Charli XCX’s Brat, arguably probably the most impactful album art work in current reminiscence, took residence the Grammy earlier this yr for Greatest Recording Package deal. That class acknowledges the album cowl design, and the “general visible presentation” of the album, nevertheless it excludes boxed units and restricted editions, which bought a class of their very own in 1995. Now, the Grammys have added a brand new class for his or her 68th awards present, set to happen on Feb. 1, 2026: Greatest Album Cowl.
The Greatest Recording Package deal class was really referred to as Greatest Album Cowl when the primary Grammys came about in 1959 (the winner was Frank Sinatra Sings For Solely The Lonely). However the music business adjustments, and so the class was named Greatest Album Package deal in 1974 — after which Greatest Recording Package deal in 1994 — to account for a way artists have been actually leveling up their albums’ visible presentation.
In 2025, nonetheless, we’ve bought vinyl variants out the wazoo, and an album’s visible presentation encapsulates far more than simply its cowl artwork. So for now, with the intention to “be extra consultant of right this moment’s market,” the Greatest Recording Package deal and Greatest Boxed Or Particular Restricted Version Package deal classes shall be mixed into the Greatest Recording Package deal class, with Greatest Album Cowl by itself. The eligibility interval goes from Aug. 31, 2024 to Aug. 30, 2025, simply in time for Sabrina Carpenter’s discourse-starting Man’s Greatest Buddy to be up for consideration.
Extra Grammy updates for 2026 embrace a Greatest Conventional Nation Album class, whereas the prevailing Greatest Nation Album class has been renamed Greatest Modern Nation Album. The Greatest New Artist class has additionally been expanded to incorporate artists who had credited options on albums beforehand nominated for Album Of The Yr, as long as they fall under the 20% taking part in time threshold. I’m not precisely certain who that’ll profit, however good for them! Nominees shall be introduced on Nov. 7.
