By Nadia Paschal
It’s always exciting to see what songs and which artists are nominated for the Grammys each year, although it was disappointing to see how little variation there was this time around.
I shouldn’t be too surprised though, as the music that did make the cut was literally everywhere. All the time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of most of the artists in these categories, but it would be nice to see some other stuff featured.
There are so many artists in each mainstream category, and only so many words I can fit on this page, so first I’ll cover the artists that are in almost every category. Next, I’ll discuss some of my predictions for the most popular categories.
HEAVY HITTERS
It’s no surprise that Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” is featured in multiple categories. The album as a whole was out of the norm for her usual sound.
I’m always in support of artists who branch out and try new sounds, rather than continuing to pump out the same formulaic songs. She could put out an entire album of white noise and still be nominated. She’s absolutely untouchable and for good reason. Beyoncé has earned her status.
Sabrina Carpenter is another powerhouse within this year’s GRAMMYS. Her album “Espresso” was absolutely everywhere this summer — stores, radio and every social media app. It was fun, catchy and the definition of pop music.
“The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” by Chappell Roan is one of my all-time favorite albums by one of my favorite artists.
Although it came out late 2023, it wasn’t until early this summer that it really gained traction. Roan’s career has skyrocketed ever since.
Charli xcx’s “Brat” took the music industry by storm this summer, with numerous hits and features with other artists. The electronic beats were staples at every club and party.
Charli was nominated for album of the year, and if she doesn’t take that home, she’s going to win at least a few in the dance and electronic category.
Billie Eilish put out her third studio album “Hit Me Hard and Soft” this May. “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” was the one of the most popular songs off it, and is in quite a few categories. I have never been the biggest fan of Eilish but she’s grown on me over the past few years, and I’m really rooting for her to win.
RECORD OF THE YEAR
I was astonished to see the first nomination on this list were The Beatles for “Now and Then.” Don’t get me wrong, I love them. They’re an absolute classic. But what year is this? Why are they on here?
After doing some research, I found that this track was originally written in 1973 by John Lennon as a demo and was finally released this year. It just seems so out of place to have them on here with all of the other modern hits.
That being said, I think they have a very strong chance of winning, because of their timelessness. It would be an amazing tribute to both the remaining members of the band, as well as the ones that are no longer alive.
I think “Espresso” is also a reasonable guess for this category. One of the lead singles off of Sabrina’s album of the same name, I would not be shocked to see her win this one.
Another song I was shocked to see on here was “Fortnight” by Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone, for entirely different reasons. It wasn’t the worst song off the album, but that’s not saying much considering the album in its entirety was honestly really bad.
Swift has already won so many awards, for much better work and there are stronger artists than her in these categories.
Prediction: “Now and Then”
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
I was unaware André 3000 put out a new album until this list came out. “New Blue Sun” came out November 2023. Maybe I’m just in the wrong circles, but I didn’t hear anything about it.
Touching on “The Tortured Poets Department” by Taylor Swift a little more, this album flopped so hard. Despite the mass amounts of variants and live versions she put out, it couldn’t save the fact that this album was never really good in the first place.
Prediction: “Short n’ Sweet”
SONG OF THE YEAR
Seeing “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey on here honestly made me laugh. I never want to discredit any artist’s work because who am I to judge? Everyone has different tastes, but this song is not serious enough to even be in consideration for song of the year.
Usually, I don’t listen to rap — but “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar had even me hooked. He dropped this track mid-feud with Drake, and although the score has been settled, this song still holds up.
I’ve already raved about Carpenter, and am happy to see her nominated for another category, but unfortunately, I don’t think she’s going to win this one. “Please Please Please” is a good song but not the best of her new album.
“Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan was a massive hit this summer, and topped the charts. If she were to win only one category, it would most likely be this one.
Prediction: “Good Luck, Babe!”
BEST NEW ARTIST
There are eight artists in this category, but I would say only two have a chance at winning this award — Carpenter and Roan.
Picking between these two is an impossible decision for me as I love their music so much. Speaking logically though, this feels like a tossup, but I’m leaning more toward Carpenter winning.
Although Carpenter’s not technically a new artist, she’s now in the public eye more than she ever was before. Her tour has been one-of-a-kind and she has built up a recognizable brand, so she’s cemented herself as a pop icon for a long time to come.
Moving onto Roan, who has also built up a huge brand — her album was phenomenal, and she has a commanding presence. Although I absolutely love her, she has been having mixed reviews due to how she’s handling her new superstar status.
Picking between these two is an impossible decision for me as I am constantly blown away by both of them, but only one can win.
Prediction: Sabrina Carpenter
With the same musicians dominating almost every category, it could go one of two ways — one artist sweeps this year’s Grammys or a few people win in multiple categories.
