BET Awards 2026 Watchlist: The 2025 Albums That Could Shake Up the Race
The BET Awards do not just reward a song that was everywhere for a hot minute. BET rewards the albums that shaped the year, defined moods, and gave people something to debate over long after release week. And 2025 did not make that selection easy.
This was a year of blockbuster comebacks, polished debuts, bold left turns, and records that moved across rap, R&B, pop, and global diaspora. Some albums arrived with huge first-week numbers. Others made their case through critical acclaim, creative risk, or cultural pull. Together, they made the 2026 BET Awards Album of the Year conversation feel especially wide open.
Here are the albums that feel most likely to change the race for the coveted BET Award:
The Clipse - “Let God Sort Em Out”
Their first album since 2009 came back with Pharrell Williams behind the boards and immediate critical acclaim, which makes this comeback one for the books.
Cardi B - “Am I The Drama?”
Cardi’s long-awaited sophomore album arrived in September and debuted at No. 1, keeping her at the top of the charts. Her accompanying Little Miss Drama tour did numbers, too!
Lil’ Wayne - “Tha Carter VI”
This was Wayne’s first solo album in five years, his sixth in the “Carter” installment, and his 14th studio album. It even features production by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
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Teyana Taylor - “Escape Room”
https://www.facebook.com/teyanataylor/videos/the-escape-room-short-film-has-hit-a-milliiiiii-on-yesterdays-debute-youtube-let/3323312181149070/Teyana’s end-of-summer return came with production from Kaytranada and intros from Issa Rae, Jill Scott, and Taraji P. Henson, which made the album feel cinematic enough for awards chatter.
Young Thug - “UY Scuti”
Thug’s September comeback brought big features from Cardi B, Travis Scott, Future, and more, and opened top 10 on the Billboard 200.
Summer Walker - “Finally Over It”
The finale to her “Over It” trilogy, the album stacked major features from Mariah the Scientist, Latto, Doja Cat, Chris Brown, and more.
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Gunna - “The Last Wun”
https://www.facebook.com/gunnaofficial/videos/the-last-wun/743589431871446/This album was called Gunna’s final “YSL” album. The project featured Offset, Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Asake, giving it both hit record value and global reach.
NBA YoungBoy - “MASA”
The eighth studio album from one of rap’s most prolific hitmakers kept his fan base fed and his name in the mix all year. His accompanying MASA Tour saw him break the record for the highest-grossing tour by a debut headlining rapper.
Amaarae - “Black Star”
Amaarae’s third studio album mixed Ghanaian highlife, baile funk, and dance-pop, and critics quickly treated it like one of the year’s best.
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