Grammy 2022 Nominations: Surprises, Snubs And Selena Gomez!

With 11 nods, Jon Batiste bagged the most nominations for the Grammys this year including Album Of The Year and Record Of The Year. Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R. followed with eight nods followed by Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo with seven each. This is the third year in a row that Eilish has been nominated for Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year and Pop Solo Performance. Rodrigo, meanwhile, has a chance to win the Big 4 categories, something Eilish accomplished two years ago herself.

Beyond this, ABBA scored a surprise nomination for Record Of The Year for “I Still Have Faith in You,” their first single in 40 years. Paul McCartney scored two more nods to give him a grand total of 81 nominations. But he actually was bested by Jay-Z who landed three additional nominations, totally 83, thus making him the most nominated artist of all time (besting Quincy Jones). Tony Bennett is likely the sentimental favorite for his second duets album with Lady Gaga, and if they were to win, he’d be the oldest winner ever in the “General Category” at 95!

With all these milestones, it would seem like the Grammys got it right this year – expanding the Big 4 to 10 nominations each and opening the voting process by eliminating the nomination committees. But the results seem pretty standard actually, Grammy faves appeared again and again on the list and it seemed like the Academy hedged their bets on a select crop of artists. In fact, I would argue that the nominations might actually be as bad if not worse than previous years. Why? Because there continues to be a large gap between what’s popular and what’s not.

Hands down the biggest snub at first glance is “Butter” by BTS for Record Of The Year. It was the biggest hit of the year and K-Pop superstars showed that they weren’t just a fad (helped by the fact that they score four Number One hits this year, including one with Grammy darlings Coldplay!). Despite critical acclaim and a massive record, they still only managed a nomination in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category.

Beyond BTS, Taylor Swift and Halsey both had to settle for one nod each (Album Of The Year and Best Alternative categories, respectively), Kacey Musgraves (whose album was deemed ineligible for Best Country Album) and Chris Stapleton were relegated to only the country fields. Drake, Cardi B, and last year’s Best New Artist winner Megan Thee Stallion got stuck in the rap fields not cracking the Big 4.

Gabbi Barrett seemed like a lock for Best New Artist but saw no love, ditto for Lana Del Rey and Lorde who also were completely snubbed overall. While not a surprise given his behavior, it was a bit disappointing to see Morgan Wallen completely shut out despite his blockbuster country album, Dangerous: The Double Album. I also was hoping to see K-Pop better represented, especially with the widening of the Best New Artist category but that too didn’t materialize.

Having said that, there were some pleasant surprises, especially in the Best New Artist category with Arooj Aftab, Arlo Parks and Japanese Breakfast getting nods side by side with Olivia Rodrigo, Glass Animals and Saweetie. Of course, despite eight prior Grammy wins, Finneas made the cut too, this time as an artist himself. While it seems bizarre he’d be included, especially since none of his music made the cut anywhere else (except again for his work on his sister Billie Eilish’s album and record), Grammys love to reward their own. And after numerous snubs over the years especially last year when she failed to make the cut with “Lose You To Love Me,” it was a pleasant surprise to see Selena Gomez’s name pop up, even if it was for her Spanish-language EP Revelación. It’s unfortunate that one of the brightest pop stars gets her first nomination in a category that she’s never been in the running for before now.

The Grammys have to do better than to just appear “fair” and forget talents in the name of representation. They can’t keep rewarding the same people again and again because they think they are “hip.” They must also stop making silly calls. I had predicted Ed Sheeran would make an appearance in Record Of The Year this year for “Bad Habits.” The song did make the cut but not there, instead, it was nominated for the Song Of The Year category, a songwriter award. Similarly, Justin Bieber was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Lonely” with Benny Blanco. According to the credits of the song itself, Bieber is the only person singing on the record. While Blanco gets full billing credit here as the producer for the record (it was incidentally enough co-produced by Finneas), should he really have taken up a spot in this highly competitive category when he already is nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Anyone.” He’s also nominated for Best R&B Performance for “Peaches” with Daniel Caesar & Giveon. I know many use this trick to score multiple nods, it has worked beautifully for artists like Beyonce to rack up multiple wins but is it really fair? I literally would have zero issues with Bieber had he been nominated for “Name,” his beautiful duet with Grammy winner Tori Kelly or any song of his featuring another singer!

Meanwhile, I’m going to continue to push the Recording Academy to consider adding a Best Pop Song category. It makes me so confused that every other genre besides pop gets more chances to award its artists but the category with the most submissions gets the least acknowledgment and the most competitive slots. The argument has always been that they belong in the “general category” but the Top 10 this year shows that songs from multiple genres did get included so every genre deserves its place and recognition.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as I do a deep dive into the individual categories and dissect them prior to the Grammys airing on January 31st, 2022. There’s a lot to be happy about but a lot that just feels lazy on the Academy’s part. Here’s hoping at the ceremony, the pleasant surprises continue instead of more of the same.

The nomination list below:

Album of the Year
We Are — Jon Batiste
Love for Sale —Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Justice — Justin Bieber
Planet Her — Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever — Billie Eilish
Back of My Mind — H.E.R.
Montero — Lil Nas X
Sour — Olivia Rodrigo
Evermore — Taylor Swift
Donda — Kanye West

Record of the Year
“I Still Have Faith in You” — ABBA
“Freedom” — Jon Batiste
“I Get a Kick Out of You” — Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
“Peaches” — Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon
“Right on Time” — Brandi Carlile
“Kiss Me More” — Doja Cat feat. SZA
“Happier Than Ever” — Billie Eilish
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” — Lil Nas X
“Drivers License” — Olivia Rodrigo
“Leave the Door Open” — Silk Sonic

Song of the Year
“Bad Habits” — Fred Gibson, Johnny McDaid, and Ed Sheeran, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)
“A Beautiful Noise” — Ruby Amanfu, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, Alicia Keys, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Linda Perry, and Hailey Whitters, songwriters (Alicia Keys feat. Brandi Carlile)
“Drivers License” — Daniel Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)
“Fight for You” — Dernst Emile II, H.E.R., and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“Happier Than Ever” — Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
“Kiss Me More” — Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini, Lukasz Gottwald, Carter Lang, Gerard A. Powell II, Solána Rowe, and David Sprecher, songwriters (Doja Cat feat. SZA)
“Leave the Door Open” — Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II, and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” — Denzel Baptiste, David Biral, Omer Fedi, Montero Hill, and Roy Lenzo, songwriters (Lil Nas X)
“Peaches” — Louis Bell, Justin Bieber, Giveon Dezmann Evans, Bernard Harvey, Felisha “Fury” King, Matthew Sean Leon, Luis Manuel Martinez Jr., Aaron Simmonds, Ashton Simmonds, Andrew Wotman, and Keavan Yazdani, songwriters (Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon)
“Right on Time” – Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth, and Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)

Best New Artist
Arooj Aftab
Jimmie Allen
Baby Keem
Finneas
Glass Animals
Japanese Breakfast
The Kid Laroi
Arlo Parks
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie

Best Pop Solo Performance
“Anyone” — Justin Bieber
“Right on Time” — Brandi Carlile
“Happier Than Ever” — Billie Eilish
“Positions” — Ariana Grande
“Drivers License” — Olivia Rodrigo

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“I Get a Kick Out of You” — Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
“Lonely” — Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco
“Butter” — BTS
“Higher Power” — Coldplay
“Kiss Me More” – Doja Cat feat. SZA

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Love for Sale — Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
‘Til Me Meet Again Live — Norah Jones
A Tori Kelly Christmas — Tori Kelly
Ledisi Sings Nina — Ledisi
That’s Life — Willie Nelson
A Holly Dolly Christmas — Dolly Parton

Best Pop Vocal Album
Justice — Justin Bieber
Planet Her —  Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever — Billie Eilish
Positions — Ariana Grande
Sour — Olivia Rodrigo

Best Dance/Electronic Recording
“Hero” — Afrojack and David Guetta
“Loom” — Ólafur Arnalds feat. Bonobo
“Before” — James Blake
“Heartbreak” — Bonobo and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
“You Can Do It” — Caribou
“Alive” — Rüfüs Du Sol
“The Business” — Tiësto

Best Dance/Electronic Album
Subconsciously — Black Coffee
Fallen Embers — Illenium
Music Is the Weapon (Reloaded) — Major Lazer
Shockwave — Marshmello
Free Love — Sylvan Esso
Judgement —Ten City

Best Rock Performance
“Shot in the Dark” — AC/DC
“Know You Better” (Live From Capitol Studio A) — Black Pumas
“Nothing Compares 2 U” — Chris Cornell
“Ohms” — Deftones
“Making a Fire” — Foo Fighters

Best Rock Song
“All My Favorite Things” — Rivers Cuomo, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, and Ilsey Juber, songwriters (Weezer)
“The Bandit” — Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill, and Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings of Leon)
“Distance” — Wolfgang Van Halen, songwriter (Mammoth WVH)
“Find My Way” — Paul McCartney, songwriter (Paul McCartney)
“Waiting on a War” — Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, and Pat Smear, songwriters (Foo Fighters)

Best Rock Album
Power Up — AC/DC
Capitol Cuts – Live From Studio A — Black Pumas
No One Sings Like You Anymore, Vol. 1 — Chris Cornell
Medicine at Midnight — Foo Fighters
McCartney III — Paul McCartney

Best Metal Performance
“Genesis” — Deftones
“The Alien” — Dream Theater
“Amazonia” — Gojira
“Pushing the Tides” — Mastodon
“The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition)” — Rob Zombie

Best Alternative Music Album
Shore — Fleet Foxes
If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power — Halsey
Jubilee — Japanese Breakfast
Collapsed in Sunbeams — Arlo Parks
Daddy’s Home — St. Vincent

Best R&B Performance
“Lost You” — Snoh Aalegra
“Peaches” — Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon
“Damage” — H.E.R.
“Leave the Door Open” — Silk Sonic
“Pick Up Your Feelings” — Jazmine Sullivan

Best Traditional R&B Performance
“I Need You” — Jon Batiste
“Bring It on Home to Me” — BJ the Chicago Kid, PJ Morton, and Kenyon Dixon feat. Charlie Bereal
“Born Again” — Leon Bridges feat. Robert Glasper
“Fight for You” — H.E.R.
“How Much Can a Heart Take” — Lucky Daye feat. Yebba

Best R&B Song
“Damage” — Anthony Clemons Jr., Jeff Gitelman, H.E.R., Carl McCormick, and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“Good Days” — Jacob Collier, Carter Lang, Carlos Munoz, Solána Rowe, and Christopher Ruelas, songwriters (SZA)
“Heartbreak Anniversary” — Giveon Evans, Maneesh, Sevn Thomas, and Varren Wade, songwriters (Giveon)
“Leave the Door Open” — Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II, and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)
“Pick Up Your Feelings” — Denisia “Blue June” Andrews, Audra Mae Butts, Kyle Coleman, Brittany “Chi” Coney, Michael Holmes, and Jazmine Sullivan, songwriters (Jazmine Sullivan)

Best Progressive R&B Album
New Light — Eric Bellinger
Something to Say — Cory Henry
Mood Valiant — Hiatus Kaiyote
Table for Two — Lucky Daye
Dinner Party: Dessert — Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, and Kamasi Washington
Studying Abroad: Extended Stay — Masego

Best R&B Album
Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies — Snoh Aalegra
We Are — Jon Batiste
Gold-Diggers Sound — Leon Bridges
Back of My Mind — H.E.R.
Heaux Tales — Jazmine Sullivan

Best Rap Performance
“Family Ties” — Baby Keep feat. Kendrick Lamar
“Up” — Cardi B
“My . Life” — J. Cole feat. 21 Savage and Morray
“Way 2 Sexy” — Drake feat. Future and Young Thug
“Thot Shit” — Megan Thee Stallion

Best Melodic Rap Performance
“Pride . Is . the . Devil” — J. Cole feat. Lil Baby
“Need to Know” — Doja Cat
“Industry Baby” — Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow
“Wusyaname” — Tyler, the Creator feat. YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla $ign
“Hurricane” — Kanye West feat. the Weeknd and Lil Baby

Best Rap Song
“Bath Salts” — Shawn Carter, Kasseem Dean, Michael Forno, Nasir Jones, and Earl Simmons, songwriters (DMX feat. Jay-Z and Nas)
“Best Friend” — Amala Zandelie Dlamini, Lukasz Gottwald, Randall Avery Hammers, Diamonté Harper, Asia Smith, Theron Thomas, and Rocco Valdes, songwriters (Saweetie feat. Doja Cat)
“Family Ties” – Roshwita Larisha Bacha, Hykeem Carter, Tobias Dekker, Colin Franken, Jasper Harris, Kendrick Lamar, Ronald Latour, and Dominik Patrzek, songwriters (Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar)
“Jail” — Dwayne Abernathy Jr., Shawn Carter, Raul Cubina, Michael Dean, Charles M. Njapa, Sean Solymar, Kanye West, and Mark Williams, songwriters (Kanye West feat. Jay-Z)
“My . Life” – Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph and Jermaine Cole, songwriters (J. Cole feat. 21 Savage and Morray)

Best Rap Album
The Off-Season — J. Cole
Certified Lover Boy — Drake
King’s Disease II — Nas
Call Me If You Get Lost — Tyler, the Creator
Donda — Kanye West

Best Country Solo Performance
“Forever After All” — Luke Combs
“Remember Her Name” — Mickey Guyton
“All I Do Is Drive” — Jason Isbell
“Camera Roll” — Kacey Musgraves
“You Should Probably Leave” — Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“If I Didn’t Love You” — Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
“Younger Me” — Brothers Osborne
“Glad You Exist” — Dan and Shay
“Chasing After You” — Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris
“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” — Elle King and Miranda Lambert

Best Country Song
“Better Than We Found It” — Jessie Jo Dillon, Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, and Laura Veltz, songwriters (Maren Morris)
“Camera Roll” — Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, and Daniel Tashian, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
“Cold” — Dave Cobb, J.T. Cure, Derek Mixon, and Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)
“Country Again” — Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley, and Thomas Rhett, songwriters (Thomas Rhett)
“Fancy Like” — Cameron Bartolini, Walker Hayes, Josh Jenkins, and Shane Stevens, songwriters (Walker Hayes)
“Remember Her Name” — Mickey Guyton, Blake Hubbard, Jarrod Ingram, and Parker Welling, songwriters (Mickey Guyton)

Best Country Album
Skeletons — Brothers Osborne
Remember Her Name — Mickey Guyton
The Marfa Tapes — Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram
The Ballad of Dood and Juanita — Sturgill Simpson
Starting Over — Chris Stapleton

Best Latin Pop Album
Vértigo — Pablo Alborán
Mis Amores — Paula Arenas
Hecho a la Antigua — Ricardo Arjona
Mis Manos — Camilo
Mendó — Alex Cuba
Revelación — Selena Gomez

Best Música Urbana Album
Afrodisíaco — Rauw Alejandro
El Último Tour del Mundo — Bad Bunny
Jose — J Balvin
KG0516 — Karol G
Sin Miedo (Del Amor Y Otros Demonios) — Kali Uchis

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
Deja — Bomba Estéreo
Mira Lo Que Me Hiciste Hacer — Diamante Eléctrico
Origen — Juanes
Calambre — Nathy Peluso
El Madrileño — C. Tangana
Sonidos de Karmática Resonancia — Zoé

Best American Roots Performance
“Cry” — Jon Batiste
“Love and Regret — Billy Strings
“I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” — The Blind Boys of Alabama and Béla Fleck
“Same Devil” — Brandy Clark feat. Brandi Carlile
“Nightflyer” — Allison Russell

Best American Roots Song
“Avalon” – Rhiannon Giddens, Justin Robinson, and Francesco Turrisi, songwriters (Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi)
“Call Me a Fool” — Valerie June, songwriter (Valerie June feat. Carla Thomas)
“Cry” – Jon Batiste and Steve McEwan, songwriters (Jon Batiste)
“Diamond Studded Shoes”  — Dan Auerbach, Natalie Hemby, Aaron Lee Tasjan, and Yola, songwriters (Yola)
“Nightflyer” — Jeremy Lindsay and Allison Russell, songwriters (Allison Russell)

Best Americana Album
Downhill From Everywhere — Jackson Browne
Leftover Feelings — John Hiatt with the Jerry Douglas Band
Native Sons — Los Lobos
Outside Child — Allison Russell
Stand For Myself — Yola

Best Bluegrass Album
Renewal — Billy Strings
My Bluegrass Heart — Béla Fleck
A Tribute to Bill Monroe — The Infamous Stringdusters
Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions) — Sturgill Simpson
Music Is What I See — Rhonda Vincent

Best Traditional Blues Album
100 Years of Blues — Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite
Traveler’s Blues — Blues Traveler
I Be Trying — Cedric Burnside
Be Ready When I Call You — Guy Davis
Take Me Back — Kim Wilson 

Best Contemporary Blues Album
Delta Kream — The Black Keys feat. Eric Deaton and Kenny Brown
Royal Tea — Joe Bonamassa
Uncivil War — Shemekia Copeland
Fire It Up — Steve Cropper
662 — Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Best Folk Album
One Lonely Night (Live) — Mary Chapin Carpenter
Long Violent History — Tyler Childers
Wednesday — Madison Cunningham
They’re Calling Me Home — Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi
Blue Heron Suite — Sarah Jarosz

Best Regional Roots Music Album
Live in New Orleans! — Sean Ardoin and Kreole Rock and Soul
Bloodstains and Teardrops — Big Chief Monk Boudreaux
My People — Cha Wa
Corey Ledet Zydeco — Corey Ledet Zydeco
Kau Ka Pe’a — Kalani Pe’a

Best Reggae Album
Pamoja — Etana
Positive Vibration — Gramps Morgan
Live N Livin — Sean Paul
Royal — Jesse Royal
Beauty in the Silence — Soja
10 — Spice

Best Global Music Performance
“Mohabbat” — Arooj Aftab
“Do Yourself” — Angelique Kidjo and Burna Boy
“Pà Pà Pà” — Femi Kuti
“Blewu” — Yo-Yo Ma and Angelique Kidjo
“Essence” — Wizkid feat. Tems

Best Global Music Album
Voice of Bunbon, Vol. 1 — Rocky Dawuni
East West Players Presents: Daniel Ho and Friends Live in Concert — Daniel Ho and Friends
Mother Nature — Angelique Kidjo
Legacy+ — Femi Kuti and Made Kuti
Made in Lagos — Wizkid

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books and Storytelling)
Aftermath — LeVar Burton
Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation From John Lewis — Don Cheadle
Catching Dreams: Live at Fort Knox Chicago — J. Ivy
8:46 — Dave Chappelle and Amir Sulaiman
A Promised Land  — Barack Obama

Best Comedy Album
The Comedy Vaccine — Lavell Crawford
Evolution — Chelsea Handler
Sincerely Louis C.K. — Louis C.K.
Thanks for Risking Your Life — Lewis Black
The Greatest Average American — Nate Bargatze
Zero Fucks Given — Kevin Hart

Best Song Written for Visual Media
“Agatha All Along” [from Wandavision] — Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, songwriters (Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez feat. Kathryn Hahn, Eric Bradley, Greg Whipple, Jasper Randall, and Gerald White)
“All Eyes on Me” [from Inside] — Bo Burnham, songwriter (Bo Burnham)
“All I Know So Far” [from Pink: All I Know So Far] — Alecia Moore, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul, songwriters (Pink)
“Fight for You” [from Judas and the Black Messiah] — Dernst Emile II, H.E.R., and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” [from Respect] — Jamie Hartman, Jennifer Hudson, and Carole King, songwriters (Jennifer Hudson)
“Speak Now” [from One Night in Miami …] — Sam Ashworth and Leslie Odom Jr., songwriters (Leslie Odom Jr.)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Rogét Chahayed
Mike Elizondo
Hit-Boy
Ricky Reed

Best Music Video
“Shot in the Dark” — AC/DC; David Mallet, video director; Dione Orrom, video producer
“Freedom” — Jon Batiste; Alan Ferguson, video director; Alex P. Willson, video producer
“I Get a Kick Out of You” — Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga; Jennifer Lebeau, video director; Danny Bennett, Bobby Campbell, and Jennifer Lebeau, video producers
“Peaches” — Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon; Collin Tilley, video director
“Happier Than Ever” — Billie Eilish; Billie Eilish, video director; Michelle An, Chelsea Dodson, and David Moore, video producers
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” — Lil Nas X; Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino, video directors; Frank Borin, Ivanna Borin, Marco De Molina, and Saul Levitz, video producers
“Good 4 U” — Olivia Rodrigo; Petra Collins, video director; Christiana Divona, Marissa Ramirez, and Tiffany Suh, video producers

Best Music Film
Inside — Bo Burnham; Bo Burnham, video director; Josh Senior, video producer
David Byrne’s American Utopia — David Byrne; Spike Lee, video director; David Byrne and Spike Lee, video producers
Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles — Billie Eilish; Patrick Osborne and Robert Rodriguez, video directors
Music, Money, Madness … Jimi Hendrix in Maui — Jimi Hendrix; John McDermott, video director; Janie Hendrix, John McDermott, and George Scott, video producers
Summer of Soul — Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, video director; David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent, and Joseph Patel, video producers