The Rosé and Bruno Mars collaboration, with its catchy hooks and polished production, is shaping up to be a strong contender for Record of the Year at the 2026 Grammys.
Questioning whether any track this year surpassed a song built around a Korean drinking game isn’t just playful trivia; it highlights how diverse and well-crafted the nominees are. Spotify’s head of global music curation and discovery, J.J. Italiano, notes that the field is exceptionally competitive, which makes predicting the Record of the Year winner a nuanced exercise. He also emphasizes that the distinction between Song of the Year and Record of the Year remains crucial for understanding how pop music is evaluated. In today’s fast-paced industry, tiny details in both structure and recording can slip through the cracks unless we actively examine them.
The Nominees
- Bad Bunny – “Debí Tirar Más Fotos”
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
- Doechii – “Anxiety”
- Billie Eilish – “Wildflower”
- Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
- Kendrick Lamar with SZA – “Luther”
- Chappell Roan – “The Subway”
- Rosé and Bruno Mars – “APT.”
The Lowdown
Lady Gaga’s return to dance floors with “Abracadabra” became a streaming powerhouse, featuring a memorable, chorus-driven hook. Italiano explains that the song’s release as the third single from Mayhem hit at an optimal moment, delivering a quintessential Gaga moment precisely when the world seemed to need it.
Italiano is also enthusiastic about Chappell Roan’s “The Subway,” a track that fans had clamored for after hearing it performed live last summer. He describes it as not only an impressive song but also a recording of notable strength.
Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” with its twang-infused vibe, represents what Italiano calls the second year of Sabrina’s music being omnipresent across radio, playlists, and social platforms.
Then there is the Rosé and Bruno Mars collaboration, “APT.”, which captivated pop audiences with its distinctive concept inspired by a Korean drinking game in which players stack hands. Italiano praises the track as one of the best-engineered and most carefully arranged records he’s heard in a long time.
Editor’s picks
- Doechii’s “Anxiety,” which rides a heavy sample from Gotye’s 2011 hit “Somebody That I Used to Know.” While its production, driven by Doechii, drew praise for its boldness, some listeners found its claustrophobic texture challenging.
- Kendrick Lamar’s “Luther,” lauded as a standout GNX single. One of its co-writers described the experience of crafting the track with the team as incredibly inspiring, and highlighted Lamar as a deeply genuine creative. A combination of strong sentiment and a compelling song could push it to the top.
Trending thoughts
Who Should Win
- Kendrick Lamar with SZA – “Luther”
Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s duet offers a timeless feel, anchored by a Luther Vandross sample from the 1982 duet with Cheryl Lynn, “If This World Were Mine.” If Lamar and SZA can capture a year’s cultural pulse as a year-end time capsule, the track could be a natural winner, especially given Lamar’s recent Grammy momentum.
Who Will Win
- Rosé and Bruno Mars – “APT.”
The Rosé–Mars collaboration stands out as a seamless fusion of styles that aligns well with the category’s spirit. Its arrangement and the pre-chorus execution are described as masterful, and Mars’s history of winning Grammys—on his own and in collaborations—adds to its profile. Expect voters to weigh the pairing’s proven awards track record alongside the song’s infectious, cross-genre appeal.
Controversial angles and open questions for discussion
- Do collaborations with veteran Grammy performers have an outsized influence on winning versus pure innovation? How should voters balance industry legacy with fresh, boundary-pushing artistry?
- If a track relies heavily on a sample or a gimmick, does that help or hurt its chances in Record of the Year compared with songs that emphasize original composition?
- Is the year’s cultural moment best captured by a nostalgic salute (Lamar/SZA) or by a contemporary, boundary-breaking pop record (APT.)? Share your take on which direction best represents the year’s music and why.
