GIVĒON, Coco Jones & Leon Thomas Lead the Best R&B Album Pack for 2026 Grammy Nominations: Our Predictions

One sure shot is Leon Thomas. A two-time Grammy nominee, the singer-songwriter-musician-producer won his first golden statuette in 2024 for co-writing SZA’s best R&B song winner “Snooze.” In the year since then, Thomas not only solidified his status as a solo artist, but also raised the bar for R&B with his breakthrough sophomore album Mutt. The double-platinum outing spun off the same-titled single, which nuzzled its way into fans’ hearts on the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 12) and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (his first No. 1) as well as several global charts — not to mention his NPR Tiny Desk session, which has garnered more than 3.5 million views.

Another formidable contender is GIVĒON. He returned this year after a three-year break with sophomore studio album Beloved, featuring the singles “Twenties” and “Rather Be.” Further fueling his aural visibility this year was his duet turn on Teddy Swims’ “Are You Even Real.” Currently packing venues on his Dear Beloved tour, GIVĒON is a seven-time Grammy nominee whose prior nods include best R&B album (Take Time) and song of the year (Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” on which he guests with Daniel Caesar).

Coco Jones is another returning Grammy winner with a strong chance to land one of the category’s five nomination slots. Praised for power-packed vocals, vulnerability and versatility, her career ascension over the last two years netted the singer-songwriter a 2024 best R&B performance statuette for “ICU.” The seven-time nominee has since followed up her 2022 EP What I Didn’t Tell You (plus its 2023 deluxe edition) with the April release of her debut studio album, Why Not More? The four singles the project has spun off are “Here We Go (Uh Oh),” “Most Beautiful Design,” “Taste”and the RIAA gold-certified “On Sight.”

Another R&B artist experiencing a major breakthrough this year is Mariah the Scientist. Hearts Sold Separately, her fourth studio album, is resonating on the popular front due to her first Hot 100 hit “Burning Blue” (No. 29), which peaked at No. 7 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The singer-songwriter, who counts influences such as Michael Jackson, Prince and Whitney Houston, also notched two more Hot 100 entries to earn a first-time career trifecta on that chart: “Is It a Crime” with Kali Uchis and “Sacrifice.”

Ledisi took home the best traditional R&B performance gramophone in 2021 and is a 14-time nominee. The Crown, the singer-songwriter’s 12th studio album, features the singles “Love You Too” and “BLKWMN.” Ledisi’s performance of the latter empowerment anthem at the 2025 BET Awards was one of that show’s highlights. Earlier this year, she also gained heightened recognition for her vocal range and expressive delivery when she sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during the pregame show for Super Bowl LIX in her native New Orleans.