The 67th Annual Grammy Awards will be held this Sunday, Feb. 2, recognizing music releases from Sep. 16, 2023, through Aug. 30, 2024.
2024 was a big year for music, and the highly competitive and anticipated list of nominations ranges from breakout stars like Chappell Roan to “Grammy darlings” like Billie Eilish. Eilish is joined by Post Malone, Charli XCX, Kendrick Lamar, and Taylor Swift among the night’s most nominated.
With so many big names nominated, there are a number of conflicting opinions on who should take home what awards. Here’s a prediction for what is sure to be a memorable, and potentially controversial, Grammy Awards ceremony.
Best New Artist
This year’s nominations for Best New Artist are as follows: Benson Boone, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Khruangbin, Raye, Roan, Shaboozey, and Teddy Swims.
The list is full of names that boast some of the year’s biggest songs. Boone’s “Beautiful Things” and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” were inescapable, quickly launching the artists to stardom as they secured TikTok virality.
Carpenter was launched to new levels of fame after the release of “Espresso” in April 2024. Carpenter continued in stardom as her next single, “Please, Please, Please,” topped the Billboard Hot 100 charts, becoming her first No.1 single.
In August, Carpenter released her sixth studio album Short n’ Sweet, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart. Despite being Carpenter’s sixth album, Short n’ Sweet marked her breakthrough to mainstream, qualifying her for best new artist. Carpenter’s lengthy career, however, could cost her in this category despite her recent growth in popularity.
If you turned on the radio, opened TikTok, or attended any DJed event, odds are that you heard a Roan song. Roan burst onto the scene after opening for Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour. Her songs “HOT TO GO!,” “Pink Pony Club,” and “Casual” were massively popular, earning her widespread praise.
Roan released “Good Luck, Babe!” in April 2024, earning her No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart as her first new hit since rising to fame. Roan’s unprecedented success has her poised to take home this year’s award for best new artist.
Record of the Year
The songs nominated this year are The Beatles’ “Now and Then,” Beyoncé’s “TEXAS HOLD ’EM,” Carpenter’s “Espresso,” Charli XCX’s “360,” Eilish’s “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!,” and Swift’s “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone.
The list is stacked with recognizable contenders. “Not Like Us,” “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” and “Fortnight” are all sung by artists the Recording Academy tends to favor.
“TEXAS HOLD ’EM” marked Beyoncé’s entrance into country music. The song earned her a No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs, making her the first Black woman to occupy the position. This exploration into a new genre could help her secure the award.
The Beatles seem to be the underdogs in this category. “Now and Then” was originally written in the late ’70s, and was born from John Lennon’s 1977 demo, guitar tracks from 1995, and drumming from 2022. The completion of the unfinished song, and the complexity of its production, could easily win it the award.
Still, “Espresso” and “360” are this year’s front runners. The songs seem to mirror each other, with “360” bringing a fresher sound to modern pop music and “Espresso” encapsulating everything that pop is as a genre. The long-term, mainstream success of “Espresso” could give Carpenter the edge she needs to take the award home.
Song of the Year
While Record of the Year acknowledges performance and production, Song of the Year recognizes songwriting ability.
This year’s nominees are “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” “Die With A Smile,” “Fortnight”, “Good Luck, Babe!,” “Not Like Us,” “Please, Please, Please,” and “TEXAS HOLD ’EM.”
“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” could easily take the award home. This song was a smash hit for Eilish, exploring themes of connection and straying away from the darker subject matters that have won Eilish awards in the past. It is no secret that the Grammys love Eilish, and they would likely not hesitate to recognize her again.
“Good Luck, Babe!” is sonically complex, exploring feelings of longing and the difficulty of having feelings for someone who is not openly queer. Roan’s words are cutting and undeniably powerful.
While the rest of the songs in this category were major hits from the past year, many lack the lyrical complexity that this category claims to recognize. The winner this year will come down to whether the Academy sticks strictly to these criteria or strays to reward popularity.
Album of the Year
Album of the Year is considered one of the most prestigious awards of the night. This year’s nominees are André 3000’s New Blue Sun, Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER, Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet, Charli XCX’s BRAT, Jacob Collier’s Djesse Vol. 4, Eilish’s HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and Swift’s THE TORTURED POET’S DEPARTMENT.
The general opinion is that the award is a toss up between Beyoncé, Carpenter, Charli XCX, Eilish, Roan, and Swift, with many hailing 2024 as the year of “the pop girls.”
Carpenter, Roan, and Charli XCX, despite having albums that heavily influenced pop culture, lack the experience that album of the year winners tend to have. Roan and Carpenter are both nominated for Pop Vocal Album, a more likely win for the newer artists.
That leaves Swift, Beyoncé, and Eilish.
Swift’s THE TORTURED POET’S DEPARTMENT, announced at last year’s Grammy Awards, was a surprise release amid her record-breaking Eras Tour. While the album is heavily praised by fans, its impact was mixed into the thrill from the return of the European leg of The Eras Tour and lacked a major single, unlike her competitors’ albums. Swift is also the reigning Album of the Year winner for her 2022 release, Midnights. This makes her win this year unlikely, but historic, as Swift would be the first woman to achieve this honor.
Beyonce’s COWBOY CARTER is another strong contender. Thematically, the album pays homage to African American roots in country music. It produced strong singles with “TEXAS HOLD ’EM” and “16 CARRIAGES .” This would make for another groundbreaking win. Despite being the most awarded artist in Grammy history with 32 awards, Beyoncé has never taken home Album of the Year, leaving many fans rooting for her success.
Eilish’s HIT ME HARD AND SOFT saw success across the board, with hit singles “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” and “THE GREATEST.” The work is sonically cohesive, a quality that is often rewarded by the Recording Academy. While it would be a deserved win, the victory could leave many upset if she goes home with awards in other categories, as the Grammys have a tendency to favor Eilish across the board.
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