Getting his start posting prank videos on YouTube, Alex Warren parlayed a massive social media following into a music career. In 2022, the Californian signed with Atlantic Records and released “Headlights,” his major label debut single. Three years later, Warren cemented his pop-star status with the February 2025 single “Ordinary,” which raced to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. After winning Best New Artist at last year’s MTV Video Music Awards, he’s now up for the same award at the upcoming 2026 Grammys. Ahead of the Sunday, Feb. 1 ceremony at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, Warren will accept the Song of the Year trophy during the much-heralded Songwriters Award event.
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Alex Warren Broke Numerous Awards With “Ordinary”
Billboard and the National Music Publishers Association will hand out this year’s honors on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at the Avalon Hollywood. It is the largest songwriter-focused event hosted during Grammy Week.
Alongside co-writers Adam Yaron, Cal Shapiro and Mags Duval, Alex Warren earned recognition for “Ordinary,” the lead single off his freshman album You’ll Be Alright, Kid.
The chamber-pop number first gained steam in the United Kingdom, becoming the longest-running No. 1 song of the 2020s in June 2025. “Ordinary” would hold that position in the UK for 13 weeks, making Warren the longest-tenured chart-topping U.S. artist in the history of the British singles chart. He broke a 70-year-old record set by country singer Slim Whitman in 1955.
A performance on the Netflix hit show Love Is Blind spurred “Ordinary” along in the U.S. Topping the Hot 100 for 10 weeks, “Ordinary” also became the longest-running No. 1 song ever on the Billboard Pop Airplay chart. It reigned there for 16 weeks.
Other Winners Include Megan Moroney, Sombr, Bon Iver
In addition to Alex Warren, Grammy-winning producer and songwriter DJ Mustard will receive the Vanguard award for his achievements and overall impact on the music industry. Mustard produced Kendrick Lamar’s No. 1 hit “Not Like Us,” which took home five awards at last year’s Grammys, including Song of the Year.
Sombr, who will compete against Warren at the Grammys for Best New Artist, earned Debut Artist of the Year. Rising star Megan Moroney landed the Country Artist-Songwriter of the Year honor, with Bon Iver winning Artist-Songwriter of the Year.
Featured image by Shannon Finney/Getty Images
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