By JOHN DALY
This year’s GRAMMY Awards nominees reflect music’s diversity as Lizzo secured eight of music’s most revered nominations and Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X each secured six.
The noted newcomers each received nominations in the Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best New Artist categories. The 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards will take place January 26, 2020.
GRAMMY Nominations Bring Diversity in Most Areas
While the 2020 GRAMMY nominees represent a wide array of diverse musical artists they mostly honor those under 40 years old. The new president of the Recording Academy, the body that annually selects winners of music’s arguably most coveted awards, is Deborah Dugan, the Academy’s first woman president and CEO, who replaced Neil Portnow last August.
62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominations:
Awards as Marketing Tools
Those in music recognize that through the GRAMMY Awards, the Recording Academy routinely celebrates the big money-makers and snubs those who go against the grain. The GRAMMY Awards, like the Academy Awards and other big back-patting efforts that are nationally broadcast have one main purpose: Sell more product. Awards lend big brand credibility that help promote a product even further. And those who are buying skew younger.
But while many musicians and critics turn a blind eye to the awards, or downplay the importance of the honors, there are few, in any age category, who would turn down a nomination.
The List of the 2020 GRAMMY nominees:
Album of the Year
I, I — Bon Iver
Norman Fucking Rockwell! — Lana Del Rey
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — Billie Eilish
Thank U, Next — Ariana Grande
I Used To Know Her — H.E.R.
7 — Lil Nas X
Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) — Lizzo
Father Of The Bride — Vampire Weekend
Record of the Year
“Hey, Ma” — Bon Iver
“Bad Guy” — Billie Eilish
“7 Rings” — Ariana Grande
“Hard Place” — H.E.R.
“Talk” — Khalid
“Old Town Road” — Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
“Truth Hurts” — Lizzo
“Sunflower” — Post Malone and Swae Lee
Song of the Year
“Always Remember Us This Way” — Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey, and Lori McKenna, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
“Bad Guy” — Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
“Bring My Flowers Now” — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth, and Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
“Hard Place” — Ruby Amanfu, Sam Ashworth, D. Arcelious Harris. H.E.R., and Rodney Jerkins, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“Lover” — Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
“Norman Fucking Rockwell” — Jack Antonoff and Lana Del Rey, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)
“Someone You Loved” — Tom Barnes, Lewis Capaldi, Pere Kelleher, Benjamin Kohn, and Sam Roman, songwriters (Lewis Capaldi)
“Truth Hurts” — Steven Cheung, Eric Frederic, Melissa Jefferson, and Jesse Saint John, songwriters (Lizzo)
Best New Artist
Black Pumas
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Maggie Rogers
Rosalía
Tank and the Bangas
Yola
Best Pop Solo Performance
“Spirit” — Beyoncé
“Bad Guy” — Billie Eilish
“7 Rings” — Ariana Grande
“Truth Hurts” — Lizzo
“You Need To Calm Down” — Taylor Swift
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Boyfriend” — Ariana Grande and Social House
“Sucker” — Jonas Brothers
“Old Town Road” — Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus
“Señorita” — Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello
Best Pop Vocal Album
The Lion King: The Gift — Beyoncé
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — Billie Eilish
Thank U, Next — Ariana Grande
No. 6 Collaborations Project — Ed Sheeran
Lover — Taylor Swift
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Sì — Andrea Bocelli
Love (Deluxe Edition) — Michael Bublé
Look Now — Elvis Costello and the Imposters
A Legendary Christmas — John Legend
Walls — Barbra Streisand
Best Dance Album
LP5 – Apparat
No Geography – The Chemical Brothers
Hi This Is Flume – Flume
Refs Du Sol – Solace
Weather – Tyco
Best Dance Recording
“Linked” — Bonobo
“Got to Keep On” — The Chemical Brothers
“Piece of Your Heart” — Meduza and Goodboys
“Underwater” — Rüfüs Du Sol
“Midnight Hour” — Skrillex and Boys Noize with Ty Dolla $ign
Best Rock Album
Amo — Bring Me The Horizon
Social Cues — Cage the Elephant
In the End — The Cranberries
Trauma — I Prevail
Feral Roots — Rival Sons
Best Rock Song
“Fear Inoculum” — Danny Carey, Justin Chancellor, Adam Jones, and Maynard James Keenan, songwriters (Tool)
“Give Yourself a Try” — George Daniel, Adam Hann, Matthew Healy, and Ross Macdonald, songwriters (The 1975)
“Harmony Hall” — Ezra Koenig, songwriter (Vampire Weekend)
“History Repeats” — Brittany Howard, songwriter (Brittany Howard)
“This Land” — Gary Clark Jr., songwriter (Gary Clark Jr.)
Best Rock Performance
“Pretty Waste” — Bones UK
“This Land” — Gary Clark Jr.
“History Repeats” — Brittany Howard
“Woman” — Karen O and Danger Mouse
“Too Bad” — Rival Sons
Best Metal Performance
“Astorolus – The Great Octopus” — Candlemass feat. Tony Iommi
“Humanicide” — Death Angel
“Bow Down” — I Prevail
“Unleashed” — Killswitch Engage
“7empest” — Tool
Best Rap Album
Revenge of the Dreamers III — Dreamville
Championships — Meek Mill
I Am > I Was — 21 Savage
Igor — Tyler, the Creator
The Lost Boy — YBN Cordae
Best Rap Performance
“Middle Child” — J. Cole
“Suge” — DaBaby
“Down Bad” — Dreamville feat. J.I.D, Bas, J. Cole, Earthgang, and Young Nudy
“Racks in the Middle” — Nipsey Hussle feat. Roddy Ricch and Hit-boy
“Clout” — Offset ft. Cardi B
Best Rap/Sung Performance
“Higher” — DJ Khaled feat. Nipsey Hussle and John Legend
“Drip Too Hard” — Lil Baby and Funna
“Panini” — Lil Nas X
“Ballin” — Mustard feat. Roddy Ricch
“The London” — Young Thug feat. J. Cole and Travis Scott
Best Rap Song
“Bad Idea” — Chancelor Bennett, Cordae Dunston, Uforo Ebong, and Daniel Hackett, songwriters (Ybn Cordae feat. Chance the Rapper)
“Gold Roses” — Noel Cadastre, Aubrey Graham, Anderson Hernandez, Khristopher Riddick-tynes, William Leonard Roberts II, Joshua Quinton Scruggs, Leon Thomas III, and Ozan Yildirim, songwriters (Rick Ross feat. Drake)
“A Lot” — Jermaine Cole, Dacoury Natche, 21 Savage, and Anthony White, songwriters (21 Savage feat. J. Cole)
“Racks in the Middle” — Ermias Asghedom, Dustin James Corbett, Greg Allen Davis, Chauncey Hollis Jr., and Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Nipsey Hussle feat. Roddy Ricch and Hit-boy)
“Suge” — DaBaby, Jetsonmade, and Pooh Beatz, songwriters (DaBaby)
Best Alternative Album
U.F.O.F. — Big Thief
Assume Form — James Blake
I, I — Bon Iver
Father of the Bride — Vampire Weekend
Anima — Thom Yorke
Best Country Album
Desperate Man — Eric Church
Stronger than the Truth — Reba McEntire
Interstate Gospel — Pistol Annies
Center Point Road — Thomas Rhett
While I’m Livin’ — Tanya Tucker
Best Country Solo Performance
“All Your’n” — Tyler Childers
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” — Ashley McBryde
“Ride Me Back Home” — Willie Nelson
“God’s Country” — Blake Shelton
“Bring My Flowers Now” — Tanya Tucker
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“Brand New Man” — Brooks and Dunn with Luke Combs
“I Don’t Remember Me (Before You)” — Brothers Osborne
“Speechless” — Dan and Shay
“The Daughters” — Little Big Town
“Common” — Maren Morris feat. Brandi Carlile
Best Country Song
“Bring My Flowers Now” — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth, and Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” — Jeremy Bussey and Ashley Mcbryde, songwriters (Ashley Mcbryde)
“It All Comes Out in the Wash” — Miranda Lambert, Hillary Lindsey, Lori Mckenna, and Liz Rose, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
“Some of It” — Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, and Bobby Pinson, songwriters (Eric Church)
“Speechless” — Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers, and Laura Veltz, songwriters (Dan and Shay)
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album
X 100PRE — Bad Bunny
Oasis — J Balvin and Bad Bunny
Indestructible — Flor De Toloache
Almadura — iLe
El Mal Querer — Rosalía
Best Latin Pop Album
Vida — Luis Fonsi
11:11 — Maluma
Montaner — Ricardo Montaner
#ELDISCO — Alejandro Sanz
Fantasía — Sebastian Yatra
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
Caminando — Joss Favela
Percepción — Intocable
Poco A Poco — La Energia Norteña
20 Aniversario — Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
De Ayer Para Siempre — Mariachi Los Camperos
Best Tropical Latin Album
Opus — Marc Anthony
Tiempo Al Tiempo — Luis Enrique and C4 Trio
Candela — Vicente García
Literal — Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
A Journey Through Cuban Music — Aymée Nuviola
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Apollo XXI — Steve Lacy
Cuz I Love You — Lizzo
Overload — Georgia Anne Muldrow
Saturn — NAO
Being Human in Public — Jessie Reyez
Best R&B Album
1123 — BJ the Chicago Kid
Painted — Lucky Daye
Ella Mai — Ella Mai
Paul — PJ Morton
Ventura — Anderson .Paak
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Apollo XXI — Steve Lacy
Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) — Lizzo
Overload — Georgia Anne Muldrow
Saturn — Nao
Being Human in Public — Jessie Reyez
Best R&B Performance
“Love Again” — Daniel Caesar and Brandy
“Could’ve Been” — H.E.R. and Bryson Tiller
“Exactly How I Feel” — Lizzo and Gucci Mane
“Roll Some Mo” — Lucky Daye
“Come Home” — Anderson .Paak and André 3000
Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Time Today” — BJ the Chicago Kid
“Steady Love” — India.Arie
“Jerome” — Lizzo
“Real Games” — Lucky Daye
“Built for Love” — PJ Morton and Jazmine Sullivan
Best R&B Song
“Could’ve Been” — Dernst Emile II, David “Swagg R’celious” Harris, H.E.R., and Hue “Soundzfire” Strother, songwriters (H.E.R. feat. Bryson Tiller)
“Look at Me Now” — Emily King and Jeremy Most, songwriters (Emily King)
“No Guidance” — Chris Brown, Tyler James Bryant, Nija Charles, Aubrey Graham, Anderson Hernandez, Michee Patrick Lebrun, Joshua Lewis, Noah Shebib, and Teddy Walton, songwriters (Chris Brown feat. Drake)
“Roll Some Mo” — David Brown, Dernst Emile II, and Peter Lee Johnson, songwriters (Lucky Daye)
“Say So” — PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton feat. JoJo)
Best American Roots Performance
“Saint Honesty” — Sara Bareilles
“Father Mountain” — Calexico with Iron & Wine
“I’m On My Way” — Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi
“Call My Name” — I’m With Her
“Faraway Look” — Yola
Best American Roots Song
“Black Myself” — Amythyst Kiah, songwriter (Our Native Daughters)
“Call My Name” — Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’donovan, and Sara Watkins, songwriters (I’m With Her)
“Crossing to Jerusalem” — Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal, songwriters (Rosanne Cash)
“Faraway Look” — Dan Auerbach, Yola Carter, and Pat McLaughlin, songwriters (Yola)
“I Don’t Wanna Ride the Rails No More” — Vince Gill, songwriter (Vince Gill)
Best Americana Album
Years to Burn — Calexico and Iron & Wine
Who Are You Now — Madison Cunningham
Oklahoma — Keb’ Mo’
Tales of America — J.S. Ondara
Walk Through Fire — Yola
Best Bluegrass Album
Tall Fiddler — Michael Cleveland
Live in Prague, Czech Republic — Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver
Toil, Tears & Trouble — The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Royal Traveller — Missy Raines
If You Can’t Stand the Heat — Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen
Best Traditional Blues Album
Kingfish — Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Tall, Dark & Handsome — Delbert McClinton and Self-Made Men
Sitting on Top of the Blues — Bobby Rush
Baby, Please Come Home — Jimmie Vaughan
Spectacular Class — Jontavious Willis
Best Contemporary Blues Album
This Land — Gary Clark Jr.
Venom & Faith — Larkin Poe
Brighter Days — Robert Randolph and the Family Band
Somebody Save Me — Sugaray Rayford
Keep On — Southern Avenue
Best Folk Album
My Finest Work Yet — Andrew Bird
Rearrange My Heart — Che Apalache
Patty Griffin — Patty Griffin
Evening Machines — Gregory Alan Isakov
Front Porch — Joy Williams
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Kalawai’anui — Amy Hānaiali’i
When It’s Cold – Cree Round Dance Songs — Northern Cree
Good Time — Ranky Tanky
Recorded Live at the 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — Rebirth Brass Band
Hawaiian Lullaby (Various Artists) — Imua Garza and Kimié Miner, producers
Best Reggae Album
Rapture — Koffee
As I Am — Julian Marley
The Final Battle: Sly & Robbie vs. Roots Radics — Sly & Robbie and Roots Radics
Mass Manipulation — Steel Pulse
More Work to Be Done — Third World
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books, and Storytelling)
Beastie Boys Book (Various Artists) — Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, Scott Sherratt, and Dan Zitt, producers
Becoming — Michelle Obama
I.V. Catatonia: 20 Years as a Two-Time Cancer Survivor — Eric Alexandrakis
Mr. Know-It-All — John Waters
Sekou Andrews & the String Theory — Sekou Andrews and the String Theory
Best Comedy Album
Quality Time — Jim Gaffigan
Relatable — Ellen Degeneres
Right Now — Aziz Ansari
Son of Patricia — Trevor Noah
Sticks & Stones — Dave Chappelle
Best Music Video
“We’ve Got To Try” — The Chemical Brothers; Ellie Fry, video director; Ninian Doff, video producer
“This Land” — Gary Clark Jr.; Savanah Leaf, video director; Alicia Martinez, video producer
“Cellophane” — FKA twigs; Andrew Thomas Huang, video director; Alex Chamberlain, video producer
“Old Town Road (Official Movie)” — Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus; Calmatic, video director; Candice Dragonas, Melissa Larsen, and Saul Levitz, video producers
“Glad He’s Gone” — Tove Lo; Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia, video directors; Natan Schottenfels, video producer
Best Music Film
Homecoming — Beyoncé; Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Ed Burke, video directors; Dora Melissa Vargas, video producer
Remember My Name — David Crosby; A.J. Eaton, video director; Cameron Crowe, Michele Farinola, and Greg Mariotti, video producers
Birth of the Cool — Miles Davis; Stanley Nelson, video director; Nicole London, video producer
Shangri-La — Various Artists; Morgan Neville, video director; Emma Baiada, video producer
Anima — Thom Yorke; Paul Thomas Anderson, video director; Paul Thomas Anderson, Erica Frauman, and Sara Murphy, video producers
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
John Hill
Finneas
Ricky Reed
