Grammy Nomination Picks 2017

BAM! Here is my list of what I think may be nominated for a Grammy this year. The actual nominees will be announced Tuesday, December 6, while the 59th Grammy Award ceremony will be held Sunday, February 12, 2017.

Sooooo, in recent years I've felt like I've under-reseached my lists due to time constraints. But this year takes the cake! I am so embarrassed by how little time I've had to put this together that I nearly did not post it. Still, here is what I have--my skeleton of a list--in all its late-posting glory! Enjoy. What do you think should be nominated?

NOTE: I am not a member of the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and this list is in NO WAY official or reflective of their attitudes. Typically, there are five nominations in each category, but I've left some blank. Nomination eligibility period was October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016.


Album of the Year

25, Adele

Lemonade, Beyoncé

Blackstar, David Bowie

Blonde, Frank Ocean


Record of the Year

"Hello," Adele; produced by Greg Kurstin

"Closer," The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey; produced by The Chainsmokers

"Adventure of a Lifetime," Coldplay; produced by Rick Simpson and Stargate



Song of the Year

"Hello," Adele; written by Adele Adkins and Greg Kurstin

"I Took a Pill in Ibiza" (SeeB remix), Mike Posner; written by Mike Posner

"Closer," The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey; written by Andrew Taggart, Ashley Frangipane, Shaun Frank, Federic Kennett, Isaac Slade, and Joe King




Best New Artist

Lukas Graham

Alessia Cara

The Chainsmokers

Zayn

Best Pop Vocal Album

Purpose, Justin Bieber

25, Adele

Dangerous Woman, Ariana Grande

This Is Acting, Sia


Best Pop Solo Performance

"Hello," Adele

"Alive," Sia

"Can't Stop the Feeling!" Justin Timberlake

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

"Side to Side," Ariana Grande featuring Nicki Minaj

"The Greatest," Sia featuring Kendrick Lamar

"This is What You Came For," Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna

"Closer," The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey

"Adventure of a Lifetime," Coldplay


Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway, Barbra Streisand


Best Rock Album

Blackstar, David Bowie

The Getaway, Red Hot Chili Peppers


Best Rock Performance

"Don't Hurt Yourself," Beyoncé featuring Jack White


Best Rock Song

"Heathens," Twenty One Pilots; written Tyler Joseph


Best Alternative Music Album

I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful, yet So Unaware of It, The 1975


Best Urban Contemporary Album

Lemonade, Beyoncé

Anti, Rihanna

Blonde, Frank Ocean


Best Rap Album

Life of Pablo, Kanye West

Fetty Wap, Fetty Wap

untitled unmastered., Kendrick Lamar



Best Rap Performance

"One Dance," Drake

"Panda," Desiigner


Best Rap/Sung Performance

"Work," Rihanna featuring Drake


Best Country Album

Black, Dierks Bentley

Dig Your Roots, Florida Georgia Line

Best Country Solo Performance

"Tennessee Whiskey," Chris Stapleton


Best Country Duo/Group Performance

"H.O.L.Y.," Florida Georgia Line

"Different for Girls," Dierks Bentley featuring Elle King


Best Country Song

"Humble and Kind," Tim McGraw; written by Lori McKenna

"Different for Girls," Dierks Bentley featuring Elle King; written by J.T. Harding and Shane McAnally


Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical

"I Took A Pill In Ibiza (Seeb Remix)," Seeb, remixer (Mike Posner)


Best Musical Theater Album

School of Rock

Bright Star

Waitress


Best Song Written for Visual Media

"Writing's on the Wall," from Spectre; written by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

"Can't Stop the Feeling!" from Trolls; written by Justin Timberlake, Max Martin, and Shellback

"Heathens," from Suicide Squad; written by Tyler Joseph


Best Music Video

"Hello," Adele

"The Greatest," Sia

"Up&Up," Coldplay

Grammy Nomination Picks 2015

Ta-da! Here is my list for whom I think will be nominated for this year's Grammy Awards. The official nominee list will be released on the morning of December 5, with the Album of the Year nominees revealed that evening during the one-hour television special "A Very Grammy Christmas" at 9 - 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

In selecting, there were very few standouts, followed by a lot of above average choices, making narrowing them down fairly difficult. I put nominees in more categories than I have previously (34 categories this year).

NOTE: I am not a member of the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and this list is in NO WAY official or reflective of their attitudes. Typically, there are five nominations in each category, but I've left some blank. Nomination eligibility period was October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014.

Record of the Year

"Dark Horse," Katy Perry, Juicy J; produced by Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cirkut

"All About That Bass," Meghan Trainor; produced by Kevin Kadish

"Shake It Off," Taylor Swift; produced by Max Martin and Shellback

"Stay With Me," Sam Smith; produced by Jimmy Napes and Steve Fitzmaurice

"Happy," Pharrell Williams; produced by Pharrell Williams

"Reflektor," Arcade Fire; produced by James Murphy, Markus Dravs, and Arcade Fire


Album of the Year

Frozen Soundtrack, Various Artists

Beyonce, Beyonce

The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem

Reflektor, Arcade Fire

Platinum, Miranda Lambert


Song of the Year

"All About that Bass," Meghan Trainor; written by Meghan Trainor and Kevin Kadish

"Let It Go," Idina Menzel, Demi Lovato; written by Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

"Chandelier," Sia; written by Sia Furler and Jesse Shatkin

"The Monster," Eminem Featuring Rihanna; written by Marshall Mathers, Bryan Fryzel, Bebe Rexha, Aaron Kleinstub, M. Athanasiou, Robyn Fenty, and Jon Bellion

"Pretty Hurts," Beyonce; written by Joshua Coleman, Sia Furler, and Beyonce Knowles

Best New Artist

Iggy Azalea

American Authors

Meghan Trainor

Sam Smith

Aloe Blacc


Best Pop Solo Performance

"Happy," Pharrell Williams

"Stay With Me," Sam Smith

"Chandelier," Sia

"Birthday," Katy Perry

"Pretty Hurts," Beyonce

"All About That Bass," Meghan Trainor


Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

"Love Runs Out," OneRepublic

"Bang Bang," Jessie J Featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj

"Love Never Felt So Good," Michael Jackson Featuring Justin Timberlake

"Do What U Want," Lady Gaga Featuring R. Kelly

"A Sky Full of Stars," Coldplay


Best Pop Album

In the Lonely Hour, Sam Smith

ARTPOP, Lady Gaga

PRISM, Katy Perry

Ultraviolence, Lana Del Rey

1000 Forms of Fear, Sia


Best Traditional Pop Album

Cheek To Cheek, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga

Partners, Barbra Streisand


Best Dance Recording

"Wasted Love" by Steve Angello Featuring Dougy

"Hideaway," Kiesza

"Grab Her," Disclosure

"Break Free," Ariana Grande Featuring Zedd

"Lay Me Down," Avicii


Best Dance/Electronic Album

Do It Again, Royskopp & Robyn

while(1<2), deadmau5

Trouble in Paradise, La Roux

True, Avicii

Best Rock Performance

"Magic," Coldplay

"Warriors," Imagine Dragons

"Believer," American Authors

"Reflektor," Arcade Fire


Best Rock Song

"Reflektor," Arcade Fire; written by Arcade Fire


Best Rock Album

Ghost Stories, Coldplay

Reflektor, Arcade Fire

Turn Blue, The Black Keys

Lazaretto, Jack White

Hypnotic Eye, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers


Best R&B Performance

"Partition," Beyonce


Best Traditional R&B Performance

"All of Me," John Legend

Best R&B Song

"All of Me," John Legend; written by John Stephens and Toby Gad


Best R&B Album

Love, Marriage & Divorce, Toni Braxton & Babyface


Best Contemporary Urban Album

Beyonce, Beyonce

Trigga, Trey Songz


Best Rap Performance

"Rap God," Eminem

"White Walls," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring ScHoolboy Q and Hollis


Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

"The Monster," Eminem Featuring Rihanna

"Fancy," Iggy Azalea Featuring Charli XCX

"Drunk In Love," Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z

"Dark Horse," Katy Perry Featuring Juicy J

Best Rap Song

"The Monster," Eminem; written by Marshall Mathers, Bryan Fryzel, Bebe Rexha, Aaron Kleinstub, M. Athanasiou, Robyn Fenty, and Jon Bellion

"Rap God," Eminem; written by Marshall Mathers, Bigram Zayas, Matthew Delgiorno, Stephen Hacker, Douglas Davis, Richard Walters, Dania Birks, Juana Burns, Juanita Lee, Fatima Shaheed, and Kim Nazel

"Pills N Potions," Nicki Minaj; written by Onika Maraj, Lukasz Gottwald, Henry Walter, and Ester Dean


Best Rap Album

The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem

The New Classic, Iggy Azalea

Mastermind, Rick Ross


Best Country Solo Performance

"Automatic," Miranda Lambert

"Something in the Water," Carrie Underwood

"That Girl," Jennifer Nettles

"Invisible," Hunter Hayes

"Shotgun Rider," Tim McGraw



Best Country Duo/Group Performance

"Somethin' Bad," Miranda Lambert Featuring Carrie Underwood

"Rewind," Rascal Flatts

"Meanwhile Back at Mama's," Tim McGraw Featuring Faith Hill

"Sweet Annie," Zac Brown Band


Best Country Song

"Automatic," Miranda Lambert; written by Nicolle Galyon, Natalie Hemby, and Miranda Lambert

"Something in the Water," Carrie Underwood; written by Chris DeStefano, Brett James, and Carrie Underwood

"Invisible," Hunter Hayes; written by Hunter Hayes, Bonnie Baker, and Katrina Elam

"Meanwhile Back at Mama's," Tim McGraw Featuring Faith Hill; written by Tom Douglas, Jaren Johnston, and Jeffrey Steele

"I Hold On," Dierks Bentley; written by Brett James and Dierks Bentley


Best Country Album

Platinum, Miranda Lambert

Out Among the Stars, Johnny Cash

Everlasting, Martina McBride

Storyline, Hunter Hayes

Sundown Heaven Town, Tim McGraw



Best Gospel Album

Anomaly, Lecrae


Best Comedy Album

Mandatory Fun, "Weird Al" Yankovic

Obsessed, Jim Gaffigan

Best Musical Theater Album

If/Then

Aladdin

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

The Bridges of Madison County

Beautiful: The Carol King Musical


Best Song Written for Visual Media

"Let It Go," from Frozen; written by Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

"Ordinary Love," from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom; lyrics by Bono; music by U2 and Danger Mouse


Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Visual Media

Frozen (Deluxe Edition), Various Artists


Best Recording Package

Turn Blue, The Black Keys

Hypnotic Eye, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Beyonce, Beyonce

Best Remixed Recording

"Waves" (Robin Schulz Radio Edit)," Mr Probz

"Baby, Baby (Dave Aude Radio Edit)," Amy Grant


Best Music Video

"The Writing's On The Wall," OK Go

"Pretty Hurts," Beyonce

24 Hours of "Happy", Pharrell Williams

"Chandelier," Sia

3/20 Chart Highlights: Soko's viral hit debuts in Top 10; Frozen soundtrack reaches 1 million sales in 2014

Soko

French actress and singer Soko garnered high attention from her viral video "First Kiss," in which strangers are asked to kiss and features her track "We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow," leading the song to debut at #9 on the Hot 100. Soko's hit also ranks in at #1 on Streaming Songs, attributing to her earning the first top 10 debut of the year. The first 6 Hot 100 spots remain stale with no movement, while OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" and Beyoncé's "Drunk in Love" switch positions. Aloe Blacc's "The Man" also enters the top 10.

HOT 100 top 10
1. Pharrell Williams                                     "Happy"
2. Katy Perry featuring Juicy J               "Dark Horse"
3. John Legend                                               "All of Me"
4. Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz        "Talk Dirty"
5. Bastille                                                          "Pompeii"
6. Lorde                                                             "Team"
7. OneRepublic                                               "Counting Stars"
8. Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z                        "Drunk in Love"
9. Soko                                                                "We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow"
10. Aloe Blacc                                                  "The Man"

The soundtrack to Disney's Frozen claimed the top spot on album sales for a sixth nonconsecutive week, as it becomes the first album to shift more than a million units in 2014. Half of the other top 10 albums were debuts: Luke Bryan's Spring Break 6 ...Like We Ain't Ever EP (#2), Aloe Blacc's Lift Your Spirits (#4), 311's Stereolithic (#6), Young Money's Rise of an Empire (#7), and Sara Evans' Slow Me Down (#9).

BILLBOARD 200 top 10
1. Soundtrack                          Frozen
2. Luke Bryan                          Spring Break 6 ...Like We Ain't                                                                  Ever EP
3. Rick Ross                              Mastermind
4. Aloe Blacc                            Lift Your Spirits
5. Pharrell Williams              G I R L
6. 311                                          Stereolithic
7. Young Money                    Rise of an Empire
8. Lorde                                     Pure Heroine
9. Sara Evans                           Slow Me Down
10. Eric Church                      The Outsiders

Grammy Nomination Picks 2013

In the previous two years, 2011 and 2012, I have made my own selection of what works I think will receive Grammy nominations. My lists have been fairly accurate. Here are my nominations for 2013. The Grammy Nominations Concert Live -- Countdown to Music's Biggest Night will kick off the revealing of nominees with performances by past nominees and winners on Dec. 5 on CBS.

Honestly, some of these picks are just a shot in the dark. I didn't feel like there were really very many front-runners this year. Lots of good stuff came out this year, but nothing was really fantastic. Everyone seemed to do well at about the same level. Not much stood out. (But, Beyoncé's "Love on Top" might as well just be handed the award for R&B Performance. Forget nominating anyone else. Just give the girl her Grammy.)

NOTE: I am not a member of the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and this list is in NO WAY official or reflective of their attitudes. Typically, there are five nominations spots in each category but I've left some blank.Nomination eligibility period was October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012.

Album of the Year

Making Mirrors, Gotye


Record of the Year

"Somebody That I Used to Know," Gotye feat. Kimbra

"Wide Awake," Katy Perry

"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," Taylor Swift

"Love on Top," Beyoncé

"We Found Love," Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris

Song of the Year

"Somebody That I Used to Know," Gotye feat. Kimbra; Written by Wally de Backer

"Call Me Maybe," Carly Rae Jepsen; Written by Carly Rae Jepsen, Josh Ramsay, and Tavish Crowe

"Payphone," Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa; Written by Adam Levine, Benjamin Levin, Ammar Malik, Dan Omelio, Shellback, and Cameron Thomaz


Best New Artist

Carly Rae Jepsen

fun.

Ellie Goulding

Best Pop Solo Performance

"Domino," Jessie J

"Set Fire to the Rain," Adele

"Wide Awake," Katy Perry

"Marry the Night," Lady Gaga

"Boyfriend," Justin Bieber

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

"Somebody That I Used to Know," Gotye feat. Kimbra

"One More Night," Maroon 5

"We Are Young," fun. feat. Janelle Monáe

"Drive By," Train

"Paradise," Coldplay

Best Pop Vocal Album

Believe, Justin Bieber

Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay

Stronger, Kelly Clarkson


Best Traditional Pop Album

Duets II, Tony Bennett

Someone to Watch Over Me, Susan Boyle

Best Dance Recording

"We Found Love," Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris

"Girl Gone Wild," Madonna

"Levels," Avicii

"First of the Year (Equinox)," Skrillex

"Titanium," David Guetta feat. Sia


Best Dance/Electronic Album

Bangarang, Skrillex

Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, M83

Best R&B Performance

"Love on Top," Beyoncé


Best R&B Song

"Love on Top," Beyoncé; Written by Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash, and Shea Taylor




Best Country Solo Performance

"Come Over," Kenny Chesney

"Good Girl," Carrie Underwood


Best Country Duo/Group Performance

"Feel Like A Rock Star," Kenny Chesney feat. Tim McGraw

"Say You, Say Me," Lionel Richie feat. Jason Aldean


Best Country Album

Tuskegee, Lionel Richie

Blown Away, Carrie Underwood

Uncaged, Zac Brown Band

Welcome to the Fishbowl, Kenny Chesney

Best Song Written for Visual Media

"Masterpiece," Madonna; Written by Madonna, Julie Frost, and Jimmy Harry for the film W.E.

"Man or Muppet," Jason Segel, Peter Linz, Bill Barretta, and Jim Parsons; Written by Bret McKenzie for the film The Muppets

"Lay Your Head Down," Sinéad O'Connor; Written by Brian Byrne and Glenn Close for the film Albert Nobbs


Best Musical Theater Album

Once

Leap of Faith



Best Short Form Music Video

"Wide Awake," Katy Perry

"We Found Love," Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris

"Somebody That I Used to Know," Gotye feat. Kimbra