Resolution criteria

The winner will be determined by the Recording Academy's Voting Members on February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Song of the Year honors the song itself and goes to the songwriter. The market resolves to whichever song receives the most votes from Recording Academy members in the final round voting. Final round voting takes place from December 12, 2025, to January 5, 2026. Winners can be verified at Grammy.com or major news outlets covering the ceremony.

Background

Music released between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025, was eligible for nomination. The eight nominees are Lady Gaga ("Abracadabra"), Doechii ("Anxiety"), ROSÉ & Bruno Mars ("APT."), Bad Bunny ("DtMF"), HUNTR/X ("Golden"), Kendrick Lamar & SZA ("Luther"), Sabrina Carpenter ("Manchild"), and Billie Eilish ("Wildflower"). "Golden," from the Netflix film Kpop Demon Hunters, is the first song co-written by a Korean songwriter to receive a Song of the Year nomination. Bad Bunny made history becoming the first Spanish-language artist to simultaneously receive nominations in album, record, and song categories in the same year.

Considerations

The award is given to the songwriter(s) of a song that must contain melody and lyrics and must be either a new song or a song first achieving prominence during the eligibility year. Ties are possible, in which case the two or more nominees who tie are considered winners.