who won best metal performance 2026

Turnstile won the Best Metal Performance at the 2026 Grammy Awards for their track "Birds."

This victory came during the 68th annual Grammys on January 31, 2026, in a pre-telecast ceremony, sparking widespread buzz in rock and metal circles. Turnstile, known for their high-energy hardcore punk sound, also took home Best Rock Album for Never Enough , making it a banner night for the Baltimore band.

Nominees Breakdown

The category featured stiff competition from prog metal giants and rising stars:

Artist| Song| Notable Buzz
---|---|---
Turnstile| Birds| Winner – Fan-favorite energy edged out prog heavies 37
Dream Theater| Night Terror| Prog legends, multiple prior nods 15
Ghost| Lachryma| Theatrical flair drew pre-win hype 58
Sleep Token| Emergence| Mysterious masked act dominated predictions 14
Spiritbox| Soft Spine| Djent/prog metal breakthrough 37

Fan Reactions and Trending Context

Pre-awards Reddit threads like r/MetalForTheMasses lit up with debates—Sleep Token led predictions, but some called it a "popularity contest" unfit for metal's edge. Post-win, YouTube clips of Turnstile's acceptance speech went viral, with fans split: hardcore purists cheered the underdog vibe, while others griped about "snubs" for bands like Falling in Reverse. By February 2026, "Turnstile Grammy metal" trended as metal's mainstream push clashed with gatekeeping.

"Best metal? Turnstile over Dream Theater? Grammy voters wildin'." – Reddit user vibe

Wikipedia now lists "Birds" as the latest recipient, cementing Turnstile's second nod in the category. This win echoes past surprises, like past Tool or Gojira near-misses, fueling talks on metal's Grammy evolution.

TL;DR: Turnstile's "Birds" claimed Best Metal Performance 2026, beating Dream Theater, Ghost, Sleep Token, and Spiritbox amid heated fan debates.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.