2024 has been a standout year for music, marked by several major artist comebacks. As always, the music industry is full of competition, with artists and records contending for prestigious accolades. With so much buzz surrounding releases, all eyes are now set on the Grammy Awards.
On November 8th, the nominations for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards were announced. Beyoncé leads with a personal-high of 11 nods, thanks to Cowboy Carter, making her the most nominated artist in Grammy history with 99 nominations. Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Charli xcx, and Post Malone trail with seven nominations, while Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan are closely behind with six.
With such a competitive field, it’s clear that the upcoming awards will be full of close calls. Below, I’ve outlined the nominations for some of the major categories along with my predictions.
Note: The eligibility period for the 2025 Grammys is for recordings released September 16, 2023, through August 30, 2024.
Album of the Year
Taylor Swift – THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT
Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Billie Eilish – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT
Jacob Collier – Djesse Vol. 4
Charli xcx – BRAT
Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet
Beyoncé – COWBOY CARTER
André 3000 – New Blue Sun
With the history of the Recording Academy, the top contenders will definitely be Swift, Eilish, and Beyoncé. Roan and Carpenter have solid chances, as well. THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT could secure Swift’s record-extending fifth win, while Beyoncé is certainly eyeing her first win in this category with COWBOY CARTER. However, I believe it will most likely go to Billie Eilish’s HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. This album was one of the biggest critical and commercial successes of the year, and her brother Finneas’ production makes it even more phenomenal.
Record of the Year
Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone – “Fortnight”
Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!”
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”
Charli xcx – “360”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso”
Beyoncé – “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”
The Beatles – “Now And Then”
This category is packed with well-deserving records, but the most deserving is “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar. The success of this record is backed by its cultural relevance when Lamar and Drake released diss tracks against each other, but it’s clear that “Not Like Us” came out victorious. It was an inescapable summer hit ever since it dropped in May, earning Lamar the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Lamar isn’t a stranger to the Grammys either; he’s won an impressive 17 awards throughout his career and is in a good spot to win another in this category. Some of the stronger contenders also include Beyoncé’s “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter.
Song of the Year
Beyoncé – “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please”
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!”
Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone – “Fortnight”
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile”
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”
Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Out of all the categories, this one in particular truly could go in any direction. My bet is on “Fortnight,” “Not Like Us,” or “BIRDS OF A FEATHER.” Swift has the potential to clinch her first victory in this category with the help of Post Malone, but Lamar and Eilish also have a high chance of bringing the award home. Nevertheless, all of these songs are deserving of this prize. Krishaa Seth (10) believes “Die With A Smile” has the best odds, describing that “‘Die With A Smile’ is a song that is sung by two talented artists I love, not to mention the catchy rhythm and meaningful lyrics in this masterpiece. When this song first came out, it was stuck in my head for days and I could not get sick of playing it on repeat.”
Best New Artist
Teddy Swims
Shaboozey
Chappell Roan
RAYE
Khruangbin
Doechii
Sabrina Carpenter
Benson Boone
While there are several new artists who have made a splash in the music industry, it really comes down to Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. Both artists have skyrocketed this year, with Carpenter’s summer hit “Espresso” followed by Short n’ Sweet catapulting her into the eyes of the public, and with Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess along the single “Good Luck, Babe!” receiving critical acclaim. In the end, I think Carpenter will hold a slight edge over Roan and will take the prize. Next in line is Benson Boone, whose “Beautiful Things” also achieved worldwide popularity.
Best Pop Solo Performance
Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!”
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”
Charli xcx – “Apple”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso”
Beyoncé – “BODYGUARD”
No doubt, this award will go to Carpenter. “Espresso” dominated the charts during summer and is currently the most streamed song released in 2024 on Spotify. The song is the epitome of pop and entrances listeners with its catchy verses and chorus. With that said, “Espresso” truly took Carpenter’s career to the next level and was one of the biggest hits this year.
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile”
Ariana Grande, Brandy, and Monica – “the boy is mine”
Charli xcx and Billie Eilish – “Guess”
Beyoncé featuring Post Malone – “LEVII’S JEANS”
Gracie Abrams featuring Taylor Swift – “us.”
It’s a close call between “Guess” and “Die With A Smile,” but the latter has a slight lead over the former. Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars are two musical giants in the industry, and it’s no wonder their collaboration took the world by storm. The song has a unique soulful depth to it along with a fan-favorite bridge. Commercially, the song has achieved success globally and is on track to be the fastest song to accumulate 1 billion streams in Spotify history.
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards will certainly be an exciting night to watch. It is set to be held on February 2, 2025 in the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
