LL Cool J To Host Grammy Awards For 5th Time

The 2026 Grammy Awards are being handed out today in Los Angeles, with the pre-telecast ceremony revealing the first wave of winners across dozens of categories ahead of the prime-time broadcast. As always, the early announcements provide a clear snapshot of where the Recording Academy is placing its attention in a year marked by global pop dominance, resurgent rock credibility, boundary-pushing hip-hop and a continued expansion of international voices.

Swedish theatrical rock institution Ghost have opened another chapter in their meticulously curated mythology, officially releasing their cover of Pet Shop Boys' Its A Sin to digital streaming platforms for the first time. The track, long considered a collector's item, was previously available only as a 7-inch vinyl bonus single included with deluxe editions of Ghost's 2018 album Prequelle. Its arrival on streaming services now places the song firmly back into the band's active canon, coinciding with the launch of the latest instalment in Ghost's ongoing webisode series.

The Recording Academy has unveiled the lineup for its 2026 Special Merit Awards, highlighting music icons whose influence spans decades and continents. Among the honorees for the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award are Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Fela Kuti, Carlos Santana, Cher, and Paul Simon. The awards will be presented during Grammy Week on Saturday, January 31, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, the day before the main ceremony at the arena.

I'm With Her have released a new three track live EP titled Songs From The Stage: Kansas City, a concise document of the group's 2025 tour and a fresh reminder of the vocal power that has defined the trio since their formation in 2014. The EP captures standout songs from their recently Grammy nominated album Wild And Clear And Blue, including the celebrated single Ancient Light which is nominated for Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song.

When Paul Simon released Still Crazy After All These Years on 17 October 1975, he wasn't just releasing another solo record. He was putting a final full stop on the Simon & Garfunkel era, finding his footing in a changing world, and proving that introspection and pop craftsmanship could live side by side. Now, fifty years later, the album remains one of Simon's most enduring works - a record that captures the sound of 1970s New York with grace, wit and melancholy.

Following The Beatles win for Best Rock Performance at the Grammy Awards for ‘Now and Then’ a short video looking back at the release has been posted on The Beatles YouTube page.

Lady Gaga premiered a new song during the Grammy Awards but no in the show … it was an ad.