Grammy 2027 Eligibility Period: Dates and Rules

The Grammy 2027 eligibility period runs from Aug. 31, 2025 to Aug. 28, 2026. If a song or album came out in that window, it can count for the 69th Grammys. Anything later waits until 2028. Here's what counts, what happens to later releases, and the key dates through the Feb. 7 ceremony.

Grammy 2027 Eligibility Period at a Glance

The Grammy 2027 eligibility period runs from Aug. 31, 2025 to Aug. 28, 2026. Music released inside that window is eligible for the 69th Grammy Awards. Anything released after Aug. 28, 2026 waits for the next cycle, so it can't be considered until the 2028 Grammys.

Window opens: Aug. 31, 2025
Window closes: Aug. 28, 2026
Entries: closed on Aug. 21, 2026
Nominations: Nov. 16, 2026
Ceremony: Feb. 7, 2027

Why a Release Inside the Window Counts

The Grammys don't use a calendar year. They use a set window, and this one starts on Aug. 31, 2025.

So an album from September 2025 counts for 2027. So does one from August 2026. Both landed between the two dates.

Being inside the window only makes a release eligible. It still has to be entered, which is covered below.

What Happens to Albums Released After Aug. 28, 2026

A release after the cutoff moves to the next Grammy cycle. That means the 2028 Grammys.

Drake's FOMO songs are a good example. They came out in October 2026, after the cutoff, so they fall under the next cycle. (More: Drake's FOMO songs and where to stream them.)

Wondering about Taylor Swift? Her deluxe edition is a related release readers ask about. (More: the Life of a Showgirl deluxe edition.)

Entry Deadline vs. Release Date: Aug. 21 and Aug. 22 to 28

The online entry period ran from July 7 to Aug. 21, 2026. It's closed now.

The entry deadline comes before the end of the window. A recording released between Aug. 22 and Aug. 28 was still inside the window. But it had to be entered before Aug. 21.

That's the difference between the two dates. One decides if a release is eligible. The other decides if it was entered in time.

Drake and Zach Bryan: What Is Not Confirmed

Drake released multiple projects in the window. But he has a history of not submitting his music for Grammy consideration. Rolling Stone said he might if he decides to submit again.

We can't say whether he did. Nothing about his entries is confirmed.

The same goes for Zach Bryan. We couldn't verify his 2026 album or its release date, so we won't call it eligible yet.

Olivia Rodrigo's You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love shows up on one predictions list of likely Album of the Year contenders.

New Categories and Rule Changes for the 69th Grammys

The 2027 Grammys add 5 new categories, plus rule and voting updates. Grammy.com has the full list in its submission guide.

Wikipedia reports two more changes. It says the new-recording threshold for album eligibility dropped from 75% to 66%. It also says Best New Artist submissions rose from 3 tries to 4.

Key Dates From Voting to the Feb. 7 Ceremony

Here's how the rest of the season plays out:

July 7 to Aug. 21, 2026: online entry period (closed)
Oct. 12 to Oct. 22, 2026: first-round voting (done)
Nov. 16, 2026: nominations announced, with a livestream at 4:45 a.m. ET / 1:45 a.m. PT on Grammy.com and the Grammys YouTube channel
Dec. 10, 2026 to Jan. 7, 2027: final-round voting
Feb. 7, 2027: the ceremony at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles

The show airs on ABC and streams on Disney+ and Hulu. The telecast moves from CBS to ABC this year.

Want something to play while you wait for Nov. 16? Open the free VibeSynced visualizer and queue up your picks.

Listen to Olivia Rodrigo on VibeSynced

Olivia Rodrigo's name keeps coming up in 2027 Grammy guesses, and her songs look great with moving visuals. Tap one to jump straight into the app with that particle already running.