Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar and the Weeknd were among the artists nominated for the Grammys’ biggest awards as all three artists earned Album of the Year noms. Swift also locked up nominations in the Song of the Year and Record of the Year categories thanks to “Blank Space,” while Lamar’s “Alright” earned a Song of the Year nod and the Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face” scored a Record of the Year nomination. The 58th annual Grammy Awards will air February 15th on CBS.
Swift’s 1989 , Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and the Weeknd’s Beauty Behind the Madness will face Chris Stapleton’s CMA Awards-dominating Traveller as well as Alabama Shakes’ Sound & Color in the Album of the Year category. In the Song of the Year category, Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush,” Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” and Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” will challenge “Blank Space” and “Alright.” “Thinking Out Loud” and “Blank Space” reappear in the Record of the Year category alongside “Can’t Feel My Face,” Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” and D’Angelo and the Vanguard’s “Really Love.”
In the Best New Artist field, Courtney Barnett, Meghan Trainor and Tori Kelly will face off against Sam Hunt and James Bay for the award. Sam Smith won the award this year as part of a huge Grammy night that ended with the British singer taking home six Grammys, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Stay With Me.” Beck’s Morning Phase was the surprise recipient of Best New Album.
Although Swift’s “Shake It Off” was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year for the 2015 ceremony, her 1989 was released on October 27th, 2014, outside of the eligibility window for the 57th annual Grammys, making it a frontrunner for the 2016 event.
Lamar’s 11 nominations range from Album of the Year and Song of the Year to Best Rap Album, Best Rap Collaboration (“These Walls”) and Best Music Video (“Alright”). While Swift will be Lamar’s strongest competition in the main categories, the two will actually be on the same team for a pair of awards thanks to their “Bad Blood” remix: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video. Lamar also added a dance nomination thanks to his appearance on Flying Lotus’ “Never Catch Me,” which is up for Best Dance Recording.
In the Best Rap Album category, where Lamar’s good kid, m.a.a.d. city lost to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ The Heist in 2014, To Pimp a Butterfly will meet Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late , Nicki Minaj’s The Pinkprint , J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive and Dr. Dre’s comeback LP Compton .
Death Cab for Cutie’s Kintsugi , Slipknot’s .5: The Gray Chapter , Muse’sDrones , Highly Suspect’s Mister Asylum and James Bay’s Chaos and the Calm will duke it out for Best Rock Album. The Best Alternative Music Album category boasts Alabama Shakes’ Sound & Color , Björk’s Vulnicura , Wilco’s surprise Star Wars , Tame Impala’s Currents and My Morning Jacket’s The Waterfall .
The Grammy cut-off was September 30th, making Adele’s multi-platinum smash 25 and its debut single “Hello” ineligible for any awards at the February 15th event.
Check out the Grammy site for the full list of nominees.
Album of the Year Sound & Color To Pimp a Butterfly Traveller 1989 Beauty Behind the Madness
Record of the Year
Song of the Year
Best New Artist Courtney Barnett
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Best Dance Recording
Best Rock Performance
Best Alternative Music Album Sound & Color ”” Alabama ShakesVulnicura ”” BjörkThe Waterfall ”” My Morning JacketCurrents ”” Tame ImpalaStar Wars ”” Wilco
Best Urban Contemporary Album Ego Death ”” The InternetYou Should Be Here ”” KehlaniBlood ”” Lianne La HavasWildheart ”” MiguelBeauty Behind The Madness ”” The Weeknd
Best Rap Album 2014 Forest Hills Drive ”” J. ColeCompton ”” Dr. DreIf Youre Reading This Its Too Late ”” DrakeTo Pimp A Butterfly ”” Kendrick LamarThe Pinkprint ”” Nicki Minaj
Best Country Album Montevallo ”” Sam HuntPain Killer ”” Little Big TownThe Blade ”” Ashley MonroePageant Material ”” Kacey MusgravesTraveller ”” Chris Stapleton
Best Americana Album The Firewatcher’s Daughter ”” Brandi CarlileThe Traveling Kind ”” Emmylou Harris & Rodney CrowellSomething More Than Free ”” Jason IsbellMono ”” The MavericksThe Phosphorescent Blues ”” Punch Brothers
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling) Blood On Snow (Jo Nesbø) ”” Patti SmithBrief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, And Assorted Hijinks ”” Dick CavettA Full Life: Reflections At Ninety ”” Jimmy CarterPatience And Sarah (Isabel Miller) ”” Janis Ian & Jean SmartYes Please ”” Amy Poehler (& Various Artists)
Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
Best Music Film Mr. Dynamite: The Rise Of James Brown ”” James BrownSonic Highways ”” Foo FightersWhat Happened, Miss Simone? ”” Nina SimoneThe Wall ”” Roger WatersAmy ”” Amy Winehouse
