'Sinners' Shatters Records After Award Season Rollercoaster

From Globes Snub to Grammy Glory: 'Sinners' Shatters Records After Award Season Rollercoaster

LOS ANGELES — In the high-stakes theater of Hollywood’s awards season, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners has officially transitioned from "snubbed masterpiece" to "musical juggernaut." Just weeks after a polarizing night at the Golden Globes, the Southern gothic vampire epic has made history by securing five nominations for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, setting a new high-water mark for a single film’s musical footprint in the modern era.

The announcement comes on the same morning Sinners broke the all-time Oscar nomination record with a staggering 16 nods, proving that while the Golden Globes may have looked away, the rest of the industry is watching and listening.

The "Snub" That Sparked a Fire

Earlier this month, fans and critics were left reeling after the 83rd Golden Globe Awards. Despite being one of 2025’s most culturally significant films, Sinners was largely shut out of the major categories, losing Best Motion Picture – Drama to Hamnet and Best Actor to Wagner Moura.

The film’s only wins—Best Original Score (presented off-air) and the newly minted Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award—were widely dismissed by pundits as "consolation prizes." The perceived slight ignited a firestorm on social media, with the hashtag #SinnersSnubbed trending for days as supporters accused voters of "genre bias" against Coogler’s unapologetically Black horror vision.

A Sonic Sweep

However, the Recording Academy has offered a massive corrective. Sinners dominated the Visual Media categories, joining the rare air of soundtracks like The Bodyguard and A Star Is Born. The five Grammy nominations include:

• Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: Ludwig Göransson’s haunting, gospel-infused blues score.

• Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: The official album merging traditional Southern spirituals with modern soul.

• Best Song Written for Visual Media (x3): In an unprecedented sweep, Sinners took up three of the five slots in this category with:

  • "I Lied to You" – performed by Miles Caton.

  • "Sinners" – performed by Rod Wave.

  • "Blood in the Delta" – performed by J. Cole.

The Göransson Effect

The recognition is a crowning achievement for composer Ludwig Göransson. By weaving the raw, visceral traditions of 1930s Mississippi blues with terrifying supernatural soundscapes, Göransson has created a "sonic ritual" that critics argue is inseparable from the film’s visual power.

“We wanted the music to feel like it was rising out of the mud of the Delta,” Coogler said of the collaboration. “It’s not just a background; it’s the heartbeat of the Moore twins’ struggle.”

Oscars Momentum Reclaimed

The Grammy haul appears to have been the "momentum shift" the film needed. Following the Grammy announcement, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled their 2026 nominations today, where Sinners eclipsed the 14-nomination record previously shared by Titanic and La La Land.

With 16 Oscar nods and 5 Grammy nominations, the film heading into February is no longer an underdog. As one industry analyst put it: "The Golden Globes may have missed the beat, but the rest of the world is finally in sync with the rhythm of Sinners."

The 68th Grammy Awards will air live from the Crypto.com Arena on 1st February 2026.