Nashville-linked artists win key country Grammys as Recording Academy adds separate traditional album award
Country field delivers multiple wins tied to Music City talent
At the 68th Grammy Awards on Feb. 1, 2026, Nashville’s creative orbit was prominent across the country categories, with awards going to artists and projects closely connected to the city’s studios, writers and touring pipeline. The ceremony took place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with most genre awards presented during the earlier Premiere Ceremony.
Chris Stapleton wins Best Country Solo Performance
Chris Stapleton won Best Country Solo Performance for “Bad As I Used To Be,” a track credited as from “F1® The Movie.” The category recognized solo vocal or instrumental country recordings released during the eligibility year. Stapleton’s win came in a competitive field that included Tyler Childers (“Nose On The Grindstone”), Shaboozey (“Good News”), Zach Top (“I Never Lie”) and Lainey Wilson (“Somewhere Over Laredo”).
Shaboozey and Jelly Roll take Best Country Duo/Group Performance
Shaboozey and Jelly Roll won Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Amen,” a collaboration that placed them ahead of nominees Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton (“A Song To Sing”), Reba McEntire with Lambert and Wilson (“Trailblazer”), Margo Price and Childers (“Love Me Like You Used To Do”), and George Strait with Stapleton (“Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame”).
The win underscored a growing lane within country that rewards cross-artist collaborations and songs built for both radio and streaming audiences, while still operating inside traditional Grammy genre definitions.
Tyler Childers wins Best Country Song, a songwriter-focused honor
Tyler Childers won Best Country Song for “Bitin’ List,” an award that recognizes songwriters rather than performers. The category’s rules center on when a song was first released or achieved prominence during the eligibility year. Other nominated songs included Shaboozey’s “Good News,” Zach Top’s “I Never Lie,” Wilson’s “Somewhere Over Laredo,” and “A Song To Sing” (Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton).
New split in country album categories reshapes the field
A structural change to the Grammy country categories also mattered for Nashville’s results. The Recording Academy introduced separate awards for Best Traditional Country Album and Best Contemporary Country Album, effectively splitting what had previously been a single country album prize.
Zach Top won the inaugural Best Traditional Country Album for “Ain’t in It for My Health,” a project produced in Nashville and released in 2025.
Jelly Roll won Best Contemporary Country Album for “Beautifully Broken,” adding to a strong showing that also included his duo/group win on “Amen.”
What the results indicate
Taken together, the awards reflect a country landscape where classic-leaning records, mainstream crossover projects, and songwriter-driven craftsmanship can all win—sometimes in newly separated lanes. For Nashville, the night translated into high-profile validation across performance, collaboration and songwriting, as well as a category shift that may influence how labels and artists position future country album releases.
Key country-field Grammy winners on Feb. 1, 2026: Best Country Solo Performance (Chris Stapleton), Best Country Duo/Group Performance (Shaboozey & Jelly Roll), Best Country Song (Tyler Childers), Best Traditional Country Album (Zach Top), Best Contemporary Country Album (Jelly Roll).