Every year, we choose to highlight five deserving Grammy nominees who are still a bit under the radar, or outside the pop mainstream.
They are excellent acts who already have hardcore fan bases, but deserve more love from the wider music community.
Let’s run down a few of the under the radar names among the 2026 Grammy nominees. And scroll down to see our picks for previous years.
2026 Grammys: Under the Radar Nominees
Molly Tuttle
Molly Tuttle has been a known entity in bluegrass circles for a decade, and she’s won the Best Bluegrass Album Grammy twice. But this year it felt like she finally started to break through to a wider audience.
Her excellent album So Long Little Miss Sunshine produced two Top 40 singles on the AAA (Adult Alternative) chart. She performed on the Hailey Whitters collab “Prodigal Daughter,” and appeared on three songs on Ringo Starr’s country album.
When a member of the Beatles wants to work with you, you’ve done something right!
Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso
Argentine duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso exploded in a big way over the past two years, with a viral appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts and an opening slot on Kendrick Lamar’s Latin American tour.
They bring a huge heaping of humor to their music, as seen in tracks like “#Tetas,” which spoofs everything from modern gym culture to social media to ’90s boy bands.
They recently walked away with three trophies at the Latin Grammy Awards, and they’re up for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album at the 2026 Grammys.
Zach Top
Country music fans are already familiar with Zach Top, the newcomer who is bringing back the 1990s country sound in a big way.
The spunky “Good Times & Tan Lines” sounds like a long lost Alan Jackson song. The Top 10 country hit “I Never Lie” would’ve fit right in on a George Strait or Clint Black album from 30 years ago. Fittingly, Top is a contender for Best Traditional Country Album at the Grammys.
Durand Bernarr
The camera absolutely loves Durand Bernarr. He emerged as one of the freshest voices in R&B in years, and earned three Grammy nominations this year with a sound that incorporates both classic soul and modern R&B elements.
That duality is reflected in his range of nominations, which include Best Progressive R&B Album for Bloom and Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Here We Are.” He’s also nominated as a songwriter for “Overqualified.”
Gesaffelstein
French electronic music producer Gesaffelstein has been a force behind the scenes for several years, working with Kanye West, Daft Punk, and the Weeknd. But he’s not as well-known as many other DJs, perhaps because he hasn’t recorded a big hit under his own name.
Gesaffelstein played a large role on Lady Gaga’s Mayhem album. He co-produced three of the album’s best tracks and was named as a featured artist on the song “Killah.” Gesaffelstein is nominated for Best Remixed Recording for his remix of Gaga’s “Abracadabra.”
2025 Grammys: Under the Radar Nominees
Note: This section features our under the radar choices for last year.
The 2025 Grammy nominations have been revealed, and it’s no surprise that the big pop names like Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter dominated.
Check out our list of 2025 Grammy predictions for our thoughts on who will win big. And see also our instant reaction to the 2025 list of nominees.
In the meantime, though, the nominations include lots of unheralded acts who don’t have the name recognition of the Diamond-selling superstars, but still made great music last year.
Tems
Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems has recorded some of the best R&B music of the past few years. She already won a Grammy for “Wait for U” with Future and Drake for Best Melodic Rap Performance, but she’s still not a household name.
Her three nominations in 2025 include Best R&B Song for “Burning,” Best Global Music Album for Born in the Wild, and Best African Music Performance for “Love Me JeJe,” which pairs R&B with Afrobeats into an appealing combination.
Waxahatchee
Katie Crutchfield, aka Waxahatchee, is another artist who has a devoted but small following. She nabbed a Best Americana Album nod for Tigers Blood, one of our favorite albums of 2024.
She was a nominee at the 2024 Americana Awards, where she also performed. If there’s any justice, she’ll be given a performance slot on the Grammys so that audiences can discover her insightful lyrics and pleasant melodies.
Young Miko
Rising Puerto Rican performer Young Miko combines hip hop and reggaeton while singing and rapping in both Spanish and English.
She earned her first Grammy nod this year for her album att., which appears in the Best Musica Urbana Album category, alongside superstars like Bad Bunny and J Balvin.
Sierra Ferrell
West Virginia-born singer-songwriter Sierra Ferrell broke through big-time this year with her album Trail of Flowers. She won both Album of the Year and Artist of the Year at the Americana Awards in September.
Ferrell is up for four awards at the Grammys this year for her rootsy folk music, including two for “American Dreaming.”
Update: Ferrell won four Grammys at the 2025 ceremony, but she was overlooked in the major categories, probably due to the Grammy secret review committees being eliminated.
Gregory Porter
Gregory Porter is hardly a newcomer. He’s been performing for years and has captured two Grammys in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category. But his incredible voice deserves more mainstream attention.
He earned a 2025 Grammy nom for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Christmas Wish. Holiday albums don’t often get recognized by the Recording Academy, so his nomination is a testament to the power of his voice.
Who’s your favorite under the radar Grammy nominee?
Last Updated on January 6, 2026