The Recording Academy has invited more than 4,000 music creators and industry professionals to join the Grammys as members, forming its 2026 New Member Class. The invitations, sent on Thursday 9 July, went to professionals spanning genres, backgrounds and disciplines, and reflect the peer-reviewed membership model the Academy rebuilt in 2019. The intake matters because membership determines the Grammy electorate, and expanding it has been central to the Academy's efforts to broaden who decides its awards.

Among those named were Cash Cobain, EJAE, Lola Young, Raveena Aurora, Sleeping With Sirens and sombr, with Lola Young and sombr both having been nominated for Best New Artist at February's 68th Annual Grammy Awards. The 2019 overhaul followed years of criticism over diversity and gender, including former chief Neil Portnow's 2018 remark that under-represented women should "step up". The Academy says it has since added more than 3,000 women voting members and reported a 65% rise in the share of members who identify as people of colour, though this year's announcement, unlike recent ones, did not break the class down by gender, race or age. Members cannot apply directly; candidates are recommended by two music professionals and reviewed by a peer panel, with annual dues of $150 for voting and professional members and $50 for Grammy U students.