Did Taylor Swift get a nomination at Grammys 2026?

Taylor Swift did not receive a nomination at the 2026 Grammy Awards, and while that initially raised eyebrows among fans, the reason is straightforward and procedural rather than controversial.

When the Recording Academy announced the nominees in November, Swift’s name was absent despite her twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, being one of the most talked-about releases of 2025. 

For many Swifties, the snub felt puzzling, especially given her long-standing presence at the Grammys. However, the album simply did not qualify for this year’s awards.

The eligibility window for the 2026 Grammys covered music released between 31 August 2024 and 30 August 2025. 

The Life of a Showgirl arrived on 3 October 2025, placing it just outside the cut-off. As a result, the project was not submitted for consideration this year and will instead be eligible for the 2027 Grammys.

Because she was not nominated, Swift also did not attend the ceremony, which took place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. 

Grammys executive producer Ben Winston addressed rumours about a possible appearance earlier in the week, saying, “The only reason people think Taylor might be performing or coming is because Hits decided to print it this week and put it in their Hits List… that really is a full-circle rumour!”

Swift’s absence stood out largely because of how closely she is associated with the awards. 

Over the course of her career, she has earned 58 Grammy nominations and won 14 awards. 

She also made history as the first artist to win Album of the Year four times, taking home the top honour for Fearless, 1989, folklore and Midnights.

At the 2025 ceremony, Swift was very much part of the night. She received six nominations for The Tortured Poets Department, though she did not win in any category. 

She also appeared as a presenter, handing Beyoncé the award for Best Country Album and referencing her own win in the same category back in 2010, saying she would “never forget standing here, right on this spot.”

Her past acceptance speeches have often highlighted her creative process and gratitude toward fans and collaborators. 

When she won Album of the Year for folklore in 2021, she thanked listeners for meeting her “in this imaginary world” she created. 

During that same broadcast, co-producer Aaron Dessner described her as “one of the greatest living songwriters.”

Although she went home empty-handed in 2025, Swift did collect two major trophies the year before, winning Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year for Midnights. 

In her 2024 Album of the Year speech, she memorably said, “I would love to tell you that this is the best moment of my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song, or when I crack the code to a bridge that I love.”

The 2026 ceremony also marked nearly 20 years since Swift made her debut, a milestone that further fuelled fan interest in whether she would be recognised or make an appearance. 

Her last Grammy absence came in 2022, and before that in 2017, both times tied to release timing rather than snubs.

For now, Swift appears content taking a step back from the awards circuit. 

Following the release of her Disney+ documentary series The End of an Era in December, a source told Entertainment Tonight, “Taylor’s happy, grounded, and fully focused on her life with Travis. Right now, she’s prioritising everything positive and exciting happening in her life.”

Another source told Us Weekly that while Swift “always has ideas percolating,” she is not rushing into a new tour for The Life of a Showgirl and is enjoying her break. 

During an early October appearance on BBC Radio 1, Swift herself admitted she did not feel an immediate urge to tour again, saying, “I am going to be really honest with you… I am so tired when I think about doing it again because I’d want to do it really well again.”

In short, Taylor Swift was not nominated at the 2026 Grammys, but not because she was overlooked or snubbed. 

The timing of her latest album release simply placed her outside this year’s eligibility window, setting the stage instead for a potential return to the Grammy conversation in 2027.