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The 2023 Grammy Nominations Unveiled...Predictions & My Thoughts


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:



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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