Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga Lead 2025 Grammy Nominations with Powerhouse Albums

Explore the top Grammy nominations featuring Kendrick Lamar’s GNX and Lady Gaga’s MAYHEM shaping the 2025 music awards buzz.

Kendrick and Lady Gaga Dominate Grammy Nominations for 2025

There’s a fresh wave of excitement swirling around this year’s Grammy Awards, and at the heart of it stands none other than Kendrick Lamar, reigning as the top nominee for the second consecutive year. Clocking in an impressive nine nominations, Kendrick’s latest masterpiece GNX is making waves, especially with nods for Album of the Year and the hit collaboration “luther” featuring SZA snagging both Song and Record of the Year categories.

The 68th Grammy Awards will hit the stage on February 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on CBS, promising a star-studded night.

As Kendrick battles for Album of the Year, he faces stern competition from Lady Gaga’s electrifying MAYHEM, Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Justin Bieber’s SWAG, Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out, Leon Thomas’ MUTT, and Tyler, the Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA.

Rising Stars and Multiple Nominees Heat Up the Scene

Leon Thomas stands out with six nominations, including a fierce race for Best New Artist. He’s up against a vibrant mix of fresh talent like Olivia Dean, sombr, Alex Warren, the Marías, Lola Young, Addison Rae, and KATSEYE. Doechii also shines with five nods, notably for her track “Anxiety,” which is in the running for both Record and Song of the Year.

Producer wizard Cirkut has racked up seven nominations, thanks to his work on Lady Gaga’s MAYHEM and the dynamic “APT.” by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, which is also competing for top songwriting honors.

Other heavy hitters with five nominations each include Tyler, the Creator, Clipse, SZA, producers Andrew Watt and Sounwave, as well as the rising underground rock band Turnstile. Justin Bieber, Tyler Childers, Jesse Wells, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Miranda Lambert, and Chris Stapleton each scored four nominations, further enriching the diverse slate.

Breaking Records Behind the Scenes: Jack Antonoff’s Historic Nods

Even though Jack Antonoff missed out on a Producer of the Year nomination — a category he has dominated three times before — he made history in a different way. Antonoff becomes the first producer and songwriter ever to snag nominations in Album, Song, and Record of the Year with two different artists in a single year, collaborating on projects for Sabrina Carpenter and Kendrick Lamar. That’s a feat only a true Grammy maestro could accomplish.

Rocking the Grammy Stage: Top Rock and Alternative Nods

Rock fans won’t be disappointed either. Deftones’ private music joins the fray with nominations for Best Rock Album, facing off against Haim’s I Quit, Linkin Park’s From Zero, Turnstile’s Never Enough, and Yungblud’s Idols.

The Best Rock Performance category is packed with energy, featuring Amyl and the Sniffers’ “U Should Not Be Doing That,” Linkin Park’s “The Emptiness Machine,” Turnstile’s “NEVER ENOUGH,” Hayley Williams’ “Mirtazapine,” and Yungblud’s heartfelt “Changes,” performed at Black Sabbath’s farewell concert last July.

Alternative music enthusiasts get a treat with Bon Iver, the Cure, Wet Leg, and Hayley Williams each securing multiple nominations. Notably, Tyler, the Creator receives an unusual Best Alternative Music Album nod for Don’t Tap the Glass, released just eight months after his CHROMAKOPIA album, showing his relentless creative momentum.

Spotlight on Visual Media: Nine Inch Nails and More

On the soundtrack front, Nine Inch Nails rocks the Best Song Written for Visual Media category with their TRON: Ares anthem “As Alive As You Need Me To Be.” Other notable entries include the catchy “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters and the stirring documentary title track “Never Too Late,” performed by Elton John and Brandi Carlile.

The Big Four Grammy Categories: Full Nominee Rundown

Album of the Year

• DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS — Bad Bunny
• SWAG — Justin Bieber
• Man’s Best Friend — Sabrina Carpenter
• Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse
• MAYHEM — Lady Gaga
• GNX — Kendrick Lamar
• MUTT — Leon Thomas
• CHROMAKOPIA — Tyler, the Creator

Record of the Year

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

Song of the Year

• “Abracadabra,” Henry Walter, Lady Gaga, Andrew Watt (Lady Gaga)
• “Anxiety,” Jaylah Hickmon (Doechii)
• “APT.,” Amy Allen, Christopher Brody Brown, Rogét Chahayed, Henry Walter, Omer Fedi, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Chae Young Park, Theron Thomas (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 (Bad Bunny)
• “Golden” (from KPop Demon Hunters), EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick (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 (Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA)
• “Manchild,” Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff, Sabrina Carpenter
• “WILDFLOWER,” Billie Eilish O’Connell, Finneas O’Connell

Best New Artist

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

A Nostalgic Nod to Rock’s Greatest

If the Grammy buzz has you reminiscing about rock legends, there’s a curated list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time that’s well worth a browse to fuel your soundtrack.

Wrapping Up the Grammy Fever

“Kendrick Lamar is the top nominee for the second year in a row, proving his place as a dominant force in music.” – Insider Commentary

The 2025 Grammy nominations brilliantly reflect the diversity and dynamism of today’s music scene. From Kendrick Lamar’s lyrical mastery and Lady Gaga’s theatrical brilliance to the fresh faces shaking up the industry, this year’s awards promise unforgettable moments and fierce competition.

FAQ

• How many nominations does Kendrick Lamar have this year?
  Kendrick Lamar leads with nine nominations, including Album, Record, and Song of the Year.
• Which artists are nominated for Album of the Year?
  Notable nominees include Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Clipse, Leon Thomas, Sabrina Carpenter, and Tyler, the Creator.
• Who are the contenders for Best New Artist?
  The category includes Olivia Dean, Leon Thomas, Addison Rae, sombr, KATSEYE, Alex Warren, Lola Young, and The Marías.
• What is unique about Jack Antonoff’s nominations?
  He’s the first producer/songwriter to get nominations in Album, Song, and Record of the Year with two different artists in the same year.
• Which rock albums are nominated this year?
  Deftones’ private music, Haim’s I Quit, Linkin Park’s From Zero, Turnstile’s Never Enough, and Yungblud’s Idols lead the pack.

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