SZA - Kill Bill video screen | RCA
In some ways, the 66th Grammy nominations align with expectations. After the critical and commercial success of her album “SOS,” SZA leads the way with 9 total nods at this year’s show. Other critical/commercial favorites like Boygenius (6 nominations, plus an additional solo nod for Phoebe Bridgers), Jack Anotonoff (6), Taylor Swift (6), Olivia Rodrigo (6), Miley Cyrus (6), and Billie Eilish (6) also received plenty of love — including pivotal general field nominations.
There were, however, some surprises. Despite enjoying chart success and a heaping of critical acclaim, Victoria Monét was generally absent from many so-called expert “predictions.” She made those doubters look foolish, earning 7 nominations — including Best New Artist and Song of the Year looks.
Despite his massive showing (including an Album of the Year win) two years ago, Jon Batiste was also generally absent from prediction pieces. Like Monét, he received seven nods this year, including honors in Album, Song, and Record of the Year.
Engineer and mixer Serban Ghenea also received 7 nominations this year.
Key nominations follow:
Best New Artist
Gracie Abrams
Fred again..
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Coco Jones
Noah Kahan
Victoria Monét
The War and Treaty
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II
Hit-Boy
Metro Boomin
Daniel Nigro
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Edgar Barrera
Jessie Jo Dillon
Shane McAnally
Theron Thomas
Justin Tranter
Best Pop Vocal Album
chemistry – Kelly Clarkson
Endless Summer Vacation – Miley Cyrus
GUTS – Olivia Rodrigo
– (Subtract) – Ed Sheeran
Midnights – Taylor Swift
Best Pop Dance Recording
“Baby Don’t Hurt Me” – David Guetta, Anne-Marie & Coi Leray
“Miracle” – Calvin Harris Featuring Ellie Goulding
“Padam Padam” – Kylie Minogue
“One in a Million” – Bebe Rexha & David Guetta
“Rush” – Troye Sivan
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album
Playing Robots Into Heaven – James Blake
For That Beautiful Feeling – The Chemical Brothers
Actual Life 3 (January 1-September 9 2022) – Fred again..
Kx5 – Kx5
Quest For Fire – Skrillex
Best Rock Album
But Here We Are – Foo Fighters
Starcatcher – Greta Van Fleet
72 Seasons – Metallica
This Is Why – Paramore
In Times New Roman… – Queens of the Stone Age
Best Alternative Music Album
The Car – Arctic Monkeys
the record – boygenius
Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd – Lana Del Rey
Cracker Island – Gorillaz
I Inside the Old Year Dying – PJ Harvey
Best R&B Album
Girls Night Out – Babyface
What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe) – Coco Jones
Special Occasion – Emily King
JAGUAR II – Victoria Monét
CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP – Summer Walker
Best Melodic Rap Performance
“Sittin’ on Top of the World” – Burna Boy Featuring 21 Savage
“Attention” – Doja Cat
“Spin Bout U” – Drake & 21 Savage
“All My Life” – Lil Durk Featuring J. Cole
“Low” – SZA
Best Rap Song
“Attention” – Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini & Ari Starace, songwriters (Doja Cat)
“Barbie World” [from Barbie the Album] – Isis Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. & Onika Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice Featuring Aqua)
“Just Wanna Rock” – Mohamad Camara, Symere Woods & Javier Mercado, songwriters (Lil Uzi Vert)
“Rich Flex” – Brytavious Chambers, Isaac “Zac” De Boni, Aubrey Graham, J. Gwin, Anderson Hernandez, Michael “Finatik” Mule & Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, songwriters (Drake & 21 Savage)
“SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS” – Andre Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Michael Render, Tim Moore & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Killer Mike Featuring André 3000, Future & Eryn Allen Kane)
Best Alternative Jazz Album
Love In Exile – Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily
Quality Over Opinion – Louis Cole
SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree – Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, SuperBlue
Live at the Piano – Cory Henry
The Omnichord Real Book – Meshell Ndegeocello
Best Country Album
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat – Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne – Brothers Osborne
Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan
Rustin’ in the Rain – Tyler Childers
Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson
Best Americana Album
Brandy Clark – Brandy Clark
The Chicago Sessions – Rodney Crowell
You’re the One – Rhiannon Giddens
Weathervanes – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
The Returner – Allison Russell
Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)
Bordado a Mano – Ana Bárbara
La Sánchez – Lila Downs
Motherflower – Flor de Toloache
Amor Como en las Películas de Antes – Lupita Infante
GÉNESIS – Peso Pluma
Best African Music Performance
“Amapiano” – ASAKE & Olamide
“City Boys” – Burna Boy
“UNAVAILABLE” – Davido Featuring Musa Keys
“Rush” – Ayra Starr
“Water” – Tyla
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Televison)
Barbie – Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, composers
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Ludwig Göransson, composer
The Fabelmans – John Williams, composer
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – John Williams, composer
Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson, composer