It's that time of year again! You know it...the time of year where everybody and their mama either gets nominated for a Grammy...or complains about not getting any nominations. As somebody who is not the biggest fan of the Grammy's I've always had my own thoughts. There are many a deserving artist with great work who in my opinion deserve nominations, however the Grammys have especially in the last decade surely made itself a contender for a popularity contest than more than merely an award for music quality.
However, there are a few categories and nominees I'd like to comment on
So let's get into it.
Here are nominees from select categories:
Via Pitchfork
Record of the Year
ABBA - Don’t Shut Me Down
Adele - Easy on Me
Beyoncé - Break My Soul
Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius - You and Me on the Rock
Doja Cat - Woman
Harry Styles - As It Was
Kendrick Lamar - The Heart Part 5
Lizzo - About Damn Time
Mary J. Blige - Good Morning Gorgeous
Steve Lacy - Bad Habit
So the Grammys already are very interesting this year because it is actually sticking to their promise to be more diverse and has way more contenders of people involved.
Prediction: Adele - Easy On Me
Deserves: Mary J. Blige - Good Morning Gorgeous
Why: I feel as though Adele is the head Grammy darling as well as the fact that her song "Easy On Me" has captivated most of the general public and had radio set ablaze makes her a more surefire winner. I believe Mary deserves it however, with "Good Morning Gorgeous" which I am both surprised and quite pleased got nominated. I think such a musically diverse though urban and lyrically relatable and liberating song as it is, it deserves to be the underrated winner in my opinion.
Album of the Year
ABBA - Voyage
Adele - 30
Bad Bunny - Un Verano Sin Ti
Beyoncé - Renaissance
Brandi Carlile - In These Silent Days
Coldplay - Music of the Spheres
Harry Styles - Harry’s House
Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
Lizzo - Special
Mary J. Blige - Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)
Prediction: Adele, Harry or Lizzo.
Deserves: Lizzo, Mary J. Blige or Bad Bunny.
Why: I think this category is a hard guess because of changes made to the academy. I feel like Typically Adele would be the ideal win for them, but Harry Styles has people under a chokehold for whatever reason and Lizzo is a newer Grammy darling who continue to surprise both the general public and her critics alike. I think Both Mary J. and Lizzo would deserve this award, but Bad Bunny is appreciated and his music seems to capitvates many people though his music is in a different language compared to others. I think that speaks volumes.
Song of the Year
Adele - Easy on Me
Beyoncé - Break My Soul
Bonnie Raitt - Just Like That
DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy - God Did
Gayle - ABCDEFU
Harry Styles - As It Was
Kendrick Lamar - The Heart Part 5
Lizzo - About Damn Time
Steve Lacy - Bad Habit
Taylor Swift - All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film)
Prediction : Either Adele, Harry Styles, or Steve Lacy
Deserves: I honestly wanna give this to Steve Lacy but I also believe he could be a sure shot possibly just because the Grammys appear to love black artist who can show diverse musicality or musical inclinations. I really dope song though sonically.
Best New Artist
Anitta
Domi & JD Beck
Latto
Måneskin
Molly Tuttle
Muni Long
Omar Apollo
Samara Joy
Tobe Nwigwe
Wet Leg
So I actually believe Anitta, Muni Long, or Omar Apollo deserve this one. I think Omar Apollo would actually be a well deserved an unprecedented win as he has been ok the come up and rise in recent years with a few different underground yet mainstream hits.
Best Pop Solo Performance
Adele - Easy on Me
Bad Bunny - Moscow Mule
Doja Cat - Woman
Harry Styles - As It Was
Lizzo - About Damn Time
Steve Lacy - Bad Habit
Prediction: Adele - Easy On Me
Deserves: Doja Cat deserves this one , "Woman" has people in a chokehold and I think it musically capitvates and explains the current musical landscape better than most.
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
ABBA - Don’t Shut Me Down
Camila Cabello Featuring Ed Sheeran - Bam Bam
Coldplay & BTS - My Universe
Post Malone & Doja Cat - I Like You (A Happier Song)
Sam Smith & Kim Petras - Unholy
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Diana Ross - Thank You
Kelly Clarkson - When Christmas Comes Around...
Michael Bublé - Higher
Norah Jones - I Dream of Christmas (Extended)
Pentatonix - Evergreen
Predictions : So...kinda of a weird mix on this one. I'm gonna say either ABBA, Post Malone/Doja, or Coldplay/BTS. I wanna say Coldplay/BTS for a few different reasons.
Deserves: Probably Pentatonix, they always come through vocally and i say deserve this one in the bag.
Best Pop Vocal Album
ABBA - Voyage
Adele - 30
Coldplay - Music of the Spheres
Harry Styles - Harry’s House
Lizzo - Special
Prediction: Harry Styles. Though I think Adele is an obvious choice, Harry Styles seems to have people polarized especially to even be in this category and if I'm being honest, I think Adele was a bit lackluster and her work showed no gigantic growth this go round. Harry also not bad per say, he's just like a more basic weird mix of like a Justin Timberlake meets Phil Collins and David Bowie, trying to be woke but coming off a bit culture vulturey.
Deserves: Lizzo - Special
I think Lizzo is genuinely Pop perfection and a damn good musician and artist, I just think she's in Avery white category. Yes the Grammys implement diversity, but that doesn't mean a win.
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
Beyoncé - Break My Soul
Bonobo - Rosewood
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha - I’m Good (Blue)
Diplo & Miguel - Don’t Forget My Love
Kaytranada Featuring H.E.R. - Intimidated
Rüfüs Du Sol - On My Knees
Prediction: Beyonce. I think though it may be possible that as a form of backlash over the years Beyonce could win some of the other categories she's nominated for, I feel like the Grammys will throw her a bone in genre specific categories just because they yearn for the viewership she brings, she is very talented and musically inclined artist and this is usually where they award her, though being in a category that is not typically dominated with black artist could be very jarring.
Deserves: Possibly Beyonce, but shout out to Kaytranada/HER and David Guetta/Bebe Rexha.
This is a hard category, think Bebe Rexha kinda deserves this one, also wouldn't be mad if Kaytranada/H.E.R. won.
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album
Beyoncé - Renaissance
Bonobo - Fragments
Diplo - Diplo
Odesza - The Last Goodbye
Rüfüs Du Sol - Surrender
Prediction and Deserve; I think that on a sonic basis and in comparison with every other nominee in this category, Beyonce should and does deserve to win in this category. As a vocal perfectionist and the intent of this project musically/sonically, she deserves it and I think she'll win it.
Best R&B Performance
Beyoncé - Virgo’s Groove
Jazmine Sullivan - Hurt Me So Good
Lucky Daye - Over
Mary J. Blige Featuring Anderson .Paak - Here With Me
Muni Long - Hrs & Hrs
Predictions: Honestly, Beyonce is a Grammy darling so a part of me wants to say her...but also apart of me thinks Muni Long might have this one in the bag. Hrs & Hrs had people in a chokehold and the number of nominations and connections through the years behind the scenes might payoff and is actually quite deserved.
Deserves: Unpopular Opinion: Over by Lucky Daye is actually a really brilliant song and though he's not a yet a crowd puller, I think this song deserves it's kudos.
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Adam Blackstone Featuring Jazmine Sullivan - ’Round Midnight
Babyface Featuring Ella Mai - Keeps on Fallin’
Beyoncé - Plastic Off the Sofa
Mary J. Blige - Good Morning Gorgeous
Snoh Aalegra - Do 4 Love
Prediction: Beyonce - Plastic On The Sofa, she's a Grammy Darling and again they like to give her genre (especially black dominated genre) awards.
Deserves: I wanna give it to either Mary or actually Snoh Aalegra. Snoh actually has some very beautiful songs and this one deserves it's things. She's an underrated artist who sonicslly sticks I'm her lane but constantly eats and has a very sincere R&B sound that should have more crossover appeal but isn't marketed as such.
Best R&B Song
Beyoncé - Cuff It
Jazmine Sullivan - Hurt Me So Good
Mary J. Blige - Good Morning Gorgeous
Muni Long - Hrs & Hrs
PJ Morton - Please Don’t Walk Away
This is actually very hard call and anyone guess. I wanna say Bey, but I think Mary really deserves this award as does Muni Long. Jazmine and PJ Morton also truly deserve shine in this one. A very hard call and the Grammys do pick the underdogs to throw others off at times.
Best Progressive R&B Album
Cory Henry - Operation Funk
Moonchild - Starfuit
Steve Lacy - Gemini Rights
Tank and the Bangas - Red Balloon
Terrace Martin - Drones
To be fair, I have not heard every Artist and their work in this category. But I do believe Steve Lacy has this in the bag.
Best R&B Album
Chris Brown - Breezy (Deluxe)
Lucky Daye - Candy Drip
Mary J. Blige - Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)
PJ Morton - Watch the Sun
Robert Glasper - Black Radio III
Mary J. deserves this one but Robert Glasper is both an Grammy shoe-in and a very talented musician.
Hard to say, and PJ Morton might surprise people and win.
Sidenote, Chris Brown is an odd addition in this category compared to the other acts and Idk why the Grammy's took away best Urban Contemporary album for his and other artist category they belonged in.
Granted this song would be an exception, but we're talking a whole record.
Best Rap Performance
DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy - God Did
Doja Cat - Vegas
Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug - Pushin P
Hitkidd & Glorilla - F.N.F. (Let’s Go)
Kendrick Lamar - The Heart Part 5
Prediction: Probably DJ Khaled, I mean look at who's on the song.
This is a hard one because the nominees songs are all very different. Like Doja Cat being in this category is a bold statement and I appreciate it considering people try to disrespect her as a rapper and lyricist, but I do feel a new Hip Hop Pop Crossover category should be introduced.
Best Melodic Rap Performance
DJ Khaled Featuring Future & SZA - Beautiful
Future Featuring Drake & Tems - Wait for U
Jack Harlow - First Class
Kendrick Lamar Featuring Blxst & Amanda Reifer - Die Hard
Latto - Big Energy (Live)
Prediction : I wanna say Jack Harlow has this in the bad but this one's anyone's guess.
Deserve: I would like Latto to win, but why TF did the put the live version of Big Energy in here? I do feel like this will merely a nomination for her and the Nicki Minaj drama did not help...
Best Rap Song
DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy - God Did
Future Featuring Drake & Tems - Wait for U
Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug - Pushin P
Jack Harlow Featuring Drake - Churchill Downs
Kendrick Lamar - The Heart Part 5
Giving this to DJ Khaled for again, obvious reasons, but I would like to see Tems win on the Drake and Future record.
Best Rap Album
DJ Khaled - God Did
Future - I Never Liked You
Jack Harlow - Come Home the Kids Miss You
Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
Pusha T - It’s Almost Dry
It's a hard shoe-in between Jack Harlow and Kendrick Lamar for me. This has been Jack's real come up in rap and he's been quite successful with quite a few bops, however, Kendrick is a critically acclaimed lyricist and rapper and the Grammys do seem to like him.
Best Gospel Performance/Song
Doe - When I Pray
Erica Campbell - Positive
Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin - Kingdom
PJ Morton Featuring Zacardi Cortez, Gene Moore, Samoht, Tim Rogers & Darrel Walls - The Better Benediction
Tye Tribbett - Get Up
I wanna give a shout out to all of the nominees in this category but I do believe it's going to Kirk Franklin and Maverick City music.
I believe however that this one truly deserves to go to Doe and the fact that it's even here in this list with the heavy hitters is saying alot. I'm just gonna say this, the Holy Spirit and anointing on that song and the vocal performance and musicality of it is amazing . I would love if Jesus came through and blessed her with this one because I do believe it's her time and much deserved even if the song went overlooked.
Honorable mention to Miss Erica Campbell for "Positive" because she ate and she knows she did. That song is a bop and honestly the Grammy's need to make an Urban Contemporary Gospel category again because Doe Erica's & Tye Tribbets songs should not be up against the other nominees.
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
Chris Tomlin - Holy Forever
Crowder & Dante Bowe Featuring Maverick City Music - God Really Loves Us (Radio Version)
Doe - So Good
For King & Country & Hillary Scott - For God Is With Us
Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin - Fear Is Not My Future
Phil Wickham - Hymn of Heaven (Radio Version)
Either way, this one will probably go to Maverick City Music but I do think God Really Loves Us should win this one for several different reasons
Best Gospel Album
Doe - Clarity
Maranda Curtis - Die to Live
Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin - Kingdom Book One (Deluxe)
Ricky Dillard - Breakthrough: The Exodus (Live)
Tye Tribbett - All Things New
Again, the Grammys need to make more diverse categories for Gospel records and the different soundscapes because more traditional/church leaning Gospel music should not be up against Urban Contemporary Gospel songs, it seems quite unfair.
My vote goes to Doe and Tye Tribbet, but again you have Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin.
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Anne Wilson - My Jesus
Chris Tomlin - Always
Elevation Worship - Lion
Maverick City Music - Breathe
TobyMac - Life After Death
Prediction: Hard to say. Anyone's guess if I'm being completely honest.
Deserve: I think Tobymac actually really deserves this one for musicality, the category assignment and the testament of what this album meant.
Best Song Written for Visual Media
Beyoncé - Be Alive
Carolina Gaitán - La Gaita, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto - Cast - We Don’t Talk About Bruno
Jessy Wilson Featuring Angélique Kidjo - Keep Rising (The Woman King)
Lady Gaga - Hold My Hand
Taylor Swift - Carolina
4*Town, Jordan Fisher, Finneas O’Connell, Josh Levi, Topher Ngo & Grayson Villanueva - Nobody Like U
Shout-out to Jordan Fisher and Josh Levi for this Grammy nom, but Beyonce actually really deserves this one. "Be Alive" vocally, musically and even lyrically deserved more shine, but this record actually deserves to win this category if she wins no other for her prestine Vocal performance and the music itself.
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Amy Allen
Laura Veltz
Nija Charles
The-Dream
Tobias Jesso Jr.
Honestly, Nija "Nija Charles" deserves this one hands down. I'm sure the rest are talented, but as a young songwriter with her name attached to several hits, bops and quite moving records even, Nija deserves this one.
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Boi-1da
Dahi
Dan Auerbach
Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II
Jack Antonoff
Rooting for D'Mile, a long way coming.
But yeah, what are your thoughts?
Honorable Mentions/Snubs:
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