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Leon Thomas III attends the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 07, 2025, BigXthaPlug attends the 2025 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza, Mariah the Scientist attends Beauté Noir Festival at Pullman Yards, and Central Cee attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2024 at The Roof Gardens
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Key Takeaways:
- Hundreds of artists are in the running for 2026 Grammy Best New Artist, with names like Leon Thomas and Mariah the Scientist leading the early buzz.
- TikTok hits, major co-signs, and genre-blending projects are shaping this year’s early contenders.
- First-round voting ends Oct. 15, and nominations drop Nov. 7.
First-round voting for the 2026 Grammy Awards began on Friday (Oct. 3), and at least when it comes to Best New Artist, there’s no shortage of good talent to pick from. As reported by Billboard, 337 musicians submitted for the category, including Leon Thomas, BigXthaPlug, Mariah the Scientist, and PinkPantheress, to name a few.
Thomas had a really great run in 2025, thanks in part to “MUTT” and its Chris Brown-assisted remix. He also dropped the deluxe edition of his album of the same name, HEEL, which featured collaborations with Kehlani, Big Sean, and Halle Bailey, among others.
BigXthaPlug, meanwhile, has cemented himself as the country-adjacent rap star everyone should know. Beyoncé used his “The Largest” during her “Cowboy Carter Tour” and in August, he released I Hope You’re Happy. Elsewhere, Mariah and Ravyn Lenae both scored big commercially with “Burning Blue” and “Love Me Not,” respectively. Other names in contention include Ken Carson, Lil Tecca, and Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso.
It goes without saying, but some of the names in the running — while still incredibly talented — aren’t exactly “new.” Keke Palmer, for instance, submitted for the category, as did Key Glock. It’s worth noting there’s no cap on how many singles or albums an artist can release to be considered for the award. What matters is when the Recording Academy decides they’ve achieved a “breakthrough or prominence.”
Across the pond, some heavy hitters are also eyeing Best New Artist. Central Cee, who dropped CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS back in January, is in the hat, along with FLO and PinkPantheress. Notably, the “Boys a liar, Pt. 2” hitmaker’s success this year was largely fueled by “Illegal” taking over TikTok.
First-round voting wraps up Oct. 15, with the full nominations set to be revealed on Nov. 7. One rap group especially eager to take something home next February is Clipse. Speaking with Billboard on Thursday (Oct. 2), Pusha T said that winning for Let God Sort Em Out would be a “well-deserved full-circle moment” for him and Malice.
