The 68th Annual Grammy Awards are set to take place on Sunday, February 1 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and one of the night’s most anticipated elements will be a series of In Memoriam tribute performances honouring the music icons the industry has lost in the last year. The ceremony will be broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+, with Trevor Noah returning as host for what is expected to be his final time.
A major highlight of the broadcast will be a tribute to the late heavy metal pioneer and Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who died aged 76 in July 2025 following a heart attack at his family home in Buckinghamshire. Osbourne’s impact on rock and metal was profound: as lead singer of Black Sabbath he helped define heavy metal, and as a solo artist he released a string of influential albums over five decades. His health struggles in later years did little to dim his legacy, and just weeks before his death he performed what would be his final live show in his hometown of Birmingham, raising millions for children’s charities.
To honour him on music’s biggest night, an all-star ensemble will take the stage. Post Malone will front the tribute, backed by rock royalty including Slash and Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses, Chad Smith, the drummer from Red Hot Chili Peppers, and producer Andrew Watt, who collaborated with Osbourne on his final two solo albums, Ordinary Man (2020) and Patient Number 9 (2022). Sources close to the performance suggest the group’s set may feature a rendition of the classic War Pigs, one of Black Sabbath’s most enduring songs, underscoring the ceremony’s rock presence and Osbourne’s lasting influence.
The tribute segment goes beyond Osbourne. Lauryn Hill is scheduled to perform in honour of both neo-soul artist D’Angelo, who died in October 2025 after a battle with cancer, and R&B and jazz singer Roberta Flack, who passed away in February after years living with ALS. Hill’s connection to both artists runs deep: she worked with D’Angelo and famously covered Flack’s Killing Me Softly With His Song with the Fugees, making her a fitting choice to celebrate their legacies.
In addition to these tributes, the In Memoriam segment will feature performances by Reba McEntire, Brandy Clark, and Lukas Nelson, highlighting a range of genres and the breadth of talent lost in the past year.
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GRAMMY House 2026 kicked off yesterday bringing music, culture, community & opportunity together! Day 1 featured in-depth conversations with nominees in the Best New Artist Category, a gathering of Women in the Mix honoring and amplifying the voices of women in music, and a Celebration of Black Creators bringing together the next wave of Black creators and professionals impacting today's music industry. The energy set the tone for the week ahead, and we're just getting started!
Beyond the tributes, the 2026 Grammys are shaping up as a competitive awards night. Kendrick Lamar leads this year’s nominations with nine nods, including for his sixth album GNX, demonstrating his continued dominance in hip-hop and across the wider music landscape. Other major performers confirmed for the ceremony include Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, and collaborations featuring Pharrell Williams and Clipse, as well as performances from all eight Best New Artist nominees.
As the awards approach, expectations are high not only for historic wins and standout live performances but also for an emotional tribute segment that will honour the music legends whose work shaped generations.
