The 67th Grammy Awards will air Feb. 2. Music released between Sept. 16, 2023, and Aug. 30, 2024, was eligible to be nominated for the ceremony. Here is how I think the evening is likely to go.
Song of the Year and Record of the Year are two categories that people frequently get confused. The former goes exclusively to the songwriters, while the latter is awarded to the artists, album producers, recording engineers, mixers and mastering engineers who have worked on a track, according to the Grammys website.
Record of the Year seems poised to go to Beyoncé for “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM.” While she currently holds the record for most Grammy wins with 13 wins and 34 nominations, Beyoncé has only won one main category Grammy — Song of the Year for “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” in 2010 — but all of that may change this year.
Beyoncé has garnered a leading 11 nominations at this year’s ceremony, and “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” has been her most successful lead single in years. The record itself is catchy, well constructed and seamlessly produced. All of these factors have come together to position Beyoncé for her potential first Record of the Year.
Album of the Year is a category that Beyoncé has famously never won. Each of the past three times she has lost have been major upsets, furthering the case that the Grammys have a racial bias when it comes to the major categories. However, the widespread critical and cultural success of “COWBOY CARTER” is undeniable, with the album having a 91 on Metacritic and its Western aesthetic having a massive influence on 2024’s fashion landscape, according to The New York Times.
Another thing in Beyoncé’s favor is the treatment the album has received from other awards ceremonies, including it receiving zero nominations at the 2024 Country Music Awards. The Recording Academy likely wants to avoid the same backlash the CMAs rightfully received.
Beyoncé’s Christmas Day halftime performance at the Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens game has continued to keep “COWBOY CARTER” at the forefront of the zeitgeist almost a year after its release. If the Recording Academy decides to snub Beyoncé once again, Chappell Roan and Charli xcx are also strong contenders.
More than other categories, Song of the Year could go to anybody. Shaboozey tied the record for the most weeks — 19 — at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the nominated “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Grammy darling Billie Eilish could win for a record third time for “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” which has become one of her most successful songs.
“Die with a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars has been one of the biggest songs in the country for several months — the period during which Grammy voting has taken place. Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” is the definition of a cultural phenomenon.
Sabrina Carpenter would stand a better chance if she were nominated in this category for “Espresso” instead of “Please Please Please,” but the latter song is unfortunately bested by most of its opponents by general popularity. And of course, Beyoncé could always win here, too.
However, the most deserving song in the Song of the Year lineup is Chappell Roan’s breakout success “Good Luck, Babe!” The track is brilliant from a lyrical standpoint and has been the figurehead of a massive year for Queer musicians, according to Rolling Stone. A SOTY win for “Good Luck, Babe!” would cement Roan’s hit as one of the most important pop songs in recent memory.
This year, there are two artists at the forefront of the Best New Artist race — Carpenter and Roan. The former’s breakout success has been with her sixth album, but this Grammy goes to someone who has “achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape” during the previous year, according to the Grammys website, thus making Carpenter eligible. The fact that Carpenter has been steadily building industry recognition over the past decade will surely benefit her in this category.
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Roan, on the other hand, has had an unprecedented breakout year. She charted seven songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024, according to Billboard. Her performance at Lollapalooza in August 2024 drew what is estimated to be the biggest crowd in the history of the music festival, according to CNN.
Dozens of high-profile musicians have expressed support for Roan during her tumultuous first year of superstardom, according to Rolling Stone. She has garnered the same amount of industry recognition as Carpenter — if not more — in just a year.
Thus, Roan is the likely frontrunner for this year’s Best New Artist. If the Recording Academy decides to reward an artist from another genre in a year dominated by pop, rapper Doechii and country singer Shaboozey both stand a sizable chance.
A full list of nominations for the 67th Grammy Awards can be found here.
Elijah Ritch is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. They can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
