Taylor Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl will not be recognized at the 2026 Grammy Awards. This marks the first time in three consecutive years Swift has been absent from the Grammy nominations list.
The musical nominations were announced on Friday, November 7, with artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, and Chappell Roan receiving nods. However, Showgirl was ineligible for consideration this cycle.
The 2026 Grammy ceremony honors records released between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025. Swift’s 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, dropped two months later on October 3, 2025.
Consequently, Showgirl will be eligible for the 2027 Grammy Awards instead. Swift, 35, boasts an impressive 14 Grammy wins and received six nominations for her album Tortured Poets Department at the 2024 ceremony.
Swift composed and recorded Showgirl during the European leg of her 2024 Eras Tour. She drew inspiration from her experiences between concerts and her relationship with fiancé Travis Kelce.
Though the pop superstar considers the album one of her favorites, it received mixed reviews from some fans and critics. Swift addressed the criticism in an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music last month.
"I welcome the chaos," she stated, noting that "if in the first week after my album’s release you mention my name or the title, you help."
Swift also highlighted the subjective nature of artistic opinion. "There are many subjective opinions about art," she explained. "I’m not the art police."
"Everyone can feel exactly what they want," Swift continued. "Our goal as artists is to be a mirror."
Despite some negative feedback, Showgirl broke numerous sales and streaming records. Swift confidently affirmed its place in her legacy.
"I’m very mindful of legacy when I make my music," she told Apple Music. "I know what I created. I know I adore it."
Travis Kelce, 36, is among Showgirl‘s biggest supporters. He praised the album on his "New Heights" podcast in October.
"I’m just the lucky man who gets to be the support system for Taylor as she releases one of the coolest albums I’ve heard," Kelce said. "Everything seems to have come out perfectly. She started this in the middle of her Europe tour."
The Life of a Showgirl features several songs about Swift’s relationship with Kelce. These include "The Fate of Ophelia," "Opalite," "Wish List," "Honey," and the double entendre-filled track "Wood."
"Wood" contains various allusions to Kelce’s "manhood." Swift discussed the bold lyrics on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
"I had this idea about ‘I don’t have to knock on wood,’ and I would knock on wood," Swift recounted. "It all started in a very innocent place."
"I don’t know what happened," she added. "Max Martin, Shellback, and I started vibing. I don’t know how we got to this, but I love the song very much.”