There are three kinds of people: Those who are completely tapped into the popular music of the Grammys; those who use it as a crash course in modern pop; and those who could not care less and will be doing something else on Sunday night.

There are also those who are looking to be outraged about something, but whatever.

If you’re tuning in on Sunday, this year’s ceremony marks the 68th annual Grammys and there will be a lot more than trophies handed out. The performer list is kept under wraps, but is likely to include such top nominees as Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Bruno Mars and Sabrina Carpenter.

Comedian Trevor Noah will host the show for the sixth consecutive time, and also the last time. The four-time Grammy nominee is also up for best audio book, narration and storytelling for the children’s story “Into The Uncut Grass.”

A lot of interesting awards — ones with real musicians — are handed out before prime time in the premiere ceremony at 3:30 p.m. ET on the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel and on live.grammy.com.

The main show will air live on CBS beginning at 8 p.m. Here’s a look at some Grammy storylines:

Kendrick’s record-breaking run

The rapper leads the field with nine nominations, putting him in a good spot to become the most Grammy-decorated hip-hop artist of all time. Jay-Z currently tops that list with 25 wins, followed by his former friend and collaborator Kanye at 24. The Kanye total, incidentally, hasn’t moved since he won best rap song with Jay-Z in 2022 for the single “Jail” and best melodic rap performance for “Hurricane.”

In November 2024, a few months before headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, Lamar surprise-released a sixth album, “GNX” (named after his 1987 Buick Grand National Experimental), that topped the charts and landed Top 5 in numerous year-end best-of lists.

Album of the year is a wide open

The last 10 winners have been Taylor Swift (thrice), Beyonce, Harry Styles, Jon Batiste, Billie Eilish, Kacey Musgraves, Bruno Mars and Adele.

None of them are in the picture this year in a category where someone is going to win their first album of the year award. Lady Gaga and Kendrick will get their fifth crack at it — Kendrick now having had five consecutive AOTY nominations.

Gaga and Kendrick will compete with Bad Bunny (second time), Justin Bieber (third time), and first-timers Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler, the Creator, Leon Thomas and Clipse (Pusha T & Malice).

Best new artist leans Dean

This once-derided category — it was won by Starland Vocal Band and Milli Vanilli — now belongs to the ladies, who swept the last eight in a row and are likely to make it nine.

The prediction platform Kalshi gives Olivia Dean about a 70% chance of winning, with Leon Thomas and Alex Warren a distant second and third. Dean — a British R&B/neosoul singer who has a touch of Sade to her tone and a maturity beyond her 26 years — released her second album, “The Art of Loving,” last year and was in Pittsburgh in October to open for Sabrina Carpenter.
Also nominated are the Marías, Addison Rae, sombr and Lola Young.

K-pop and Spanish breakthroughs

Bad Bunny, who will headline the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show, is in the running for Album (“DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS”) Record and Song of the Year (“DTMF”) — marking only the second time an all-Spanish-language project has been nominated in these top slots.

Meanwhile, Rosé and “KPop Demon Hunters” are the first K-pop acts nominated in the Grammys’ general field categories, with Rosé’s collaboration “APT.” and the “KPop Demon Hunters” hit “Golden” both in contention for song of the year and record of the year.

People you know

The main categories have a lot of young star power. It’s in the Lifetime Achievement Awards where the legends get some stage time.

The Grammys will be honoring Paul Simon (a 16-time Grammy winner), Carlos Santana (a 10-time winner), Chaka Khan (10), Cher (1) and the late Whitney Houston (6) and Fela Kuti, the first African musician to win a Lifetime Achievement Grammy.

They will also honor Pharrell Williams, who began his career in 1992 as part of the production team The Neptunes, with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. Black Music Icon Awards will go to Brandy and Kirk Franklin.

Tribune News Service

Lady Gaga, seen here performing during the 67th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles last year, is up for Album of the Year. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)