Grammys 2026: Who Will Take Home Best Comedy Album?
The Grammy Awards aren’t entirely limited to commemorating musical artists. The Award for Best Comedy Album, founded at the very start of the Grammys in 1959, honors those whose work has particularly excelled at making us laugh and/or at illuminating significant worldly truths via humor. The category was originally called Best Comedy Performance (from 1959-67), and then Best Comedy Recording (1968-91, 1994-2003). The second title is probably the most accurate by virtue of being catch-all: over the decades, the award has variously gone to comedy albums, songs, audiobooks, films, and specials. All of this year’s contestants are comedy specials.
Bill Burr – “Drop Dead Years”
“Drop Dead Years,” released on Hulu in March of 2025, has brought Bill Burr his second Grammy nomination to date, his first being for his 2019 special “Paper Tiger.” Burr, an actor (“Breaking Bad,” “The Mandalorian”) and stand-up comedian known for provocative observational comedy, has been working since 1992. IMDb describes “Drop Dead Years” as “what might be his most personal and introspective one-hour special yet.” It is directed by Ben Tishler.
Sarah Silverman – PostMortem
Sarah Silverman, a comedian whose career first took off in the 1990s due to a stint on Saturday Night Live, is on her fifth Grammy nod this year (all of the previous nominations were in this category, save for one Best Spoken Word Album nod for her 2010 autobiography, “The Bedwetter”), courtesy of the Netflix special “Sarah Silverman: PostMortem.” If the title sounds rather macabre, that’s because this special deals with the 2023 deaths of her parents; Silverman seeks to mine dark humor from this intensely personal tragedy. This special was released in May of 2025 and directed by Silverman herself.
Ali Wong – “Single Lady”
Another Netflix special, released in October of 2024, brings Ali Wong her very first Grammy nomination. Wong is an Emmy-winning comedian and actor who has made four Netflix specials (counting this one) since 2016, as well as starring in the Netflix dark comedy anthology series “Beef” (2023-present). In “Ali Wong: Single Lady,” she explores her own dating experience in the wake of her 2024 divorce. She herself directed the special.
Jamie Foxx – “What Had Happened Was…”
Jamie Foxx, whose “What Had Happened Was…” was released on Netflix in December of 2024, is a very seasoned veteran of the Grammys, having garnered 11 nominations and one win to date. (This win was in the category Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group for his 2009 song “Blame It,” which features T-Pain). He is also well-known for his acting roles, including his Oscar-winning portrayal of musician Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic “Ray” and his starring role as a righteously violent former slave in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” (2012).
The chief subject of “What Had Happened Was…” is the time he spent out of the public eye in 2023 due to a medical crisis that he reveals to have been a hemorrhagic stroke.
Nate Bargatze – “Your Friend, Nate Bargatze”
Closing out this list is Nate Bargatze, who has gotten one previous Grammy nod in this same category for another Netflix special, “The Greatest Average American,” in 2021. Bargatze is notable for keeping most of his comedy clean – that is, free of crude or controversial jokes. The innocuous subjects of “Your Friend, Nate Bargatze,” which is directed by Ryan Polito and was released on Christmas Eve of 2024, include ordering pizza and his desire to get a second dog. This special is also up for two Emmy Awards, which are the first Emmy nods of his career.
When, Where, and Who of the 68th Grammys
The 68th Grammys will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 1. They will air live on CBS between 5:00 and 8:30 PM (PST), and stream on Paramount+. Their host, for the sixth time in six years, will be Trevor Noah, who has made his own significant mark on comedy. (He’s been nominated thrice in this very category, most recently last year for his Netflix special “Trevor Noah: Where Was I?”)
