NEW YORK (AP) — The Recording Academy has tweaked some of its rules for the 2026 Grammy Awards, including carving out a stand-alone category for best album cover — a day after Sabrina Carpenter sparked considerable discourse unveiling what is believed to be the cover for her next album.
The academy on Thursday announced that the best recording package and the best boxed or special limited edition package categories will be combined into the best recording package category, with best album cover spun out on its own. The last Grammy for best recording package went to “Brat,” the Charli xcx album whose distinctive cover was immediately embraced by pop culture and meme creators.
“The Academy’s top priority is to represent the music people that we serve each year,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy said in a statement. “That entails listening carefully to our members to make sure our rules and guidelines reflect today’s music and allow us to accurately recognize as many deserving creators as possible.”
Carpenter revealed the title and release date for her new album, “Man’s Best Friend,” on Wednesday. The image shows Carpenter, dressed in a black dress and high heels, kneeling on the ground in a dog-like pose while an unseen person pulls her by the hair. On social media, some fans said the image was demeaning while others argued it was satirical.
The album would be eligible for the new category if she releases “Man’s Best Friend” on Aug. 29, as promised. The Grammy eligibility period closes the next day.
Other Grammy changes include the creation of a best traditional country album category, while the existing best country album category has been renamed best contemporary country album. (Beyoncé won best country album at the 2025 Grammy Awards for “Cowboy Carter.”)
The best new artist category has also been expanded to include acts who were featured on previous album of the year nominees, so long as they fall below 20% of the album’s music.
The Grammys will be held Feb. 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with nominations set to be announced on Nov. 7.
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