The 2026 Grammy nominations have brought a surprising surge of heaviness to the spotlight, with several bands rooted in or inspired by nu metal earning major recognition across rock and metal categories. As Pitchfork noted in its coverage of the nominees, acts once considered outsiders to the mainstream are now commanding center stage.
Linkin Park lead the charge, earning nods for both “The Emptiness Machine” in Best Rock Performance and From Zero in Best Rock Album. It’s a commanding return for the group whose fusion of vulnerability, industrial grit, and hip-hop rhythm helped define early-2000s rock. Their latest record rekindles that balance; sleek yet raw, electronic yet deeply human, reaffirming the staying power of their influence on modern rock music.
Turnstile continue to defy categorization, landing nominations across four categories and emerging as one of this year’s most recognized acts. “Never Enough” appears in both Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance, “Birds” is up for Best Metal Performance, and Never Enough competes in Best Rock Album. Their sound channels nu metal’s kinetic energy and rhythmic punch while infusing hardcore urgency and alt-rock warmth. It’s a rare case of a band bridging generations, resonating equally with longtime heavy-music fans and a younger, genre-fluid audience.
Sleep Token bring a more mysterious edge, earning nominations for “Emergence” in Best Metal Performance and “Caramel” in Best Rock Song, both of which come from Even in Arcadia. Their cinematic atmosphere and genre-blending songwriting recall nu metal’s earliest experiments with mood and texture, expanding it into something intimate and emotionally intricate. The band’s rise underscores how that spirit of hybridization remains alive in today’s heavy scene.
Spiritbox also secured a nomination in Best Metal Performance for “Soft Spine,” continuing their rapid climb as one of metal’s most forward-thinking modern acts. Their balance of crushing riffs and melodic precision captures the emotional scope that once defined the early-2000s heavy crossover, now reimagined through sleek production and technical depth.
Even Nine Inch Nails, nominated for “As Alive As You Need Me To Be” in Best Rock Song, share space in this year’s lineup. Though Trent Reznor’s industrial roots predate nu metal, his influence on its sonic and emotional blueprint is unmistakable. His presence among these nominees connects eras of innovation that continue to shape the modern heavy-music landscape.
Finally, Deftones return with private music., nominated for Best Rock Album. Long regarded as one of nu metal’s most enduring and artful survivors, their latest record deepens their exploration of atmosphere and tension. Decades into their career, they remain both innovators and standard-bearers for the sound’s evolution.
Together, these nominations trace a clear through-line: nu metal never truly vanished. It adapted, evolved, and ultimately reemerged — not as nostalgia, but as a living influence woven through today’s most acclaimed rock and metal acts.
Nu Metal and Adjacent Grammy Nominations (2026)
Best Rock Performance
Linkin Park — “The Emptiness Machine”
Turnstile — “Never Enough”
Best Metal Performance
Sleep Token — “Emergence”
Spiritbox — “Soft Spine”
Turnstile — “Birds”
Best Rock Song
Nine Inch Nails — “As Alive As You Need Me To Be”
Sleep Token — “Caramel”
Turnstile — “Never Enough”
Best Rock Album
Deftones — Private Music
Linkin Park — From Zero
Turnstile — Never Enough
