Limp Bizkit fans have been left disappointed after the band’s late bassist Sam Rivers was left out of the televised ‘In Memoriam’ segment at the 2026 Grammys.
It was announced on October 18 2025 that Rivers had died at the age of 48. In the days following his passing, frontman Fred Durst shared a personal video tribute, describing his bandmate as “such a gifted, unbelievably sweet and wonderful person”.
The band later paid tribute to their late bandmate at their first show since his passing, held in November.
Despite the band making a huge impact on the rock scene since their debut in 1994 – and securing multiple Grammy nominations in the process – Rivers was omitted from the televised ‘In Memoriam’ segment at this year’s awards.
At the event, held in Los Angeles on Sunday (February 1), the section of the show paid tribute to the industry personnel and artists who have passed away over the past 12 months, and also featured both a moving tribute performance to D’Angelo and Roberta Flack from Lauryn Hill, and an epic tribute to Ozzy Osbourne from Post Malone, Slash, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and more.
As highlighted by Consequence, there is a slight chance that Rivers was displayed in the general ‘In Memoriam’ section of the show, and cameras may have simply cut to close ups of the artists performing live as it showed on screen – however this seems highly unlikely as the camera appeared to pan back to the wide shot whenever a new artist’s face appeared in the backdrop.
Limp Bizkit were nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance for ‘Nookie’ in 2000, Best Rock Album that same year for ‘Significant Other’, and again in 2001 for the song ‘Take a Look Around’, which was up for Best Hard Rock Performance.
Some fans took to social media to voice their frustration at the omission, and one wrote: “Seriously WTF is with all the ‘major & super important’ awards shows doing this, or not doing the basic research to make disrespectful omissions like this year after year?.”
“This hurt he was one of the main ppl I was looking for #1 person rlly grammys,” another person added, while a third agreed and claimed: “We gotta stop acting surprised that the @RecordingAcad doesn’t give two absolute shits about hard rock/metal. They don’t care. They don’t like the genre.”
Find more responses below.
Is there a reason the Grammys didn’t honour Sam Rivers?? One of the best bassist ever?! RIP
Limp Bizkit Forever
— Tuggie (@AntoinetteJr) February 2, 2026
Nobody remembered Sam Rivers from @limpbizkit tonight at the @RecordingAcad show.
Shame on you. #GRAMMYs2026 #GRAMMY #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/FFeDgRWrXY
— Contz (@contz) February 2, 2026
Thanks for nothing @RecordingAcad as No Sam Rivers in the memorial section! @limpbizkit forever!!! @freddurst da Grammys pic.twitter.com/QQ0Fak5DA5
— John Broder (@IamNYSports) February 2, 2026
Seriously WTF is with all the “major & super important” awards shows doing this, or not doing the basic research to make disrespectful omissions like this year after year? Its not like Limp Bizkit or Mastadon were obscure bands. Geez. Its crap and lazy.
— atom ent (@ent_atom) February 4, 2026
This hurt he was one of the main ppl I was looking for #1 person rlly grammys
— Livinitup (@Livinitup1st) February 4, 2026
We gotta stop acting surprised that the @RecordingAcad doesn’t give two absolute shits about hard rock/metal.
They don’t care.
They don’t like the genre.
They are full of yuppity, boring old people who just listen to what their brain rotted children in their 20s & 30s think.
— Jonathan (@GI_Jon0131) February 4, 2026
Brent Hinds. Sam Rivers. #grammys suck ass
— T (@burnoneturnone) February 4, 2026
This year, another big name missing from the Grammys tribute was Mastodon’s founding guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds.
The musician died in a motorcycle accident last summer, aged 51, and in 2018, the band won the Best Metal Performance Grammy for ‘Sultan’s Curse’ from their 2017 album ‘Emperor Of Sand’.
The latter was also nominated for Best Rock Album that year. The group have earned six Grammy nominations overall.
While neither Hinds nor Rivers appear to have made it onto the televised 2026 segment, both are listed on that section of the official Grammys website.
In 2022, the Grammys apologised for several omissions in the ceremony’s ‘In Memoriam’ segment – including former Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison.
They also found themselves facing backlash again in 2019 when Frightened Rabbit‘s Scott Hutchison, Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, Pegi Young, and more were left out of the tribute.
This year’s Best Metal Performance award went to Turnstile for ‘Birds’. The band were victorious in the Best Rock Album category, too, taking home the prize for 2025’s ‘Never Enough’.
Other big winners on the night included Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish and Olivia Dean – the latter of whom picked up the Best New Artist statue. See the full list of winners here.
The post Late Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers also omitted from Grammys’ televised ‘In Memoriam’ segment appeared first on NME.
