Celebrate Grammy Week: Join Spotify’s Best New Artist Party Featuring Nominee Performances
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Spotify’s highly anticipated best new artist party will make a return during Grammy Week 2026, after being canceled in 2025 due to extensive wildfires in Los Angeles. The streaming platform redirected its resources to support wildfire relief efforts during that time.
On January 21, Spotify announced the comeback of the celebration, confirming that all eight nominees for Best New Artist will perform at the event, scheduled for January 29.
Joe Hadley, Spotify’s global head of music partnerships and audience, described the evolution of the event. “This event has been through so many iterations,” he told Billboard. “Different formats, different constraints, different realities, but the heart of it has always stayed the same. It’s about showing up for artists at a pivotal moment in their careers.”
Hadley further emphasized the significance of returning to in-person celebrations during such a climactic week for the music industry. “We’ve learned how to be nimble, how to pivot and how to still make things meaningful no matter the circumstances,” he noted. “Being back together in the room, celebrating this next generation of artists in a big way, feels really special.”
This year’s best new artist nominees include Addison Rae, Alex Warren, KATSEYE, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, sombr, and The Marías. All eight artists are also set to perform during the Grammy telecast on February 1.
Since launching its inaugural best new artist Grammy party in 2017, which featured just two performers—The Chainsmokers and Maren Morris—Spotify has expanded the event to include all nominees. This year, the announcement came earlier than ever, allowing for better coordination.
“Honestly, it took a lot of trust, flexibility and close partnership across the board,” Hadley remarked. “The best new artist nominees are some of the busiest artists in the world during Grammys week … What made this possible was starting conversations earlier than ever and really listening to what each artist needed for the performance to feel right for them.”
Hadley also noted the party’s established reputation has garnered excitement among artists. “Once nominations are announced, they know our call will follow shortly after, and it’s become a moment of partnership that everyone is excited to collaborate on,” he said.
Reflecting on previous events, Hadley pointed to the 2024 party as a standout moment, highlighting a high-energy performance from Ice Spice. “We reworked the event flow just days before the party to bring in top fans,” he recalled. “That shift completely changed the energy in the room and made the night feel electric. Those moments, when things change and somehow get even better, are what make this party special.”
