Hello TBAW! This is an article that is long overdue but I’ll be going over the nominees for the GRAMMYs and give my thoughts on who should (and who will) win. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to do this—I was at a Model UN conference when the nominations came out and I was furiously reloading my Twitter—but it’s here!
Just a disclaimer, I will be biased towards singers I like (duh). My biased thoughts will be in the “should win” category, but my winner predictions will be in the “will win” category (although please do not be surprised if I don’t get a single guess right—I have a terrible track record). Also, I’ll only be looking at categories that I know enough about (aka. general field, pop, and some others).
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
André 3000 – New Blue Sun
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet
Charli XCX – BRAT
Jacob Collier – Djesse Vol. 4
Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft
Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department
Will Win: The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Should Win: BRAT
The fact that BRAT got nine nominations at the Grammys is shocking (and I believe that Charli will win at least one this year). It’s my album of the year, but I doubt it’ll win—I’m not sure how seriously she is being taken.
No album sticks out here for being particularly acclaimed critically (I think BRAT has been the most acclaimed of all nominees) and commercially successful. If the Academy is leaning towards sales, The Tortured Poets Department will win, but this feels like a close race. My contenders for this award are Cowboy Carter, BRAT, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and The Tortured Poets Department.
RECORD OF THE YEAR
The Beatles – Now and Then
Beyoncé – Texas Hold ‘Em
Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso
Charli XCX – 360
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!
Taylor Swift – Fortnight (featuring Post Malone)
Will Win: Now and Then
Should Win: Not Like Us
Maybe my perception of Recording Academy voters is wrong—but I can totally see them giving the Beatles a Grammy (as much as I would disagree with them). It’s been hyped up as “the last Beatles song” and is supposed to be the sum of their global impact. If the campaign for “Now and Then” is successful, it can win.
SONG OF THE YEAR
Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga – Die with a Smile
Taylor Swift – Fortnight (featuring Post Malone)
Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Sabrina Carpenter – Please Please Please
Beyoncé – Texas Hold ‘Em
Will Win: Not Like Us
Should Win: Not Like Us
I’m not sure why the alphabetizing is different compared to the other categories (I’m just copying from the Wikipedia page), so please ignore the weird formatting for SOTY. Anyways, this award differs from ROTY because it’s about the songwriting (rather than the sound). I think Not Like Us will take it. It’s had a major cultural impact and the lyricism is quite creative.
BEST NEW ARTIST
Benson Boone
Sabrina Carpenter
Doechii
Khruangbin
Raye
Chappell Roan
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims
Will Win: Chappell Roan
Should Win: Chapell Roan or Doechii
I’m not sure if I have too much to say for this category. Chappell has been everywhere this year. I will add that Doechii had a great album this year and while I doubt she’ll win, I’m excited to see what she’ll do next.
BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE
Beyoncé – Bodyguard
Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso
Charli XCX – Apple
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!
Will Win: Espresso
Should Win: Good Luck, Babe!
This category seems like quite the toss-up. I can realistically see every nominee winning. Beyoncé and Billie are Grammy darlings, Sabrina and Chappell had some of the biggest blowups this year, and Charli is a wildcard.
BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE
Gracie Abrams – Us (featuring Taylor Swift)
Beyoncé – Levii’s Jeans (featuring Post Malone)
Charli XCX – Guess (featuring Billie Eilish)
Ariana Grande – The Boy Is Mine (featuring Brandy & Monica)
Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga – Die with a Smile
Will Win: Die with a Smile
Should Win: Levii’s Jeans
For once, I’m not putting Charli in the “should win” category. This is because she submitted the Guess remix and not the Girl, so confusing remix (with Lorde). I get that Guess probably has a higher chance of winning, but still! Anyways, Levii’s Jeans is a truly great song and a highlight of Cowboy Carter and I hope it wins, but we’ll see.
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
Sabrina Carpenter – Short ‘n Sweet
Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft
Ariana Grande – Eternal Sunshine
Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department
Will Win: The Tortured Poets Department
Should Win: The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Not too much to say here, I think Chappell’s album is the best of the category, it has a chance to win.
BEST DANCE POP RECORDING
Madison Beer – Make You Mine
Charli XCX – Von Dutch
Billie Eilish – L’Amour de Ma Vie
Ariana Grande – Yes, And?
Troye Sivan – Got Me Started
Will Win: Von Dutch
Should Win: Von Dutch
If Charli’s going to win a category, it will be this one. This is still competitive, but I’m hesitant to predict an Ariana win (especially because of how few nominations she got this year) and a Billie win (while she may do better than Charli overall, I don’t think her music lends itself to this category)
Okay! I think that I’ve listed every category I have at least some knowledge of, so there’s not much else to say—however I will be putting down my predictions for the winners of the rest of the categories that I at least know one song from (and maybe there’s some personal bias).
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Dan Nigro
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical: Raye
Best Dance/Electronic Recording: Neverender (Justice & Tame Impala)
Best Dance/Electronic Album: BRAT (Charli XCX)
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: Von Dutch (A.G. Cook)
Best Rock Performance: Now and Then (The Beatles)
Best Metal Performance: Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!) (Gojira, Marina Viotti, Victor Le Masne)
Best Rock Song: Gossard (Pearl Jam)
Best Rock Album: Hackney Diamonds (The Rolling Stones)
Best Alternative Music Performance: Flea (St. Vincent)
Best Alternative Music Album: All Born Screaming (St. Vincent)
Best R&B Performance: Saturn (SZA)
Best Traditional R&B Performance: Make Me Forget (Muni Long)
Best R&B Song: Saturn (SZA)
Best Progressive R&B Album: Bando Stone & the New World (Childish Gambino)
Best R&B Album: Coming Home (Usher)
Best Rap Performance: Not Like Us (Kendrick Lamar)
Best Melodic Rap Performance: Spaghettii (Beyonce, Linda Martell, Shaboozey)
Best Rap Song: Not Like Us (Kendrick Lamar)
Best Rap Album: Alligator Bites Never Heal (Doechii)
Best Jazz Performance: Twinkle Twinkle Little Me (Samara Joy, Sullivan Fortner)
Best Jazz Vocal Album: A Joyful Holiday (Samara Joy)
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Visions (Norah Jones)
Best Musical Theater Album: Hell’s Kitchen
Best Country Solo Performance: A Bar Song (Tipsy) (Shaboozey)
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: II Most Wanted (Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus)
Best Country Song: 16 Carriages (Beyoncé)
Best Country Album: Cowboy Carter (Beyoncé)
Best Americana Performance: Ya Ya (Beyoncé)
Best American Roots Song: All in Good Time (Iron & Wine, Fiona Apple)
Best Latin Pop Album: Orquídeas (Kali Uchis)
Best Música Urbana Album: Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana (Bad Bunny)
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album: Autopoiética (Mon Laferte)
Best Música Mexicana Album (including Tejano): Éxodo (Peso Pluma)
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: Saltburn
Best Score Soundtrack Album for Visual Media: Challengers (Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross)
Best Song Written for Visual Media: Can’t Catch Me Now (Olivia Rodrigo)
Best Music Video: Not Like Us (Kendrick Lamar)
Best Recording Package: BRAT (Charli XCX)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Hounds of Love (The Boxes Of Lost At Sea) (Kate Bush)
These predictions are likely incredibly wrong (you’d probably do better if you just guessed every winner), but now that this is published online it is set in stone. I’m very excited to see how I do.
The Blue and White 