Sabrina Carpenter fans will know just how important an album cover is after the singer was slammed online due to the nature of her album, Man’s Best Friend. In case you missed it, the 26-year-old is seen on the album cover, kneeling, as a faceless man pulls her hair.
Sabrina joked that a second, more tame version of the album art was “approved by God”, taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to the situation.
Funnily enough, around the same time the ‘Manchild’ singer was causing major uproar, the Recording Academy announced it would be honouring album cover art for the first time in 50 years at this year’s Grammys.
It is one of two new categories added to the awards show this year, alongside Best Traditional Country Album.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. revealed that the 2026 Grammys would have an award for Best Album Cover as a standalone category, something that first came into play back in 1959, but was later renamed Best Album Package in 1974 (and then Best Recording Package in 1994) in a bid to encompass the full visual representation of a release.
“Having things that solely exist now in the digital space as just a singular image, I think it’s really cool to celebrate and recognise album covers,” Frank Maddocks, VP Creative at Warner Records, told The Hollywood Reporter.
“Now that these images don’t actually end up being physical pieces when many people see them, it only makes sense that there would be something to acknowledge this.”
A separate Best Recording Package award will include boxed or limited-edition releases.
Charli XCX’s Brat won Best Recording Package last year. The album famously went viral thanks to its distinct green colour and simple font, which managed to turn into a major cultural moment.
Similarly, while you might not know the songs from albums like The Beatles’ Abbey Road, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon or Rumors by Fleetwood Mac, you probably know their album covers, which many would argue are works of art in their own right.
What albums are nominated for Best Album Cover at the Grammys?
Sabrina might not have been nominated, but the following albums will go head-to-head for Best Album Cover:
CHROMAKOPIA – Tyler Okonma, art director (Tyler, The Creator)
The Crux – Jake Hirshland, Joe Keery, Neil Krug, Taylor Vandergrift & William Wesley II, art directors (Djo)
Debí Tirar Más Fotos – Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, art director (Bad Bunny)
Glory – Cody Critcheloe, Mike Hadreas & Andrew J.S., art directors (Perfume Genius)
moisturizer – Iris Luz, Lava La Rue & Rhian Teasdale, art directors (Wet Leg)
Question is, which one do you choose?
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