I know that the Grammys have kinda become a joke; the last relevant one seems to be the 2015 ceremony when Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar both got nominated for Album of the Year. Ever since then, I don’t think the Grammys have had the cultural significance that they used to have.
Viewership in the 2021 ceremony reached an all-time low to only 8.8 million viewers, compared to the 18.7 million viewers in 2020, so it’s easy to say that the Grammys have fallen off. This year, SZA leads with nine nominations, followed by Victoria Monét, Phoebe Bridgers, and Serban Ghenea who each have seven nominations. Overall, any outcome is possible and, as ‘some random girl who listens to music sometimes’, I want to see if I can predict the future; so, here is what I think should win, will win, and who should’ve been nominated.
Song of the Year
“A&W” by Lana Del Rey
“Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
“Butterfly” by Jon Batiste
“Dance The Night” (From Barbie The Album) by Dua Lipa
“Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
“Kill Bill” by SZA
“Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo
“What Was I Made For?” (From The Motion Picture “Barbie”) by Billie Eilish
Should win:
“A&W” by Lana Del Rey
Will win:
“What Was I Made for?” by Billie Eilish
Snub:
“My Love Mine All Mine” by Mitski
“Not Strong Enough” by boygenius
Lana, after changing the landscape of pop music in the last decade, still has not won any Grammys at all. I don’t know whether it’s because she’s considered too “internet” and not mainstream enough or the Grammys just don’t like her, but I think she should finally win. With “A&W”, I think she has the lyrics to do so. But if I’m being honest with myself, Billie Eilish, a Grammy darling, will probably win with “What Was I Made for?” The lyrics are really well written with a good message from one of the biggest movies of the year. As a result, I wouldn’t be surprised if she won another Grammy this year. As for snubs, I am surprised that Mitski and boygenius didn’t get nominated. For Mitski, I am assuming it’s because her album came out on the cutoff day, but as for boygenius I think they had one of the best songs of the year in “Not Strong Enough” or “Cool About It”. I was surprised they were nominated for songwriting and they were for production, but I guess the Grammys like to be funny because there are definitely songs on here that I was confused about regarding their nomination.
Record of the Year
Worship by Jon Batiste
Not Strong Enough by boygenius
Flowers by Miley Cyrus
What Was I Made For? (From The Motion Picture “Barbie”) by Billie Eilish
On My Mama by Victoria Monét
Vampire by Olivia Rodrigo
Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift
Kill Bill by SZA
Should win:
Kill Bill by SZA
Will win:
Kill Bill by SZA
Snub:
Paint The Town Red by Doja Cat
Kill Bill and Antihero have been two of the biggest records of the year. Personally, I think Kill Bill is the better one and, for once, I would be surprised if SZA didn’t take home one of the big awards this year. One of the biggest snubs for Record of the Year can easily be Doja Cat’s Paint The Town Red. I am surprised that it wasn’t nominated since it was one of the biggest songs this summer with really nice sampling and production. Not including any rap in the main categories was definitely a theme this year, which is just a shame.
Album of the Year
World Music Radio by Jon Batiste
the record by boygenius
Endless Summer Vacation by Miley Cyrus
Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by Lana Del Rey
The Age Pleasure by Janelle Monáe
GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo
Midnights by Taylor Swift
SOS by SZA
Should win:
the record by boygenius
GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo
Will win:
SOS by SZA
Snub:
Be Funny In A Foreign Language Language by The 1975
UTOPIA by Travis Scott
My favourite albums of the year are the record and GUTS, so I think I am biased for wanting them to win. However, I would be really happy if SZA won this year. She put out an extremely solid album with hit after hit after hit. It’s my third favourite album this year, so no complaints from me. I can also see Taylor Swift winning just because if she wins it would break records; but, personally, I don’t think she should win for Midnights even though I am a Swiftie. The snubs are honestly surprising: although The 1975 had one of the biggest albums at the end of last year and a sleeper hit in About You, it is kinda crazy that Miley Cyrus and Jon Batiste, nevertheless, got nominated over them. Same goes for Travis Scott, but the absence of rap artists this year, I guess, is nothing new from the Grammys.
Best New Artist
Gracie Abrams
Fred again…
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Coco Jones
Noah Kahan
Victoria Monét
The War And Treaty
Should win:
Ice Spice
Victoria Monét
Will win:
Gracie Abrams
Snub:
RAYE
Out of all of the nominated artists, I think Ice Spice or Victoria Monét should win; Ice Spice because, out of everyone, I think she has the most unique identity and will probably be the next big rapper, if she is not already that. Victoria Monét because she was behind some of the biggest hits in the last decade (think Ariana Grande and Fifth Harmony) and it clearly shows in her debut album, Jaguar II, and in being the second most nominated artist this year. Even though there are pretty good choices, I think that Gracie Abrams will win since she had a solid album this year and, if I’m being honest, this is one of the times where being a nepo-baby will help you a tiny bit (being the daughter of one of the most successful directors would not hurt your chances). However, I don’t think she should win because I don’t see her as being the next big thing and I kinda don’t like whisper pop.
I think the person that should win is not even on this list; RAYE, one of the biggest “new” artists with one of the best albums of the year, was not nominated and I really don’t understand why. She had a whole orchestral performance of her album in Royal Albert Hall (if you haven’t seen it, please watch it). If anyone were to be the next big thing, RAYE would be it, and she would deserve it 100%; from being a songwriter behind some of the biggest hits in the last decade, to being an artist that took control over her own career, RAYE is definitely someone to marvel at. She also has an identity that is unique from artists in the last year and with the stage presence to match it. It is genuinely a shame that she didn’t get nominated, but that is extremely Grammy behaviour, for real.
The Grammys this year are probably going to be a bit boring. Will I watch it? Probably not. But I am intrigued by whether my guesses are right. I suppose we’ll have to see. Extra disclaimer: don’t use my list to make your bets, I am just ‘some random girl who listens to music sometimes’.
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