where I was on my knees,” Winston recalled.

The theatrics worked.

Noah will be backed up by an impressive group of presenters, such as Carole King, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Doechii, Harry Styles, Jeff Goldblum, Karol G, Lainey Wilson, Marcello Hernández, Nikki Glaser, Q-Tip, Queen Latifah, and Teyana Taylor.

We’re told there will also be a surprise or two.

Who is nominated for a 2026 Grammy Award?

While there are 95 different categories in the Grammy Awards, don’t fret. Only about 10 of them will be televised.

Leading the pack with the most nominations is Kendrick Lamar. Among his nine nods are album of the year for GNX and song of the year for “Luther,” a duet with SZA.

Coming in second are Lady Gaga, Cirkut, and Jack Antonoff, with seven nominations each. Leon Thomas, Serban Ghenea, Sabrina Carpenter, and Bad Bunny all got six nods.

Who is performing at the 2026 Grammy Awards?

The Grammys are all about the live performances. Following last year’s precedent, all eight nominees for best new artist will sing their hearts out for the telecast. Thomas, Addison Rae, Alex Warren, Katseye, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, Sombr, and the Marías are scheduled to sing.

These new kids on the block are not the only ones who’ll be having fun. Veteran performers such as Carpenter, Gaga, Clipse, and Pharrell Williams will also give it their all. And Beliebers can rejoice as Justin Bieber takes the Grammy stage after a four-year hiatus.

Reba McEntire, Lauryn Hill, and Post Malone will help the audience remember those we lost this year during the “In Memoriam” segment. Tributes will be paid to Roberta Flack, Ozzy Osbourne, D’Angelo, and more.

What’s notable at the Grammys this year?

In addition to this being Noah’s last telecast, 2026 will be the final year that the Grammy Awards are broadcast on CBS. Beginning in 2027, ABC will have the honors. According to The Wall Street Journal, this 10-year deal cost the Walt Disney Co., ABC’s parent company, more than $500 million.

And 2026 marks the first time that one of the top country music categories has been expanded. There are now two album categories: traditional country album and contemporary country album.

So technically, 2025’s best country album (and best overall album) winner, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, would now fall into the latter category if it had dropped a year later. It’s also interesting to note that Morgan Wallen opted not to submit his latest album, I’m the Problem, for consideration. Wallen has not publicly addressed his decision-making process.

An album cover category was added this year as well, giving visual artists some much-deserved recognition.

The Recording Academy made efforts to expand its voting bloc leading up to the music industry’s big night. According to the Los Angeles Times, 3,800 new members joined the ranks in November. This diverse group included 58% people of color and 35% who identify as women. Many of these members were invited to join because they were part of the Latin Recording Academy.

How can I watch or stream the Grammy Awards?

To cheer on your favorite artist, all you have to do is tune into CBS at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). If you have a traditional cable subscription or an over-the-air (OTA) antenna with reception, you are covered. Watching with an OTA antenna is free.

If streaming is more your style, Paramount+ is the answer. You will need the Showtime add-on to watch in real time. Those with the Paramount+ Essential subscription can catch the action the next day.

If Paramount+ is not in your streaming arsenal, utilize a live-TV streaming service such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, or Fubo.

Be sure to double-check regional differences before committing to a new service, as CBS coverage will vary.

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