Beyoncé leads 63rd Grammy Awards nominations with nine, BTS earns first nom

In a bit of a surprise, based on predictions across multiple pundits, Beyoncé came out on top once again as the nomination leader for this year’s Grammy nominations, largely in support of her song “Black Parade” and her Disney+ music film Black Is King.

Dua Lipa (who was a nomination announcer), Roddy Ricch and Taylor Swift were next with 6 nominations apiece, followed by Brittany Howard with 5 and then Phoebe Bridgers, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, David Frost and Megan Thee Stallion (another nomination announcer) with four.

While The Weeknd and Fiona Apple earned nominations in the non-general field categories, they were shut out completely from Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” just broke the Billboard Hot 100 record for most weeks in the top 10 with 40 consecutive weeks. Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters is one of the best reviewed albums of the year but only managed mentions in the rock field.

K-pop wonderband BTS earned their first-ever nomination in the Pop Duo or Group category for their #1 smash “Dynamite.” Oscar winners Renée Zellweger and Meryl Streep earned nominations this morning; Zellweger in Traditional Pop Vocal Album for the soundtrack of her film Judy (her first) and Streep for Spoken Word Album (Charlotte’s Web). This is Streep’s sixth Grammy nomination and one of the few industry awards she has yet to win.

Nominations in dozens of categories were announced this morning via a global livestream featuring Recording Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason jr., alongside Regional Mexican singer-songwriter Pepe Aguilar; Nigerian Afropop singer Yemi Alade; Grammy Award-winning classical violinist Nicola Benedetti; two-time Grammy Award-winning Christian singer Lauren Daigle; current nominee Mickey Guyton; two-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist and past Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony host Imogen Heap; “CBS This Morning” anchor Gayle King; current nominee and two-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa; current nominee Megan Thee Stallion; and “The Talk” host Sharon Osbourne.

“This has been a tough year for our industry but I have witnessed, day after day, the incredible resiliency of the music community,” said Mason. “This year’s nominated recordings are proof that the creative spirit continues to be alive and well, and our nominees are a testament to the passion and perseverance that our community embodies. I’m endlessly amazed that so many music creators continue to use their craft to tell important stories, providing a dynamic soundtrack that both directly impacts and reflects our culture. I truly believe in the power of music, and the 63rd Grammys will be an opportunity to help us unite, uplift and inspire.”

The Daily Show host and Grammy-nominated comedian Trevor Noah will be the emcee of the 63rd Grammy Awards on January 31, his first time hosting the show.

“Despite the fact that I am extremely disappointed that the Grammys have refused to have me sing or be nominated for best pop album, I am thrilled to be hosting this auspicious event,” Noah said in a statement. “I think as a one-time Grammy nominee, I am the best person to provide a shoulder to all the amazing artists who do not win on the night because I too know the pain of not winning the award! (This is a metaphorical shoulder, I’m not trying to catch Corona). See you at the 63rd Grammys!”

The 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy. Ben Winston is executive producer, Jesse Collins and Raj Kapoor are co-executive producers, Fatima Robinson, Josie Cliff and David Wild are producers, Patrick Menton is talent producer, and Hamish Hamilton is director.

Here is a sample of this year’s nominees. You can find the full list at grammys.com.

Record Of The Year:
“Black Parade” — Beyoncé
“Colors” — Black Pumas
“Rockstar” — DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch
“Say So” — Doja Cat
“Everything I Wanted” — Billie Eilish
“Don’t Start Now” — Dua Lipa
“Circles” — Post Malone
“Savage” — Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé
 
Song Of The Year:
“Black Parade” — Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“The Box” — Samuel Gloade & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)
“Cardigan” — Aaron Dessner & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
“Circles” — Louis Bell, Adam Feeney, Kaan Gunesberk, Austin Post & Billy Walsh, songwriters (Post Malone)
“Don’t Start Now” — Caroline Ailin, Ian Kirkpatrick, Dua Lipa & Emily Warren, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
“Everything I Wanted” — Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
“I Can’t Breathe” — Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“If The World Was Ending” — Julia Michaels & JP Saxe, songwriters (JP Saxe Featuring Julia Michaels)
 
Album Of The Year:
Chilombo — Jhené Aiko
Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition) — Black Pumas
Everyday Life — Coldplay
Djesse Vol. 3 — Jacob Collier
Women In Music Pt. III — Haim
Future Nostalgia — Dua Lipa
Hollywood’s Bleeding — Post Malone
Folklore — Taylor Swift
 
Best New Artist:
Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridgers
Chika
Noah Cyrus
D Smoke
Doja Cat
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion
 
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Un Dia (One Day)” — J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy
“Intentions” — Justin Bieber Featuring Quavo
“Dynamite” — BTS
“Rain On Me” — Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande
“Exile” — Taylor Swift Featuring Bon Iver
 
Best Pop Vocal Album:
Changes — Justin Bieber
Chromatica — Lady Gaga
Future Nostalgia — Dua Lipa
Fine Line — Harry Styles
Folklore  — Taylor Swift
 
Best Dance/Electronic Album:
Kick I — Arca
Planet’s Mad — Baauer
Energy — Disclosure
Bubba — Kaytranada
Good Faith — Madeon
 
Best Rock Performance:
“Shameika” — Fiona Apple
“Not” — Big Thief
“Kyoto” — Phoebe Bridgers
“The Steps” — HAIM
“Stay High” — Brittany Howard
“Daylight” — Grace Potter
  
Best Progressive R&B Album:
Chilombo — Jhené Aiko
Ungodly Hour — Chloe X Halle
Free Nationals — Free Nationals
F*** Yo Feelings  — Robert Glasper
It Is What It Is — Thundercat
 
Best Rap Performance:
“Deep Reverence” — Big Sean Featuring Nipsey Hussle
“Bop” — DaBaby
“What’s Poppin” — Jack Harlow
“The Bigger Picture” — Lil Baby
“Savage” — Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé
“Dior” — Pop Smoke
 
Best Country Album:
Lady Like — Ingrid Andress
Your Life Is A Record — Brandy Clark
Wildcard — Miranda Lambert
Nightfall — Little Big Town
Never Will — Ashley McBryde
 
Best Jazz Vocal Album:
Ona — Thana Alexa
Secrets Are The Best Stories — Kurt Elling Featuring Danilo Pérez
Modern Ancestors — Carmen Lundy
Holy Room: Live At Alte Oper — Somi With Frankfurt Radio Big Band
What’s The Hurry — Kenny Washington
 
Best Latin Pop Or Urban Album: 
YHLQMDLG — Bad Bunny
Por Primera Vez — Camilo
Mesa Para Dos — Kany García
Pausa — Ricky Martin
3:33 — Debi Nova
 
Best Americana Album:
Old Flowers — Courtney Marie Andrews
Terms Of Surrender — Hiss Golden Messenger
World On The Ground — Sarah Jarosz
El Dorado — Marcus King
Good Souls Better Angels — Lucinda Williams
 
Best Contemporary Blues Album:
Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? — Fantastic Negrito
Live At The Paramount — Ruthie Foster Big Band
The Juice — G. Love
Blackbirds — Bettye LaVette
Up And Rolling — North Mississippi Allstars
 
Best Global Music Album:
FU Chronicles — Antibalas
Twice As Tall — Burna Boy
Agora — Bebel Gilberto
Love Letters — Anoushka Shankar
Amadjar — Tinariwen
 
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
Acid For The Children: A Memoir — Flea
Alex Trebek – The Answer Is… — Ken Jennings
Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, And The Richest, Most Destructive Industry On Earth — Rachel Maddow
Catch And Kill — Ronan Farrow
Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) — Meryl Streep (& Full Cast)
 
Best Music Film:
Beastie Boys Story — Beastie Boys
Black Is King — Beyoncé
We Are Freestyle Love Supreme — Freestyle Love Supreme
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound Of My Voice — Linda Ronstadt
That Little Ol’ Band From Texas — ZZ Top
 
*Due to complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the nominations for the 63rd GRAMMYs for Best Immersive Audio Album will be announced next year in addition to (and separately from) the 64th GRAMMY nominations in the category.