The Recording Academy recently made several updates to its rules for the 2026 Grammy Awards, introducing a new category specifically for the best album cover. This announcement follows shortly after singer Sabrina Carpenter revealed what is believed to be the cover for her upcoming album, generating significant discussion online.
The Academy stated on Thursday that it is combining the best recording package category with the best boxed or special limited edition package into a singular best recording package category. Concurrently, the best album cover will be recognized as a standalone category. The last winner of the best recording package award was Charli XCX for her album “Brat,” whose cover became a notable pop culture reference.
Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, emphasized the importance of evolving the Grammy rules to mirror the current music scene and ensure a comprehensive recognition of creative talents. “Our primary goal is to represent the music creators we honor each year,” Mason said in a statement, indicating that the changes were driven by feedback from Academy members.
On Wednesday, Carpenter shared details about her upcoming album, “Man’s Best Friend,” slated for release on August 29. The cover image, which depicts Carpenter in a playful yet contentious stance while another individual, not visible, holds her by the hair, sparked mixed reactions. Some viewers criticized the imagery as degrading, while others saw it as a form of satire
If Carpenter’s album releases as scheduled, it will meet the eligibility criteria for the new best album cover category. The Grammy eligibility period concludes on August 30, just a day after the album’s planned release date.
In addition to the new album cover category, the Grammys have introduced a best traditional country album category. The best country album category has also been renamed to best contemporary country album. Notably, Beyoncé secured a win in the best country album category at the 2025 Grammy Awards with “Cowboy Carter.”
Further changes were also made to the best new artist category, which will now include artists who have been featured on previous album of the year nominees, provided they contributed less than 20% to the album’s music.
The upcoming Grammy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on February 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The nominations are anticipated to be revealed on November 7.