Atwood Magazine’s Noah Wade offers some in-depth thoughts on the ‘Big Four’ categories of the 2025 Grammy Awards, and some more concise thoughts of additional categories in Pop, Country, Rap, and Rock.
The 67th annual Grammy Awards air this Sunday night on CBS, Paramount+, and live on live.GRAMMY.com at 8 p.m. EST. / 5 p.m. PST!
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General Field
Record of the Year
- Now and Then – The Beatles
- Texas Hold ‘Em – Beyoncé
- Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
- 360 – Charli xcx
- Birds of a Feather – Billie Eilish
- Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar
- Good Luck, Babe! – Chappell Roan
- Fortnight – Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone
What Should Win – Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar
What Will Win – Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar
Two of these songs inspired sort of a ‘cultural movement.’ One, “Good Luck, Babe!,” is significantly more wholesome and progressive, while the other, “Not Like Us,” saw much of the world come together to celebrate the takedown of an artist who, at one point, was seen as the definitive figure of modern music culture. Not as wholesome, but a moment that much of the general public decided was fair game to hop in on, and was and is big enough to overshadow current and future projects by this artist, though that energy may shift following the SuperBowl.
Of the two, I do think “Not Like Us” is the better song, but “Good Luck, Babe!” has certainly been bolstered by the same critic postering that lauded “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo just a few years ago, possibly causing voters to lean in its direction, which is unappealing to me, personally. Of course, these more emotions-led viewpoints may not mean much for an award given with overall musical craft in mind, but there is always a possibility of other factors being considered.
If “Now and Then” had emerged in the early-mid 2010’s, prior to the, for lack of a better term, upheaval, of The Grammys, I think it would somehow have a fair shot of sneaking a win (though who that would benefit, I don’t know), but that is no longer plausible. Instead, “Fortnight” and “Birds of a Feather” could be seen as the ‘safe’ choices, with “Espresso” and “Texas Hold Em’” as potential wild cards. The wide array of pop material may also be the undoing of them all, with Lamar winning by virtue of both a lack of competition AND capitalizing off of the cultural zeitgeist.
Album of the Year
- New Blue Sun – Andre 3000
- Cowboy Carter – Beyonce
- Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter
- Brat – Charli xcx
- Djesse Vol. 4 – Jacob Collier
- Hit Me Hard and Soft – Billie Eilish
- The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess – Chappell Roan
- The Tortured Poets Department – Taylor Swift
What Should Win – Cowboy Carter – Beyonce
What Will Win – Brat – Charli xcx
I feel as though I should not underestimate Taylor Swift in this category, but, the fact of the matter is is that TTPD, despite its gargantuan, Swift-level statistics, has not endured in the public consciousness. Quite frankly, I don’t think Cowboy Carter has in the same way that Renaissance did, but I do think the shock value, and Beyonce’s lack of response to the childlike conservatism of it all, are just two of many factors in explaining who or what have allowed the record to enjoy a relatively happy existence thus far. Of the two, Cowboy Carter is more likely.
In the same way that the Academy loves to nominate Coldplay for every eligible album of theirs these days whether warranted or not, they seem to be planting the seeds for Jacob Collier to have this same position. I hope they don’t actually do this. If they HAD to nominate an album that music nerds seem to all like this year, I would have been fine with Jessica Pratt taking that spot with Here in the Pitch.
Billie, Sabrina, and Chappell are all verifiable contenders for this, and Andre 3000’s inclusion, and possible win, is perhaps the best case scenario for those existing in a purely online context, but I think, even if it didn’t have the desired effect politically, Brat has really earned this one. How do you somehow even suggest disguising THE party album of the year as a potential political rallying cry, and how do you, even when the political aspect of it is dead in the ground, maintain a sense of importance for a record and allow it to exist outside of itself? This album has been afforded a very rare sense of transparency… a transparency that has not dimmed since the results of the election.
Song of the Year
- A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey
- Birds of a Feather – Billie Eilish
- Die With A Smile – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
- Fortnight – Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone
- Good Luck, Babe! – Chappell Roan
- Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar
- Please Please Please – Sabrina Carpenter
- Texas Hold ‘Em – Beyoncé
What Should Win – Die With A Smile – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
What Will Win – Birds of a Feather – Billie Eilish
An award for basic songcraft and lyricism, there are, in my opinion, only two viable options. “Die With A Smile” is the entire package… isn’t it? It is Bruno Mars, who, along with Anderson. Paak, swept with “Leave The Door Open” just two years ago, and Lady Gaga, who can be, and often has been in recent years, the adult contemporary darling, together on the most adult contemporary song of the bunch. Normally, it would be a slam dunk, but Billie Eilish’s level of favor with The Grammys, something she herself likely can’t even explain, may deter “Die With A Smile.”
Best New Artist
- Benson Boone
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Doechii
- Khruangbin
- Raye
- Chappell Roan
- Shaboozey
- Teddy Swims
Who Should Win – Chappell Roan
Who Will Win – Chappell Roan
A third of this category are men who are nominated because of a single song. Not because that song made any kind of statement about anyone or anything, but because it is a song that people enjoyed. And that is great, I guess.
Doechii and Raye, in another year, would have had a fair shot. Two blazing voices of their respective genres, but included in a category that includes two of the biggest pop stars with big pop star stories.
Flaws and all, Chappell Roan has asserted herself as the artist who will ask questions. Who will shove uncomfortable truths at her audience, and even those beyond her musical reach. Who has adopted style and fashion in a way that is VERY early Lady Gaga, but is NOT solely adopting Gaga’s mission statement of, “Look at me I’m doing art can we talk about the art please?” as a precursor to everything else, even if almost every man in the industry would ignore it all. Sabrina is not inspiring these conversations. I think, in this case, that does matter.
Pop & Dance/Electronic
Best Pop Solo Performance
- Bodyguard – Beyoncé
- Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
- Apple – Charli xcx
- Birds of a Feather – Billie Eilish
- Good Luck, Babe! – Chappell Roan
What Should Win – Good Luck, Babe – Chappell Roan
What Will Win – Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
Seeing as the word ‘performance’ is never taken into a literal sense, as far as vocal performance goes (Ariana Grande’s “Dangerous Woman” lost to Adele’s “Hello” in 2017) for this award, there is a chance that Chappell Roan does not walk away with this. As far as ‘pop song having a pop song moment,’ goes, “Espresso” it is not blasphemous to say that “Espresso” was THE pop song of the year, which could result in it sneaking in with the win.
Best Pop/Duo Group Performance
- Us – Gracie Abrams featuring Taylor Swift
- Levii’s Jeans – Beyonce featuring Post Malone
- Guess – Charli xcx & Billie Eilish
- The Boy Is Mine – Ariana Grande, Brandy & Monica
- Die With A Smile – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
What Should Win – Die With A Smile – Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
What Will Win – Die With A Smile – Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
I can truly only hope and pray with this one.
Best Pop Vocal Album
- Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter
- Hit Me Hard and Soft – Billie Eilish
- Eternal Sunshine – Ariana Grande
- The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess – Chappell Roan
- The Tortured Poets Department – Taylor Swift
What Should Win – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess – Chappell Roan
What Will Win – Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter
Reason being… Sabrina’s album, as an entire body of work, was at the forefront of conversation more frequently than Chappell’s. All, and I mean ALL, of the Chappell songs the world have fallen in love with are ON that album, but I don’t think she has made it as much of an album campaign as opposed to a, “Hi, I’m Chappell” campaign. Short n’ Sweet, as an album, was a juggernaut.
Best Dance Pop Recording
- Make You Mine – Madison Beer
- Von Dutch – Charli XCX
- L’ Amour de Ma Vie (Over Now Extended Edit) – Billie Eilish
- Yes, And? – Ariana Grande
- Got Me Started – Troye Sivan
What Should Win – Von Dutch – Charli XCX
What Will Win – Von Dutch – Charli XCX
Good on Troye, and for the Academy for acknowledging his existence, but if Charli is in fact going to lose everything else, even Album of the Year, which is very possible, this category is directly suited for her.
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
- She’s Gone, Dance On – Disclosure
- Loved – Four Tet
- Leavemealone – Fred Again and Baby Keem
- Neverender – Justice and Tame Impala
- Witchy – Kaytranada and Childish Gambino
What Should Win – Neverender – Justice and Tame Impala
What Will Win – She’s Gone, Dance On – Disclosure
We Best Dance/Electronic Album
- Brat – Charli XCX
- Three – Four Tet
- Hyperdrama – Justice
- Timeless – Kaytranada
- Telos – Zedd
What Should Win – Brat – Charli XCX
What Will Win – Brat – Charli XCX
Rock, Metal, and Alternative
Best Rock Performance
- Now and Then – The Beatles
- Beautiful People (Stay High) – The Black Keys
- The American Dream Is Killing Me – Green Day
- Gift Horse – Idles
- Dark Matter – Pearl Jam
- Broken Man – St. Vincent
What Should Win – Dark Matter – Pearl Jam
What Will Win – Now and Then – The Beatles
I actually don’t want this to happen, and I hope the voters were reminded of, or at least considered, the fact that this song was not actually ‘performed.’
Best Rock Song
- Beautiful People (Stay High) – The Black Keys
- Broken Man – St. Vincent
- Dark Matter – Pearl Jam
- Dilemma – Green Day
- Gift Horse – Idles
What Should Win – Broken Man – St. Vincent
What Will Win – Broken Man – St. Vincent
Badass stuff, really.
Best Alternative Music Performance
- Neon Pill – Cage The Elephant
- Song of the Lake – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
- Starburster – Fontaines D.C.
- Bye Bye – Kim Gordon
- Flea – St. Vincent
What Should Win – Bye Bye – Kim Gordon AND Starburster – Fontaines D.C.
What Will Win – Flea – St. Vincent
Best Metal Performance
- Mea Culpa (Ah! Ca Ira!) – Gojira, Marina Viotti, & Victor Le Masne
- Crowns of Horns – Judas Priest
- Suffocate – Knocked Loose featuring Poppy
- Screaming Suicide – Metallica
- Cellar Door – Spiritbox
What Should Win – Suffocate – Knocked Loose featuring Poppy
What Will Win – Suffocate – Knocked Loose featuring Poppy
Best Rock Album
- Happiness Bastards – The Black Crowes
- Romance – Fontaines D.C.
- Saviors – Green Day
- Tangk – Idles
- Dark Matter – Pearl Jam
- Hackney Diamonds – The Rolling Stones
- No Name – Jack White
What Should Win – No Name – Jack White
What Will Win – Dark Matter – Pearl Jam
Best Alternative Music Album
- Wild God – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
- Charm – Clairo
- The Collective – Kim Gordon
- What Now – Brittany Howard
- All Born Screaming – St. Vincent
What Should Win – All Born Screaming – St. Vincent
What Will Win – What Now – Brittany Howard
I’m not saying Clairo isn’t alternative, but is she alternative enough to be amongst this group??
R&B & Rap
Best R&B Performance
- Guidance – Jhene Aiko
- Residuals – Chris Brown
- Here We Go (Uh Oh) – Coco Jones
- Made for Me (Live on BET) – Muni Long
- Saturn – SZA
What Should Win – Guidance – Jhene Aiko
What Will Win – Made For Me (Live on BET) – Muni Long
Best Traditional R&B Performance
- Wet – Marsha Ambrosius
- Can I Have This Groove – Kenyon Dixon
- No Lie – Lalah Hathaway featuring Michael McDonald
- Make Me Forget – Muni Long
- That’s You – Lucky Daye
What Should Win – Make Me Forget – Muni Long
What Will Win – Wet – Marsha Ambrosius
Let me be wrong… I’m fine with it.
Best R&B Song
- After Hours – Kehlani
- Burning – Tems
- Here We Go (Uh Oh) – Coco Jones
- Ruined Me – Muni Long
- Saturn – SZA
What Should Win – Saturn – SZA
What Will Win – Saturn – SZA
Best Progressive R&B Album
- So Glad To Know You – AverySunshine
- En Route – Durand Bernarr
- Bando Stone & the New World – Childish Gambino
- Crash – Kehlani
- Why Lawd? – NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge)
What Should Win – En Route – Durand Bernarr
What Will Win – Bando Stone & the New World – Childish Gambino
I think Donald would agree with me, if we’re being honest.
Best R&B Album
- 11:11 Deluxe – Chris Brown
- Vantablack – Lalah Hathaway
- Revenge – Muni Long
- Algorithm – Lucky Daye
- Coming Home – Usher
What Should Win – Revenge – Muni Long
What Will Win – Coming Home – Usher
Best Rap Performance
- Enough (Miami) – Cardi B
- When The Sun Shines Again – Common & Pete Rock featuring Posdnuos
- Nissan Altima – Doechii
- Houdini – Eminem
- Like That – Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar
- Yeah Glo! – GloRilla
- Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar
What Should Win – Yeah Glo! – GloRilla
What Will Win – Nissan Altima – Doechii
If you want to award and encourage an artist with the potential to become the next big thing, moving away from an artist the industry has not-so-subliminally made clear they want to move away from it, do it, in a big way, here
Best Melodic Rap Performance
- Kehlani – Jordan Adetunji featuring Kehlani
- Spaghettii – Beyonce featuring Linda Martell & Shaboozey
- We Still Don’t Trust You – Future, Metro Boomin & The Weeknd
- Big Mama – Latto
- 3:AM – Rapsody featuring Erykah Badu
What Should Win – 3:AM – Rapsody featuring Erykah Badu
What Will Win – Spaghettii – Beyonce featuring Linda Martell & Shaboozey
Best Rap Song
- Asteroids – Rapsody featuring Hit-Boy
- Carnival – Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign featuring Rich The Kid & Playboi Carti
- Like That – Future & Metro Boomin featuring Kendrick Lamar
- Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar
- Yeah Glo! – Glorilla
What Should Win – Like That – Future & Metro Boomin featuring Kendrick Lamar
What Will Win – Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar
I mean… if we’re being realistic here…
Best Rap Album
- Might Delete Later – J. Cole
- The Auditorium, Vol. 1 – Common & Pete Rock
- Alligator Bites Never Heal – Doechii
- The Death Of Slim Shady – Eminem
- We Don’t Trust You – Future & Metro Boomin
What Should Win – We Don’t Trust You – Future & Metro Boomin
What Will Win – Alligator Bites Never Heal – Doechii
I really like Future, okay??
Country
Best Country Solo Performance
- 16 Carriages – Beyonce
- I Am Not Okay – Jelly Roll
- The Architect – Kacey Musgraves
- A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey
- It Takes A Woman – Chris Stapleton
What Should Win – 16 Carriages – Beyonce
What Will Win – A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey
Where the hell is “Cardinal,” Kacey?
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
- Cowboys Cry Too – Kelsea Ballerini & Noah Kahan
- II Most Wanted – Beyonce & Miley Cyrus
- Break Mine – Brothers Osbourne
- Bigger Houses – Dan & Shay
- I Had Some Help – Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen
What Should Win – II Most Wanted – Beyonce & Miley Cyrus
What Will Win – I Had Some Help – Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen
It pains me to say it, but…
Best Country Song
- The Architect – Kacey Musgraves
- A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey
- I Am Not Okay – Jelly Roll
- I Had Some Help – Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen
- Texas Hold ‘Em – Beyonce
What Should Win – The Architect – Kacey Musgraves
What Will Win – Texas Hold ‘Em – Beyonce
Best Country Album
- Cowboy Carter – Beyonce
- F-1 Trillion – Post Malone
- Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves
- Higher – Chris Stapleton
- Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson
What Should Win – Higher – Chris Stapleton
What Will Win – Higher – Chris Stapleton
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