Last Friday, The Recording Academy announced its nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards, causing music fans to praise and criticize the organization’s decisions. With major artists like SZA and boygenius leading with the most nominations, the awards ceremony is sure to be one of the most competitive Grammy Awards for its range and explosion of great music from the last year.
With this in mind, let’s examine the artists nominated for the 2024 Grammy nominations:
Album of the Year
Nominees:
“World Music Radio” by Jon Batiste - By now, most Grammy watchers know that Jon Batiste is a favorite of The Recording Academy, so it’s not shocking that he’s been nominated again for Album of the Year. While this album did not have as much buzz during its release as his previous works, the jazz singer could be a potential winner for his unique collaborations with artists like Lana Del Rey, Lil Wayne and Native Soul.
“the record” by boygenius - “The record” by boygenius has proven to be the album to watch this year, and it wouldn’t be shocking if the trio won in this category. While their release has been extremely overhyped thanks to the growing popularity of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, the trio has a lot of great songs (i.e. “$20” and “Not Strong Enough”) under their belt to help them take home the gold.
“Endless Summer Vacation” by Miley Cyrus - Shockingly, Miley Cyrus’s “Endless Summer Vacation” got nominated in this category, and it’s most likely because of the popularity of its lead single, “Flowers.” While she tried her best to move back into the realm of pop music after her 2020 rock album “Plastic Hearts,” I can’t see Cyrus winning in this category because of the lack of cohesiveness and strength overall.
“The Age of Pleasure” by Janelle Monáe - Another surprise in this category was “The Age Of Pleasure,” as this album didn’t gain as much traction from music critics throughout its summer release. However, Monáe is a force to be reckoned with, especially with an album that is extremely well thought-out and nostalgic for hot summer days. Songs like “Lipstick Lover” also aid the singer’s likelihood of winning for its eclectic production and celebration of love and acceptance.
“GUTS” by Olivia Rodrigo - It’s no surprise that “GUTS” was nominated for Album of the Year, as Rodrigo is a veteran of this category. Only released two months ago, the album has already taken pop music by storm, with the singer adding on her level of notoriety with songs like “bad idea right?” and “get him back!.” Rodrigo may also take this award home for its more mature stance on being a young singer, but it could also lose because of how similar in sound it is to 2021’s “SOUR.”
“Midnights” by Taylor Swift - After writing about this album all year, “Midnights” could be Swift’s fourth Album of the Year win at the Grammy’s, especially since the singer has a massively successful year with her “Eras Tour.” However, unlike her other albums that have won in this category - “Fearless,” “1989” and “folklore” – Swift has a lot of competition, and this album was honestly not her best work. Yet, songs like “Anti-Hero” and *“Lavender Haze” may prove to win over The Recording Academy this year.
“SOS” by SZA - SZA has also had a big year, with many music critics predicting that she will take home Album of the Year for “SOS.” The virality of this album has been astonishing to watch throughout 2022 and 2023, and the singer truly pushed herself creatively with each song, switching from genres like R&B and rap to rock and pop. Also, almost everyone knows this album by now, proving its legacy in the mainstream.
Other predictions
In the Best New Artist category, it’s most likely that either Ice Spice or Noah Kahan are the artists to keep an eye on, as both have had extremely successful breakout years. From two completely different genres, Ice Spice may take home the prize because of her combination of rap and drill music, evident in songs like “In Ha Mood” and “Princess Diana.” Also, the singer has collaborated with some of the industry’s best like Taylor Swift on “Karma” and Nicki Minaj on “Barbie World (with Aqua).”
However, Kahan could also win because of his contributions to making folk music popular again. With his album “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever)” releasing this past June, the singer has proven his talent for songwriting and creating new worlds and storylines for listeners, which may help him win Best New Artist this year.
