LOS ANGELES, United States — The countdown to the 69th Annual Grammy Awards is approaching a major milestone, with nominations for the 2027 ceremony set to be unveiled on Monday, November 16, 2026. The announcement will reveal the artists, recordings and music creators competing for music’s most recognised awards, while the reported absence of Drake is already emerging as one of the talking points ahead of the ceremony.
The Recording Academy has scheduled a special nominations presentation to begin at 7:45 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday. It will stream on Grammy.com and the official Grammys YouTube channel, with additional live coverage on ABC’s Good Morning America. The complete list of nominees across all 100 categories is expected to be published on Grammy.com at 9 a.m. Eastern Time.
For viewers in Nigeria, the presentation is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. West Africa Time, while the full nominee list is expected at 3 p.m., subject to any schedule changes.
Star-Studded Lineup To Announce The Nominees
The Recording Academy has assembled a broad group of Grammy-winning and nominated artists to help reveal the 2027 contenders. The announced presenters include Alan Menken, Amy Allen, Carly Pearce, David Guetta, FYÜTCH and Aura V, Herbie Hancock, Israel Houghton, Juanes, Kehlani, Linda Perry, Meghan Foley and Michelle Holme, Olivia Dean, Pharrell Williams, Renée Fleming, YUNGBLUD and Ziggy Marley.
Grammys chief executive Harvey Mason Jr. and Recording Academy Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Chelsey Green will also take part in the presentation. The event will reveal nominations in all 100 categories, setting the stage for the final round of voting and the February ceremony.
Drake Reportedly Sits Out The 2027 Grammy Race
One of the biggest pre-announcement stories concerns Drake, who is reportedly not submitting music for consideration at the 2027 Grammys. A Billboard report, cited by outlets including XXL and Complex, said the Toronto rapper did not enter his 2026 albums Iceman, Habibti and Maid of Honour, or songs from those projects, for consideration.
The reported decision means Drake is not expected to compete in the categories for those recordings this year. It continues his strained relationship with the Recording Academy. In the closing track of Iceman, “Make Them Know,” Drake also alludes to not submitting the album, although the report about the formal entries is attributed to sources familiar with the process.
Drake has previously criticised the Grammys and the way music is recognised by award institutions. He withdrew nominations for Certified Lover Boy ahead of the 2022 ceremony, while his public comments have questioned whether Grammy recognition reflects the impact artists have with listeners. The Recording Academy has not announced any Drake nominations, and the official list will clarify which other major artists are in contention.
Rap Categories Set To Draw Particular Attention
Hip-hop fans will be watching the Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance and Best Melodic Rap Performance categories closely. The categories often bring together established stars, commercially successful releases and artists whose work has shaped the sound of the eligibility year.
The eligibility period for the 69th Grammy Awards covers recordings released from August 31, 2025, through August 28, 2026, according to the Recording Academy. The submission window closed in August, and first-round voting took place in October. The nominees are determined through the Academy’s voting process; commercial success alone does not guarantee a nomination.
With Drake reportedly not entering his recent solo projects, attention will turn to the other artists and albums submitted in the rap fields. However, until the Academy releases the official list, speculation about likely contenders should not be confused with confirmed nominations.
When And Where Will The 2027 Grammys Take Place?
The 69th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on Sunday, February 7, 2027, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Eastern Time, or 4 p.m. Pacific Time, and will air live on ABC while streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
The 2027 event will mark the Grammys’ return to ABC for the first time since 1972. It will also be the first ceremony to be simulcast on ABC, Disney+ and Hulu under the new arrangement announced by the Recording Academy and Disney. For viewers in Nigeria, the scheduled 7 p.m. Eastern start converts to 1 a.m. on Monday, February 8, West Africa Time.
Nomination Day Will Set The Tone For Music’s Biggest Night
The November 16 announcement will provide the first complete picture of the artists and projects recognised by Grammy voters for the eligibility year. It will also establish the leading storylines for the February ceremony, from major-category contenders to the competition across rap, pop, R&B, country, rock and other fields.
For fans, the immediate focus is on who makes the list, who misses out and which artists emerge with multiple nominations. With the official announcement only days away, the speculation will soon give way to the Recording Academy’s confirmed selections.
Official information and sources: Recording Academy — 2027 nominees presentation details; How to watch the 2027 Grammy nominations; 69th Annual Grammy Awards official page; XXL — Drake reportedly did not submit music; Complex — Drake’s reported decision not to submit.